Transduction of p27 to Induce Apoptosis in Tumor Cells

Transduction is a biochemical technique for the introduction of full-length proteins into the cells. It has the potential to be used in the development of a new therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy. Different forms of p27 (TAT-p27, TAT-Mp27, TAT-p23) were transduced into tumor cell lines, lymphocytes and B-CLL cells, and their influence on proliferation and apoptosis was investigated. The metabolism of transduced proteins differed between the cell types. TAT-p27 protein is metabolized faster than the mutated form. Furthermore, the half-life of TAT-p27 depended on the type of cells. All forms of TAT-p27 fusion protein moderately decreased the proliferation of different types of the cells and induced apoptosis. The cells from some B-CLL patients were sensitive to TAT fusion proteins, and the sensitivity was increased with the addition of Fluda. This study provides valuable results for further development of TAT technology as the potential tool for a specially targeted therapy of tumors

Nematode Control by the Use of Antagonistic Plants

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) cause significant economic damage to a wide range of crops. Although soil treatment with synthetic nematicides has given some protection and increased yields, many of them are being banned from the world market, because like other pesticides used in conventional agriculture, they might cause adverse damage to the agricultural ecosystem. Also, trends toward organic farming and sustainable agriculture continue to rise. Thus, the uses of alternative nematode management practices, which are safe and economically acceptable, are increasingly used. Among them, the use of antagonistic plants is a very attractive alternative. Some of antagonistic plants give the benefit of a green manure. Also, some nematocidal substances have been isolated from them and have drawn the attention of the pesticide industry. The use and the effect of the most investigated antagonistic plants like marigold (Tagetes spp.), neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), species from the genus Brassica, Crotolaria, Mucuna, etc. are presented in this review. It is necessary to continue the discovery of the new effective nematode antagonists and to develop techniques for their more efficient utilization. Furthermore, it is important to explore other benefits of antagonistic plants that would stimulate their cultivation by the farmers

Nematode Control by the Use of Antagonistic Plants

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) cause significant economic damage to a wide range of crops. Although soil treatment with synthetic nematicides has given some protection and increased yields, many of them are being banned from the world market, because like other pesticides used in conventional agriculture, they might cause adverse damage to the agricultural ecosystem. Also, trends toward organic farming and sustainable agriculture continue to rise. Thus, the uses of alternative nematode management practices, which are safe and economically acceptable, are increasingly used. Among them, the use of antagonistic plants is a very attractive alternative. Some of antagonistic plants give the benefit of a green manure. Also, some nematocidal substances have been isolated from them and have drawn the attention of the pesticide industry. The use and the effect of the most investigated antagonistic plants like marigold (Tagetes spp.), neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), species from the genus Brassica, Crotolaria, Mucuna, etc. are presented in this review. It is necessary to continue the discovery of the new effective nematode antagonists and to develop techniques for their more efficient utilization. Furthermore, it is important to explore other benefits of antagonistic plants that would stimulate their cultivation by the farmers

Botanical Insecticides in Plant Protection

Botanical insecticides are natural compounds with insecticidal properties and their use in crop protection is as old as agricultural practice. Although they have been in use for over one hundred years, the advent of synthetic insecticides has unfortunately displaced their use today. Due to fast action, low cost, easy application and efficiency against a wide range of harmful species, synthetic insecticides have become an important part of pest management in modern agricultural systems. However, after decades of use, their negative side effects, such as toxicity to humans and animals, environmental contamination, and toxicity to non-target insects have become apparent and interest in less hazardous alternatives of pest control is therefore being renewed. Plant species with known insecticidal actions are being promoted and research is being conducted to find new sources of botanical insecticides. The most important botanical insecticide is pyrethrin, a secondary metabolite of Dalmatian pyrethrum, neem, followed by insecticides based on the essential oils, rotenone, quassia, ryania and sabadilla. Th ey have various chemical properties and modes of action. However, some general characteristics include fast degradation in sunlight, air and moisture, and selectivity to non-target insects. Unfortunately, neither of these insecticides is widely used as a pest control agent but is recognized by organic crop producers in industrialized countries

The extraction efficiency of maceration, UAE and MSPD in the extraction of pyrethrins from Dalmatian pyrethrum

Dalmatian pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium /Trevir./ Sch. Bip.) synthesizes secondary metabolite pyrethrin, known for its potent insecticidal and repellent activity. The present study was aimed at optimizing the maceration extraction parameters that improve the efficiency of pyrethrin extraction from the dried Dalmatian pyrethrum flower heads. Extraction efficiencies under several conditions were investigated: different solvent types, extraction time, the rotational speed of the stirrer, and the solvent volume. The highest recovery values were obtained with 5 mL of acetone, at the rotational speed of 400 rpm, and the extraction time of three hours. In addition, the extraction efficiency of maceration was compared to that of ultrasound-assisted and matrix solid phase dispersion extraction, both previously optimized for pyrethrin extraction. The extractions were carried out on samples of three natural Dalmatian pyrethrum populations (Krk, Mt. Kozjak, and Senj). Both the total pyrethrin content and the HPLC profile varied between different extraction techniques. Across applied methods, the highest efficiency was observed with matrix solid phase dispersion extraction. Evaluation of the differences between data obtained using different extraction techniques was performed by the Bland-Altman analysis, revealing good agreement between the three methods

Synergistic Effects of Combining Morphological and Molecular Data in Resolving the Intraspecific Classification in O. basilicum L.

High levels of both morphological and chemical variability exist within the O. basilicum L. species. Long-term traditional uses and wide distribution throughout the world, as well as traditional selection and breeding efforts, have contributed to variability within the species. Morphological traits according to UPOV descriptor list and AFLP markers were utilized to define the extent of existing variation in the species analyzing 24 accessions. Phenotypic dissimilarities between pairs of accessions were calculated and the UPGMA dendrogram was constructed. A number of clearly defined clusters have been detected, giving a good representation of traditional taxonomic relationships. Genetic relationships were determined by Neighbour-Joining cluster analysis based on Dice’s distance matrix between accessions. Generally, morphologically similar accessions grouped together and a high congruence between trees was observed. Our analyses revealed a certain degree of correspondence between morphological and molecular data among O. basilicum L. accessions. Both AFLP markers and morphological descriptors can contribute in resolving existing problems concerning intraspecific classification in O. basilicum

The first contribution to the ethnobotany of inland Dalmatia: medicinal and wild food plants of the Knin area, Croatia

An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in the Knin area (northern Dalmatia, Croatia) with the aim of recording traditional plant use by the local (native) people and contributing to the knowledge of plant biodiversity in the investigated area. Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 40 local people at 17 locations. Data on 123 plant taxa (on average 21 taxa per interview) and 122 unique medicinal and 18 food uses in the local community were recorded. Prevalent medicinal uses of the recorded taxa were the treatment of digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular disorders, and injuries. The most commonly used plant parts gathered were leaves (35%) and flowers (20%). The most commonly collected plants in the investigated area were: Urtica dioica, Thymus longicaulis, Sambucus nigra, and Hypericum perforatum

Phenotypic Diversity among Croatian Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Landraces

Phenotypic diversity among Croatian common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces was assessed by analysing 12 qualitative and six quantitative traits in 338 accessions collected from all production areas in Croatia. Out of 12 qualitative morphological traits, seed coat colour was the most polymorphic among accessions having the highest Shannon’s information index and discriminating power. Out of six quantitative traits, the highest coefficient of variation was detected in duration of flowering. A weak correlation was found between distance matrices among accessions based on qualitative and quantitative traits

Utilization of essential oils in protection of stored grains

Uskladišteno sjeme predstavlja jedinstveni ekosustav čije je pozna-vanje od izuzetne važnosti kako bi se sačuvala klijavost i životna sposobnost do ponovne sjetve. Sjeme može biti napadnuto od različitih štetnika i mikroorganizama koji se vrlo često pojavljuju u skladištima i negativno utječu na kvalitativna i kvantitativna svojstva. Njihovo suzbijanje danas predstavlja vrlo veliki izazov s obzirom da se sve više nastoje koristiti prirodni pripravci poput botaničkih pesticida, umjesto sintetičkih insekticida, koji su već dugi niz godina u upotrebi, a za koje je poznato da negativno djeluju na ljudsko zdravlje i okoliš. Eterična ulja predstavljaju jednu od opcija zaštite usjeva i alternativu u programima suzbijanja različitih štetočinja uskladištenog sjemena, stoga u novije vrijeme dobivaju sve veću važnost. Najviše su istraživana eterična ulja vrsta iz porodica: Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Apiaceae i Laureaceae, za koja je dokazano da posjeduju izrazit insekticidni potencijal. Osim insekticidnog djelovanja dokazano je i njihovo virucidno, baktericidno, fungicidno, kao i larvicidno i ovicidno djelovanje. U ovom su radu detaljno opisana eterična ulja, njihove aktivne sastavnice te primjena u zaštiti uskladištenog sjemena.Stored grain represents unique ecosystem and preservation of its quality until sowing time is of great importance. It can be damaged by different harmful insects and microorganisms which are very common in storage facilities and have a negative impact on qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the seed. Reduction of their populations is a challenge since nowadays there is a great need to use natural components, such as botanical pesticides, instead of synthetic pesticides, which show numerous negative impacts on human health and environment. In recent years essential oils are gaining much attention as an alternative for stored grain pest control. The most investigated essential oils are those isolated from plant families: Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Apiaceae and Laureaceae, which are known for their significant insecticidal potential. Except insecticidal, they exhibit virucidal, bactericidal, antifungal, as well as larvicidal and ovicidal effects. In this review, essential oils, their active components and possible use in stored grains protection are described in details

GERMINATION AND DORMANCY OF LEGUMES

Mahunarke su glavni izvor biljnih bjelančevina u svijetu stoga zauzimaju važnu ulogu u prehrani ljudi i hranidbi životinja. U Hrvatskoj se zrnate mahunarke pretežno uzgajaju na obiteljskim gospodarstvima na malim površinama. Za ljudsku prehranu najviše se uzgajaju grah (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), grašak (Pisum sativum L.) i soja (Glycine max L. Merr.), a u manjoj mjeri bob (Vicia faba L.), slanutak (Cicer arietinum L.), leća (Lens culinaris Medik.), sjekirica (Lathyrus sativus L.), lupina (Lupinus spp.) i crnookica (Vigna unguiculata L.). Najvažnije krmne mahunarke su lucerna (Medicago sativa L.) i crvena djetelina (Trifolium pratense L.). Klijanje i dormantnost su složeni procesi sjemena biljaka koji su pod utjecajem gena, biljnih hormona i okolišnih čimbenika. Klijanje je osnovna karakteristika svakog zdravog sjemena i ono počinje kada su zadovoljeni određeni uvjeti (voda, temperatura, kisik, svjetlost i dr.) te je savladana dormantnost. Mahunarkama je svojstvena fizikalna dormantnost koja je uzrokovana tvrdom, nepropusnom sjemenom ljuskom, koja onemogućuje usvajanje vode i plinova. Kod modernih kultivara zrnatih mahunarki ovo je svojstvo izgubljeno tijekom procesa udomaćenja i oplemenjivanja. Danas je dormantnost tipična za divlje tipove zrnatih mahunarki i za krmne mahunarke, kod kojih je potrebno primijeniti metode skarifikacije ili stratifikacije kako bi se prekinula dormantnost te potaknulo i poboljšalo klijanje.Legumes are of great importance in human nutrition and animal feed as they are a major source of vegetable proteins. In Croatia, grain legumes are mainly grown on family farms in low-system production. Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) are the most widely grown while broad bean (Vicia faba L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), lupin (Lupinus spp.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) are grown to a lesser extent. The most common forage legumes in Croatia are alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Germination and dormancy are complex seed characteristics influenced by many genes, hormones and environmental factors. Germination of the healthy seed starts when all the environmental factors are satisfied (water, temperature, oxygen, light, etc.), and it has overcome primary dormancy. Physical dormancy is widespread in legume family and is caused by an impermeable seed coat for water and gases, but has been lost through domestication and breeding. Today, physical dormancy is typical for wild types of grain legumes and for forage legumes. Stratification and scarification methods are useful tools to break down dormancy and improve germination