Analysis of the functional conservation of ethylene receptors between maize and Arabidopsis

Ethylene, a regulator of plant growth and development, is perceived by specific receptors that act as negative regulators of the ethylene response. Five ethylene receptors, i.e., ETR1, ERS1, EIN4, ETR2, and ERS2, are present in Arabidopsis and dominant negative mutants of each that confer ethylene insensitivity have been reported. In contrast, maize contains just two types of ethylene receptors: ZmERS1, encoded by ZmERS1a and ZmERS1b, and ZmETR2, encoded by ZmETR2a and ZmETR2b. In this study, we introduced a Cys to Tyr mutation in the transmembrane domain of ZmERS1b and ZmETR2b that is present in the etr1-1 dominant negative mutant and expressed each protein in Arabidopsis. Mutant Zmers1b and Zmetr2b receptors conferred ethylene insensitivity and Arabidopsis expressing Zmers1b or Zmetr2b were larger and exhibited a delay in leaf senescence characteristic of ethylene insensitive Arabidopsis mutants. Zmers1b and Zmetr2b were dominant and functioned equally well in a hemizygous or homozygous state. Expression of the Zmers1b N-terminal transmembrane domain was sufficient to exert dominance over endogenous Arabidopsis ethylene receptors whereas the Zmetr2b N-terminal domain failed to do so. Neither Zmers1b nor Zmetr2b functioned in the absence of subfamily 1 ethylene receptors, i.e., ETR1 and ERS1. These results suggest that Cys65 in maize ZmERS1b and ZmETR2b plays the same role that it does in Arabidopsis receptors. Moreover, the results demonstrate that the mutant maize ethylene receptors are functionally dependent on subfamily 1 ethylene receptors in Arabidopsis, indicating substantial functional conservation between maize and Arabidopsis ethylene receptors despite their sequence divergence

Petiole hyponasty: an ethylene-driven, adaptive response to changes in the environment

Hyponastic (upwardly bending) growth by leaves is a response of numerous plant species to adverse environmental conditions. This review summarises current knowledge on hyponasty with a particular focus on the role of ethylene in regulating this phenomenon and its possible adaptive significance

Ação do cepa e do ácido giberélico na frutificação da videira 'niagara rosada'

Studies were carried out to establish the effects of exogenous growth regulators on Vitis (labrusca x vinifera) 'Niagara Rosada' fruiting. The investigations were done in the Jundiaí Research Station, Agronomic Institute State of São Paulo, always using disease-free vineyards of good productivity. The morphological transformations of clusters were carried out under the following aspects: weight, length and width of cluster; number of berries; weight, length average and width average of berries; length average/width average ratio of berries; number of seeds; length and diameter of secondary rachis. That characteristics were determined at the time of maturity plus the total sugars, total acid, Maturity Index and reducing sugars in samples of all treatments. The experiment were conduced in order to determine the doses that resulted in the most beneficial effects, always using applications by immersion of the inflorescence. The experiment consisted of appplications of (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (CEPA) at concentrations of 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 ppm, 14 days before flowering; treatments with gibberellic acid at concentrations of 100 and 200 ppm before full bloom, 10 days after full bloom, and both before plus after full bloom. Treatment with CEPA 100 ppm plus gibberellic acid 100 ppm before full bloom and check treatment were also used. The use of CEPA before flowering at the concentrations used, did not result in good results in 'Niagara Rosada' clusters; applications of gibberellic acid did not differ significantly from the nontreated vines under the conditions studied.Estudou-se o efeito da aplicação, por imersão, do CEPA (ácido 2-cloroetil fosfônico) e do ácido giberélico, 14 dias antes do florescimento, nas características morfológicas da panícula da videira Vitis (labrus-ca x vinifera) "Niagara Rosada". Alguns tratamentos com ácido giberélico foram concluídos com nova aplicação 10 dias após o florescimento. Neste experimento verificou-se que, aplicação do CEPA na concentração de 250 ppm resultou na formação de panículas com a maioria de características indesejáveis. o tratamento misto CEPA 100 ppm + ácido giberélico 100 ppm também promoveu o aparecimento de panículas subdesenvolvidas. Aplicação de ácido giberélico na concentração de 100 ppm em pré e pós-ílorescimento, resultou médias mais elevadas, com relação ao peso da panícula, comprimento da panícula, peso das bagas e comprimento da ráquis. Ácido giberélico na concentração de 100 ppm aplicado em pós-ílorescimento, promoveu uma tendência de aumento nas médias do tratamento quanto ao comprimento médio das bagas, largura média das bagas, largura do engaço e comprimento da ráquila. Devemos considerar porém, que os resultados obtidos não apresentaram diferenças significativas com relação ao controle, quanto às características das frutificações, nas condições de estudo