83 research outputs found

    Pepper pectin methylesterase inhibitor protein CaPMEI1 is required for antifungal activity, basal disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance

    Get PDF
    Pectin is one of the main components of the plant cell wall that functions as the primary barrier against pathogens. Among the extracellular pectinolytic enzymes, pectin methylesterase (PME) demethylesterifies pectin, which is secreted into the cell wall in a highly methylesterified form. Here, we isolated and functionally characterized the pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) gene CaPMEI1, which encodes a pectin methylesterase inhibitor protein (PMEI), in pepper leaves infected by Xanthomonascampestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv). CaPMEI1 transcripts are localized in the xylem of vascular bundles in leaf tissues, and pathogens and abiotic stresses can induce differential expression of this gene. Purified recombinant CaPMEI1 protein not only inhibits PME, but also exhibits antifungal activity against some plant pathogenic fungi. Virus-induced gene silencing of CaPMEI1 in pepper confers enhanced susceptibility to Xcv, accompanied by suppressed expression of some defense-related genes. Transgenic ArabidopsisCaPMEI1-overexpression lines exhibit enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, mannitol and methyl viologen, but not to the biotrophic pathogen Hyaloperonospora parasitica. Together, these results suggest that CaPMEI1, an antifungal protein, may be involved in basal disease resistance, as well as in drought and oxidative stress tolerance in plants

    Legal dimensions of the psychiatric halfway house

    No full text

    System advisor model (SAM) simulation modelling of a concentrating solar thermal power plant with comparison to actual performance data

    No full text
    This paper is focused on the modelling and simulation of a 50 kW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant located in Crowley, Louisiana. The model was developed using system advisor model (SAM). The objective is to develop a predictive model (using SAM) to characterize the performance of the power plant and, thus, aid the analysis and evaluation of the plant’s performance. The power plant is a research facility of the Solar Thermal Applied Research and Testing (START) Lab. The model was validated by comparing its predictions with the actual plant data. The comparison showed a good correlation between the predicted results and the actual plant data. The validated model was then used to perform parametric analyses across different locations. The analyses showed that by operating the power plant at the optimal combination of solar multiple and hours of storage, we can achieve about 70% reduction in the cost of electrical energy

    Issues of closeness and distance in dating relationships: Effects of sex and attachment style

    No full text
    This study was designed to clarify the nature of partners' needs for closeness and distance in established dating relationships, by integrating theories of attachment, gender role socialization, and dialectical contradictions. Seventy-two couples who had been dating their partners for at least one year provided unstructured accounts of their relationships, and completed measures of attachment style and relationship satisfaction, Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. Results showed that issues of closeness and distance were highly salient, especially for insecurely attached individuals. The presence and nature of reported differences in partners' needs for closeness-distance were predicted by sex and by the attachment styles of both partners; these differences were also linked to relationship satisfaction. Participants frequently reported that interactions concerning closeness-distance had changed during the course of the relationship, supporting dialectical theorists' emphasis on the tension between needs for autonomy and connection. Recurrent conflicts over closeness-distance were linked with attachment insecurity, especially males' dismissing-avoidance. The results highlight the need to consider both sex and attachment style differences in explaining conflicts over closeness and distance
    corecore