Identification of Poinsettia Cultivars Using RAPD Markers

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques were used to compare the DNA from leaf tissues of nine commercial poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Wild ex Klotzsch) cultivars. Amplification occurred in 57 out of 60 (95%) tested primers. Nine primers that revealed polymorphisms among cultivars were selected for further evaluation. Forty-eight RAPD bands were scored from these primers, and 33 (69%) were polymorphic. All tested cultivars could be discriminated with seven bands generated from primers OPB7 and OPC13. Results of a UPGMA cluster analysis and principal components analysis placed the nine cultivars into two groups: one group consisted of `Jingle Bells\u27, `Supjibi\u27, and `V-17 Angelika\u27, the other of `V-14 Glory\u27, `Red Sails\u27, `Jolly Red\u27, and `Freedom\u27. `Lilo Red\u27 and `Pink Peppermint\u27 belonged to the latter group, but were relatively distant from other cultivars in that group. These results indicate that RAPDs are efficient for identification of poinsettia cultivars and for determination of the genetic relationships among cultivars

Structure and Temperature Regulated Expression of a Cysteine Proteinase Gene in Pachysandra terminalis Sieb. & Zucc.

A cysteine proteinase gene (DQ403257) with an open reading frame of 1125 base pairs was isolated from Pachysdandra terminalis. The primary translated peptide has a predicted length of 374 amino acids, pI (isoelectric point) of 5.70, and molecular mass of 40.9 kDa. The Peptidase_C1 domain is between residue 141 and 367. The proteinase has a conserved motif Gly-Xaa-Thy-Xaa-Phe-Xaa-Asn in the pro region. Sequence comparison shows that the deduced peptide shares 82% identity with the cysteine proteinase RD19a precursor (RD19) (accession P43296) from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction revealed that the gene is induced by treatments of 1 to 7 days of darkness, 2 hours and 3 to 7 days at 5 °C, and 3 days at 38 °C

Salt-induced and Salt-suppressed Proteins in Tomato Leaves

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Money Maker) seedlings at the two-leaf stage were grown in one-half strength Hoagland solution supplemented with 50 mm NaCl for 4 days, with 100 mm NaCl for 4 days, with 150 mm NaCl for 4 days, and with a final concentration 200 mm NaCl for 2 days. Solutions were refreshed every 2 days for treated and untreated seedlings. Non-treated plants were grown in nonamended one-half strength Hoagland solution. Three biological replicates (BR) were included for treated and control experiments. At the end of treatments, the uppermost three newly expanded leaves from all 12 plants in each BR were collected and bulked to extract total protein. Proteomic analysis resulted in the identification of several salt-induced and salt-suppressed proteins. Salt-induced proteins were: vacuolar H+-ATPase A1 subunit isoform (1.6-fold), germin-like protein (1.5-fold), ferredoxin-NADP (+) reductase (1.2-fold), quinone oxidoreductase-like protein (4.4-fold), heat-shock protein (4.9-fold), and pyrophosphorylase (1.7-fold). Salt-suppressed proteins were: ATPase alpha subunit (−1.5-fold) and rubisco activase (−1.4-fold). Proteins identified in this study affect cellular activities for antioxidant, stress protection, carbon fixation, and carbohydrate partitioning in young tomato leaves under salt stress

Identification of Proteins for Salt Tolerance Using a Comparative Proteomics Analysis of Tomato Accessions with Contrasting Salt Tolerance

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has a wide variety of genotypes differing in their responses to salinity. This study was performed to identify salt-induced changes in proteomes that are distinguishable among tomatoes with contrasting salt tolerance. Tomato accessions [LA4133 (a salt-tolerant cherry tomato accession) and ‘Walter’ LA3465 (a salt-susceptible accession)] were subjected to salt treatment (200 mm NaCl) in hydroponic culture. Salt-induced changes in the root proteomes of each tomato accession were identified using the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) method. In LA4133, 178 proteins showed significant differences between salt-treated and non-treated control root tissues (P ≤ 0.05); 169 proteins were induced (1.3- to 5.1-fold) and nine repressed (–1.7- to –1.3-fold). In LA3465, 115 proteins were induced (1.3- to 6.4-fold) and 23 repressed (–2.5- to –1.3-fold). Salt-responsive proteins from the two tomato accessions were involved in the following biological processes: root system development and structural integrity; carbohydrate metabolism; adenosine-5′-triphosphate regeneration and consumption; amino acid metabolism; fatty acid metabolism; signal transduction; cellular detoxification; protein turnover and intracellular trafficking; and molecular activities for regulating gene transcription, protein translation, and post-translational modification. Proteins affecting diverse cellular activities were identified, which include chaperonins and cochaperonins, heat-shock proteins, antioxidant enzymes, and stress proteins. Proteins exhibiting different salt-induced changes between the tolerant and susceptible tomato accessions were identified, and these proteins were divided into two groups: 1) proteins with quantitative differences because they were induced or repressed by salt stress in both accessions but at different fold levels; and 2) proteins showing qualitative differences, where proteins were induced in one vs. repressed or not changed in the other accession. Candidate proteins for tolerance to salt and secondary cellular stresses (such as hypo-osmotic stress and dehydration) were proposed based on findings from the current and previous studies on tomato and by the use of the Arabidopsis thaliana protein database. Information provided in this report will be very useful for evaluating and breeding for plant tolerance to salt and/or water deficit stresses

Identification of Poinsettia Cultivars Using RAPD Markers

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) techniques were used to compare the DNA from leaf tissues of nine commercial poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Wild ex Klotzsch) cultivars. Amplification occurred in 57 out of 60 (95%) tested primers. Nine primers that revealed polymorphisms among cultivars were selected for further evaluation. Forty-eight RAPD bands were scored from these primers, and 33 (69%) were polymorphic. All tested cultivars could be discriminated with seven bands generated from primers OPB7 and OPC13. Results of a UPGMA cluster analysis and principal components analysis placed the nine cultivars into two groups: one group consisted of `Jingle Bells\u27, `Supjibi\u27, and `V-17 Angelika\u27, the other of `V-14 Glory\u27, `Red Sails\u27, `Jolly Red\u27, and `Freedom\u27. `Lilo Red\u27 and `Pink Peppermint\u27 belonged to the latter group, but were relatively distant from other cultivars in that group. These results indicate that RAPDs are efficient for identification of poinsettia cultivars and for determination of the genetic relationships among cultivars

Salt-induced and Salt-suppressed Proteins in Tomato Leaves

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Money Maker) seedlings at the two-leaf stage were grown in one-half strength Hoagland solution supplemented with 50 mm NaCl for 4 days, with 100 mm NaCl for 4 days, with 150 mm NaCl for 4 days, and with a final concentration 200 mm NaCl for 2 days. Solutions were refreshed every 2 days for treated and untreated seedlings. Non-treated plants were grown in nonamended one-half strength Hoagland solution. Three biological replicates (BR) were included for treated and control experiments. At the end of treatments, the uppermost three newly expanded leaves from all 12 plants in each BR were collected and bulked to extract total protein. Proteomic analysis resulted in the identification of several salt-induced and salt-suppressed proteins. Salt-induced proteins were: vacuolar H+-ATPase A1 subunit isoform (1.6-fold), germin-like protein (1.5-fold), ferredoxin-NADP (+) reductase (1.2-fold), quinone oxidoreductase-like protein (4.4-fold), heat-shock protein (4.9-fold), and pyrophosphorylase (1.7-fold). Salt-suppressed proteins were: ATPase alpha subunit (−1.5-fold) and rubisco activase (−1.4-fold). Proteins identified in this study affect cellular activities for antioxidant, stress protection, carbon fixation, and carbohydrate partitioning in young tomato leaves under salt stress

Effects of pitch and timing expectancy on musical emotion.

Pitch and timing information work hand in hand to create a coherent piece of music, but what happens when this information goes against the norm? Relationships between musical expectancy and emotional responses were investigated in a study conducted with 40 participants: 20 musicians and 20 nonmusicians. Participants took part in one of two behavioral paradigms measuring continuous expectancy or emotional responses (arousal and valence) while listening to folk melodies that exhibited either high or low pitch predictability and high- or low- onset predictability. The causal influence of pitch predictability was investigated in an additional condition in which pitch was artificially manipulated and a comparison was conducted between original and manipulated forms; the dynamic correlative influence of pitch and timing information and its perception on emotional change during listening was evaluated using cross-sectional time series analysis. The results indicate that pitch and onset predictability are consistent predictors of perceived expectancy and emotional response, with onset carrying more weight than pitch. In addition, musicians and nonmusicians do not differ in their responses possibly due to shared cultural background and knowledge. The results demonstrate in a controlled lab-based setting a precise, quantitative relationship between the predictability of musical structure, expectation, and emotional response