The role of actin isoforms in somatic embryogenesis in Norway spruce

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Somatic embryogenesis in spruce is a process of high importance for biotechnology, yet it comprises of orchestrated series of events whose cellular and molecular details are not well understood. In this study, we examined the role of actin cytoskeleton during somatic embryogenesis in Norway spruce line AFO 541 by means of anti-actin drugs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Application of low doses (50-100 nM) of latrunculin B (Lat B) during the maturation of somatic embryos predominantly killed suspensor cells while leaving the cells in meristematic centres alive, indicating differential sensitivity of actin in the two cell types. The treatment resulted in faster development of more advanced embryos into mature somatic embryos and elimination of insufficiently developed ones. In searching for the cause of the differential actin sensitivity of the two cell types, we analysed the composition of actin isoforms in the culture and isolated four spruce actin genes. Analysis of their expression during embryo maturation revealed that one actin isoform was expressed constitutively in both cell types, whereas three actin isoforms were expressed predominantly in suspensor cells and their expression declined during the maturation. The expression decline was greatly enhanced by Lat B treatment. Sequence analysis revealed amino-acid substitutions in the Lat B-binding site in one of the suspensor-specific actin isoforms, which may result in a different binding affinity for Lat B.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We show that manipulating actin in specific cell types in somatic embryos using Lat B treatment accelerated and even synchronized the development of somatic embryos and may be of practical use in biotechnology.</p

The European Company (SE)

Department of European LawKatedra evropského právaFaculty of LawPrávnická fakult

Socially Pathological Phenomena Occuring in Exkluded Localities

This bachelor thesis discusses socially pathological phenomena that occur in excluded localities in the town of Slaný and its environs. There are serious social problems in socially excluded localities. For these localities, a higher occurrence of socially pathological phenomena is typical. The theoretical part of this bachelor thesis discusses socially excluded localities in Slaný and its environs, at present, there are six such localities. This thesis also describes the bad living conditions of people who live in these places. My opinion is that other citizens of the town of Slaný have no idea how people in these localities live. This thesis aims to raise awareness not only among the citizens of Slaný. The thesis further focuses on the difference between social pathology and deviation, it explains the terminology of social exclusion and a socially excluded locality. It also discusses drug abuse, criminality, aggression, and gambling. These are serious social problems that occur in today's society. The thesis also talks about the cause of the above mentioned pathological phenomena. The aim of this thesis is to chart the socially pathological phenomena that are located in excluded localities. Two research questions were chosen: Vo1: How does the unemployment of the socially excluded locality citizens influence the occurrence of socially pathologically phenomena? Vo2: What is the influence of the education of the socially excluded locality citizens on the occurrence of socially pathologically phenomena? For the practical part of this thesis, a quantitative method was used. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument with inhabitants of the above socially excluded locality as respondents. The data which were obtained were processed using descriptive statistics in MS Excel and hypothesis testing took place in the program SPSS, using t-test and chí-kvadrát test. The questions in the questionnaire survey were elected the way that they could tell which socially pathologically phenomena occur in the excluded locality of Slaný and its environs. In my research, fourteen hypotheses were dealt with. Some hypotheses assumed that the occurrence of socially pathologically phenomena is influenced by the unemployment of socially excluded locality inhabitants. The next hypotheses assumed that the education of the inhabitants of socially excluded localities influences the occurrence of socially pathological phenomena. Research results showed that the unemployment in this area is influenced by alcohol and drug abuse as well as smoking and the occurrence of execution in these localities. It also proved that education is also influenced by alcohol and drug abuse together with smoking and the occurrence of execution. According to this research unemployment and education have no influence on gambling and criminal record