The modification of Anthocyanin biosynthesis in dicotyledonous plants

The aim of this study was to modify the pattern of anthocyanin biosynthesis in dicotyledonous plants, in particular legumes, using four different anthocyanin regulatory genes and two promoters. The anthocyanin regulatory genes consisted of a matched pair from maize and a mismatched pair from two dicotyledonous species of plants. In order to accomplish this aim, a series of vectors were made that enabled expression of the genes following both transient and stable transformation experiments in plants. A novel method was devised to overcome the problems associated with the insertion of multiple chimeric genes into a binary transformation vector. A total of fourteen intermediate expression plasmids and sbrteen transformation plasmids were produced. Microparticle bombardment of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous cell suspensions with constructs made for transient expression, confirmed that the coding regions of various constructs were functional. Microparticle bombardment with the maize anthocyanin regulatory genes stimulated anthocyanin accumulation when a member from each myc-type and myb-typc family was delivered with a the particle inflow gun (PIG) into monocotyledonous cell lines. Microparticle bombardment of dicotyledonous ceU suspensions with the maize anthocyanin regulatory genes did not stimulate anthocyanin accumulation. The efficiencies of microparticle bombardment with two types of microparticle delivery systems, the BioRad and PIG, were compared and it was determined that the BioRad helium gun was more proficient than the PIG for transient anthocyanin production in a monocotyledonous ceU suspension. Microparticle bombardment of maize suspension cultures with the maize anthocyanin regulatory genes using the BioRad helium gun, provided an understanding of the stoichiometry between the two families of regulatory genes. Delivering maize anthocyanin regulatory genes into a cell suspension of Trifolium subterraneum with the BioRad helium gun induced anthocyanin accumulation in cells. However, the dicotyledonous anthocyanin regulatory genes did not induce anthocyanin production in any of the cell suspensions assayed with either delivery system. Transient expression experiments in whole plant tissues of pea and white clover confirmed that maize anthocyanin regulatory genes could cause anthocyanin accumulation in legumes. This was achieved by either co-bombardment of myc and myb anthocyanin regulatory genes or by a single myc gene complementing an endogenous anthocyanin regulatory gene. Microparticle bombardment of the maize anthocyanin regulatory genes displayed tissue specificity in the production of both GUS and anthocyanin. Microparticle bombardment of various cell suspensions, as well as plant tissues, with the dicotyledonous anthocyanin regulatory genes did not result in anthocyanin accumulation. Tobacco and white clover plants were stably transfonned and regenerated with fifteen different plasmid constructs containing combinations of anthocyanin regulatory genes. In tobacco, the only tissues found to accumulate anthocyanin were the corolla and the anther filaments of the flowers. Transformation of tobacco with the dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous myb type anthocyanin regulatory genes on their own had no visible effect on anthocyanin accumulation. In contrast, transformation of tobacco with the dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous myc type anthocyanin regulatory genes on their own enhanced anthocyanin accumulation. The most intense anthocyanin was observed in the corolla of the tobacco plants transformed with the vector containing both of the maize anthocyanin regulatory genes B-Peru and Cl, each driven by the 35S promoter. Tobacco plants that had their anthocyanin enhanced often displayed various aberrant petal pigmentation patterns, presumably associated with the phenomenon of 'silencing'. In white clover plants transformed with either the dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous anthocyanin regulatory genes on their own or in combmation, a large range of different tissues exhibited enhanced anthocyanin accumulation. One plant, transformed with the B-Peru gene driven by the 35S promoter, displayed a unique pattern of anthocyanin accumulation m the leaf. The accumulation of anthocyanin in this plant was closely associated with the leaf crescent and disappeared in the oldest leaf stage. The tobacco and white clover anthocyanin patterns were shown to be heritable. Plants transformed with both a myb and a myc anthocyanin regulatory gene seemed to have a much lower transformation efficiency than those transformed with only a myc or a myb gene. The anthocyanin regulatory genes used in this study had no detectable effect on tannins or other flavonoids. This study presents the first evidence of anthocyanin regulatory genes altering anthocyanin expression in various legummous plants using transient and stable transformation experiments

Crop Updates 2008 - Farming Systems

This session covers thirty nine papers from different authors: PLENARY 1. Developments in grain end use, Dr John de Majnik, New Grain Products, GRDC, Mr Paul Meibusch, New Farm Products and Services, GRDC, Mr Vince Logan, New Products Executive Manager, GRDC PRESENTATIONS 2. Global warming potential of wheat production in Western Australia: A life cycle assessment, Louise Barton1, Wahid Biswas2 and Daniel Carter3, 1School of Earth & Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 2Centre of Excellence in Cleaner Production, Division of Science and Engineering, Curtin University of Technology, 3Department of Agriculture and Food 3. How much fuel does your farm use for different farm operations? Nicolyn Short1, Jodie Bowling1, Glen Riethmuller1, James Fisher2 and Moin Salam1, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2Muresk Institute, Curtin University of Technology 4. Poor soil water storage and soil constraints are common in WA cropping soils, Stephen Davies, Jim Dixon, Dennis Van Gool and Alison Slade, Department of Agriculture and Food, Bob Gilkes, School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, University of Western Australia 5. Developing potential adaptations to climate change for low rainfall farming system using economic analysis tool. STEP, Megan Abrahams, Caroline Peek, Dennis Van Gool, Daniel Gardiner and Kari-Lee Falconer, Department of Agriculture and Food 6. What soil limitations affect the profitability of claying on non-wetting sandplain soils? David Hall1, Jeremy Lemon1, Harvey Jones1, Yvette Oliver2 and Tania Butler1, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2CSIRO Div Sustainable Ecology, Perth 7. Farming systems adapting to a variable climate; Two case studies, Kari-Lee Falconer, Department of Agriculture and Food 8. Importance of accounting for variation in crop yield potential when making fertiliser decisions, Michael Robertson and Yvette Oliver, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Floreat 9. Soil acidity is a widespread problem across the Avon River Basin, Stephen Carr1, Chris Gazey2, David York1 and Joel Andrew1, 1Precision SoilTech, 2Department of Agriculture and Food 10. The use of soil testing kits and ion-selective electrodes for the analysis of plant available nutrients in Western Australian soils, Michael Simeoni and Bob Gilkes School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, University of Western Australia 11. Redlegged earth mite resistance and integrated strategies for their control in Western Australia, Mangano G. Peter and Micic Svetlana, Department of Agriculture and Food 12. The economics of treating soil pH (liming), Chris Gazey, Steve Davies, Dave Gartner and Adam Clune, Department of Agriculture and Food, 13. Health benefits – A future differentiator for high value grains, Matthew Morell, Theme Leader, CSIRO Food Futures Flagship 14. Carbon in Sustralian cropping soils – We need to be realistic, Alan Umbers (M Rur Sc), GRDC/DAFF Sustainable Industries Initiative Project 15. AGWEST® Bartolo bladder clover (Trifolium spumosum) − a low cost annual pasture legume for the wheat/sheep zone, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt and Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture and Food 16. Maximising the value of point based soil sampling: Monitering trends in soil pH through time, Joel Andrew1, David York1, Stephen Carr1 and Chris Gazey2, 1Precision SoilTech, 2Department of Agriculture and Food 17. Improved crop root growth and productivity with deep ripping and deep placed lime, Stephen Davies1, Geoff Kew2*, Chris Gazey1, David Gartner1 and Adam Clune1, 1Department of Agriculture and Food, 2School of Earth and Geographical Sciences University of Western Australia, *Presenting author 18. The role of pastures in hosting Root Lesion Nematode (RLN, Pratylenchus neglectus), Vivien Vanstone, Ali Bhatti and Ming Pei You, Department of Agriculture and Food 19. To rip or not to rip. When does it pay? Imma Farre, Bill Bowden and Stephen Davies, Department of Agriculture and Food 20. Can yield be predicted from remotely sensed data, Henry Smolinski, Jane Speijers and John Bruce, Department of Agriculture and Food 21. Rotations for profit, David McCarthy and Gary Lang, Facey Group, Wickepin, WA 22. Rewriting rules for the new cropping economics, David Rees, Consultant, Albany 23. Reducing business risk in Binnu! – A case study, Rob Grima, Department of Agriculture and Food 24. Does improved ewe management offer grain farmers much extra profit? John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Ross Kingwell, Department of Agriculture and Food, and UWA, Chris Oldham, Department of Agriculture and Food RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS 25. Crop establishment and productivity with improved root zone drainage, Dr Derk Bakker, Research Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food 26. Will wheat production in Western Australia be more risky in the future? Imma Farre and Ian Foster, Department of Agriculture and Food PAPERS 27. Building farmers’ adaptive capacity to manage seasonal variability and climate change, David Beard, Department of Agriculture and Food 28. Precision placement increases crop phosphorus uptake under variable rainfall: Simulation studies, Wen Chen1 2, Richard Bell1, Bill Bowden2, Ross Brennan2, Art Diggle2 and Reg Lunt2, 1School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, 2Department of Agriculture and Food 29. What is the role of grain legumes on red soil farms? Rob Grima, Department of Agriculture and Food 30. Fertiliser placement influences plant growth and seed yield of grain crops at different locations of WA, Qifu Ma1, Zed Rengel1, Bill Bowden2, Ross Brennan2, Reg Lunt2 and Tim Hilder2, 1Soil Science & Plant Nutrition, University of Western Australia, 2Department of Agriculture and Food 31. A review of pest and disease occurrences for 2007, Peter Mangano and Dusty Severtson, Department of Agriculture and Food 32. Effect of stocking rates on grain yield and quality of wheat in Western Australia in 2007, Shahajahan Miyan, Sam Clune, Barb Sage and Tenielle Martin, Department of Agriculture and Food 33. Storing grain is not ‘set and forget’ management, Chris Newman, Department of Agriculture and Food 34. Improving understanding of soil plant available water capacity (PAWC): The WA soil water database (APSoil), Yvette Oliver, Neal Dalgliesh and Michael Robertson, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems 35. The impact of management decisions in drought on a low rainfall northern wheatbelt farm, Caroline Peek and Andrew Blake, Department of Agriculture and Food 37. Cullen – A native pasture legume shows promise for the low-medium rainfall cropping zone, Megan Ryan, Richard Bennett, Tim Colmer, Daniel Real, Jiayin Pang, Lori Kroiss, Dion Nicol and Tammy Edmonds-Tibbett, School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia and Future Farm Industries CRC 38. Climate risk management tools – useful, or just another gadget? Lisa Sherriff, Kari-Lee Falconer, Daniel Gardiner and Ron McTaggart Department of Agriculture and Food 39. Benefits of crop rotation for management of Root Lesion Nematode (RLN, Pratylenchus neglectus), Vivien Vanstone, Sean Kelly and Helen Hunter, Department of Agriculture and Foo

Comprehensive overview of the structure and regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor

Glucocorticoids are among the most prescribed drugs worldwide for the treatment of numerous immune and inflammatory disorders. They exert their actions by binding to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. There are several GR isoforms resulting from alternative RNA splicing and translation initiation of the GR transcript. Additionally, these isoforms are all subject to several transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications, all of which affect the protein's stability and/or function. In this review, we summarize recent knowledge on the distinct GR isoforms and the processes that generate them. We also review the importance of all known transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational modifications, including the regulation of GR by microRNAs. Moreover, we discuss the crucial role of the putative GR-bound DNA sequence as an allosteric ligand influencing GR structure and activity. Finally, we describe how the differential composition and distinct regulation at multiple levels of different GR species could account for the wide and diverse effects of glucocorticoids

Conservation of a pseudomonad-like hydrocarbon degradative ferredoxin oxygenase complex involved in rhizopine catabolism in sinorhizobium meliloti and rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae

Masoud Bahar, John de Majnik, Christopher P. Saint and Peter J. Murph