Studies of Capsicum annuum seeds: structure, storage reserves, and mineral nutrients

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Chen ◽  
John N. A. Lott

Storage reserves of Capsicum annuum (sweet pepper) seeds were studied using light microscopy, histochemical techniques, and electron microscopy. The seed had mainly protein and lipid as storage reserves. Starch was not detected. Thickened endosperm cell walls likely are a store of nonstarch polysaccharide. Protein bodies had protein crystalloids and globoid crystals as inclusions in the proteinaceous matrix. Protein bodies in embryo tissues varied greatly in size both inter- and intra-cellularly, while endosperm protein bodies were similar in size. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis and neutron activation analysis revealed the element content of C. annuum seeds. The presence of P, K, and Mg in all globoid crystals is consistent with their being phytin-rich. The average ratios of Mg:K, based on peak-to-background values for globoid crystals, were lowest in provascular tissues, where most globoid crystals were very small, and were highest in ground meristem tissues, where globoid crystals were large. Fe, Zn, Mn, Ca, S, and Cl were detected in some globoid crystals. In globoid crystals of both the cotyledon and hypocotyl – radicle axis, Fe was always detected in protoderm cells, was occasionally detected in ground meristem cells, and was never detected in provascular cells. Neutron activation analysis results showed that Mg, K, S, and Cu were higher in the embryo than in the endosperm, while Cl, Na, and Ca were higher in the endosperm. Mn had similar concentrations in both tissues. Key words: Capsicum annuum, storage reserves, protein body, globoid crystal, phosphorus, seed.

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2165-2169 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. West ◽  
J. N. A. Lott

The total element content and the subcellular distribution of mineral nutrients were investigated in a species that has very minute seeds. The major storage substances in the seed of Begonia semperflorens were lipids sequestered in lipid vesicles and proteins concentrated in protein bodies. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of protein crystalloids and electron-dense globoid crystals in the protein bodies. These inclusions varied both in size and number in protein bodies from different tissues. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the globoid crystals showed the high Mg, K, and P levels characteristically found in phytin from large-sized seeds. Small traces of Ca were found in globoid crystals within protein bodies found in the provascular tissue of the embryo. Neutron activation analysis was used to measure the elemental composition of the whole seed and these results were correlated with the findings of energy dispersive X-ray analysis studies of globoid crystals. Key words: Begonia seed, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, protein body, globoid crystal, protein crystalloid, neutron activation analysis.


1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary R. Skilnyk ◽  
John N. A. Lott

Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita andreana are so closely related that hybridization is possible. These two species also have been shown to have very different levels of calcium storage in their seeds. Our neutron activation analysis studies have shown that the total amount of P, Ca, K, and Mg in pollen of the two species was similar. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis studies also showed that the composition of electron-dense particles in the tube cells of the two species was similar. Thus the differences in Ca levels in phytate reserves in the seeds of these two Cucurbita species do not appear to be paralleled by differences in mineral reserves in the pollen of the two species. Specimen preparation studies demonstrated that even though elements such as P, K, Mg, and Ca are mostly retained by an anhydrous fixation and embedding protocol, thin-sectioning of such blocks on a water-filled microtome boat resulted in major loss of elements. Key words: pollen, mineral nutrients, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, neutron activation analysis, phytate, Cucurbita.


Kerntechnik ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Tel ◽  
M. Şahan ◽  
F. A. Uğur ◽  
H. Şahan ◽  
A. Aydin

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13

Background: Thyroid cancer is an internationally important health problem. The aim of this exploratory study was to evaluate whether significant changes in the thyroid tissue levels of Ag, Co, Cr, Fe, Hg, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, and Zn exist in the malignantly transformed thyroid. Methods: Thyroid tissue levels of ten trace elements were prospectively evaluated in 41 patients with thyroid malignant tumors and 105 healthy inhabitants. Measurements were performed using non-destructive instrumental neutron activation analysis with high resolution spectrometry of long-lived radionuclides. Tissue samples were divided into two portions. One was used for morphological study while the other was intended for trace element analysis. Results: It was found that contents of Ag, Co, Cr, Hg, and Rb were significantly higher (approximately 12.8, 1.4, 1.6, 19.6, and 1.7 times, respectively) in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues. Conclusions: There are considerable changes in trace element contents in the malignantly transformed tissue of thyroid.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (03) ◽  
pp. 4892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratna Raju M.* ◽  
Madhusudhana Rao P. V. ◽  
Seshi Reddy T. ◽  
Raju M. K. ◽  
Brahmaji Rao J. S. ◽  
...  

A study was undertaken to evaluate the inorganic elements for humans in two Indian medicinal plants leaves, namely Sphaeranthus indicus, and Cassia fistula by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). INAA experiment was performed by using 20 kW KAMINI Reactor at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam. The emitted gamma rays were measured using gamma ray spectrometer. The concentrations of Al, Br, Ca, Fe, K, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sc, V and Zn were determined in the selected medicinal plants. The medicinal leaves are using in treatment of various important ailments. The elemental content in selected medicinal leaves is various proportions depending on the soil composition, location of plant specimen and the climate in which the plant grows.


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