The development of the aleurone layer in canola (Brassica napus)

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1193-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin P. Groot ◽  
Lawrence A. Van Caeseele

The presence of the aleurone layer in developing seeds of Brassica napus becomes apparent about 22 days after pollination when examined with light and electron microscopic techniques. Prior to aleurone differentiation, the endosperm cellularizes centripetally to form characteristic columns of cells. The pigmented cell layer of the inner integument, which is present in dark-hulled seeds of Brassica, is just external to the aleurone. The first characteristic structures that become apparent inside the aleurone are spherosomes formed by the coalescence of small oil droplets. Shortly thereafter, the cell walls of the aleurone become markedly thickened relative to the surrounding cells. The aleurone cells of mature seeds contain lipid and protein reserves but lack starch. Development of the aleurone layer occurs first near the adaxial area and proceeds until the micropylar area finally differentiates. Endosperm chloroplasts have a characteristic lens shape when viewed in section with the electron microscope. They appear to congregate around a nucleus along with a small amount of cytoplasm causing an astroid-shaped aggregation of cytoplasm in the majority of endosperm cells but only transiently in the aleurone. DNA fluorometry and image analysis showed that aleurone nuclei are triploid; therefore the aleurone layer is derived from the endosperm. Key words: aleurone layer, endosperm, seed development, ploidy, anatomy, Brassica napus.

1963 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 768 ◽  
Author(s):  
MS Buttrose

The developing aleurone layer cells of the wheat kernel have been investigated by electron microscopy and the results compared with those of light microscopy. Two weeks after flowering vacuoles appear in the cells and deposits accumulate in these until maturity when the cells are filled 'with the resulting "vacuolar units" 2-3p. in diameter, corresponding to the aleurone grains of light microscopy. The wheat aleurone grain consists of a bounding membrane (of vacuole origin) enclosing a matrix in which are embedded spherical deposits. Some of these deposits are translucent and others opaque to electrons after potassium permanganate and osmium tetroxide fixation. At all stages examined the cytoplasm of aleurone cells contained large numbers of small unidentified bodies with irregular outline and dense contents. At first they are dispersed, but towards maturity are organized as a monolayer over the surface of each aleurone grain and the inner surface of the cell walls. The apparent specificity of these structures to aleurone cells is discussed in relation to future chemical and physiological studies of the tissue.


2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 803-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Moreau ◽  
V. Singh ◽  
A. Nuñez ◽  
K. B. Hicks

Corn hulls are composed of two major layers: the outer layer, the pericarp, is made up of non-living cell walls, and an inner layer, the aleurone, consists of a single layer of living cells, surrounded by thick cell walls. Dissected pure pericarp and aleurone fractions were ground and extracted with hexane and the yields and compositions of the resulting oils were examined. This study revealed that the high levels of ferulate-phytosterol esters and the high concentration of sitostanol previously reported in corn-fibre oil actually originate in the aleurone cells.


1990 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Grenet ◽  
P. Barry

SUMMARYThe in vivo digestibility of soyabean integuments, rape integuments and dehydrated beet pulp was determined in sheep in the Centre de Recherches de Clermont-Ferrand-Theix, in 1985. Organic matter digestibility was 83·5, 59·6 and 85·0%, respectively, for the three feeds. The nylon bag method was used to determine the disappearance of dry matter (DM) in the rumen. After 72 h, 89 and 96% DM had disappeared for soyabean integuments and beet pulp, respectively, but only 61% for rape integuments. The DM disappearance rate was slowest (P < 0·05) for soyabean integuments. Microscopic examination showed that the different layers of the soyabean integument could be ranked in increasing order of resistance to microbial degradation as follows: parenchyma, aleurone layer, column cell layer, palisade layer and epidermis. The hilum area was the most resistant and the only one lignified. The cell layers of the rape integument could be ranked in increasing order of resistance as follows: epidermis, aleurone layer and palisade layer. The last was highly lignified and not degradable. Degradation of beet pulp was fast, occurring first in the parenchyma. The vessels resisted degradation but were only a small part of the feed. This study shows why beet pulp has a low fill value and allows high intake. The soyabean integument is very digestible and is degraded slowly, whereas almost half of the rape integument is made up of a cell layer that is not degradable.


1999 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Aalen

AbstractPeroxiredoxins are thiol–requiring antioxidants found in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. They can be divided into two subgroups with either one or two conserved cysteine residues. In plants, 1–Cys peroxiredoxins have been identified in a number of grasses and cereals, and in the dicotyledonous speciesArabidopsis thaliana. In contrast to other antioxidants, the 1–Cys peroxiredoxin genes are expressed solely in seeds, and only in the parts of the seeds surviving desiccation, i.e. the embryo and the aleurone layer. The expression pattern is characteristic of late embryogenesis–abundant genes. The PER1 protein of barley is present in high concentrations in the nucleus at the onset of desiccation. 1–Cys genes are expressed in a dormancy–related manner in mature seeds, in that transcript levels are high in imbibed dormant seeds, but disappear upon germination of their non–dormant counterparts. 1–Cys transcript levels can be up–regulated by ABA and osmotic stresses and suppressed by gibberellic acid. Two hypotheses have been put forward on the function of 1–Cys peroxiredoxins in seed physiology. First, these proteins might protect macromolecules of embryo and aleurone cells against damaging reactive oxygen species during seed desiccation and early imbibition. And second, seed peroxiredoxins might play a role in the maintenance of dormancy. These hypotheses are discussed, taking into account present knowledge of the biochemistry and molecular biology of peroxiredoxins.


Author(s):  
R. A. Waugh ◽  
J. R. Sommer

Cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a complex system of intracellular tubules that, due to their small size and juxtaposition to such electron-dense structures as mitochondria and myofibrils, are often inconspicuous in conventionally prepared electron microscopic material. This study reports a method with which the SR is selectively “stained” which facilitates visualizationwith the transmission electron microscope.


Author(s):  
Mitsuo Ohtsuki ◽  
Michael Sogard

Structural investigations of biological macromolecules commonly employ CTEM with negative staining techniques. Difficulties in valid image interpretation arise, however, due to problems such as variability in thickness and degree of penetration of the staining agent, noise from the supporting film, and artifacts from defocus phase contrast effects. In order to determine the effects of these variables on biological structure, as seen by the electron microscope, negative stained macromolecules of high density lipoprotein-3 (HDL3) from human serum were analyzed with both CTEM and STEM, and results were then compared with CTEM micrographs of freeze-etched HDL3. In addition, we altered the structure of this molecule by digesting away its phospholipid component with phospholipase A2 and look for consistent changes in structure.


Author(s):  
F.J. Sjostrand

In the 1940's and 1950's electron microscopy conferences were attended with everybody interested in learning about the latest technical developments for one very obvious reason. There was the electron microscope with its outstanding performance but nobody could make very much use of it because we were lacking proper techniques to prepare biological specimens. The development of the thin sectioning technique with its perfectioning in 1952 changed the situation and systematic analysis of the structure of cells could now be pursued. Since then electron microscopists have in general become satisfied with the level of resolution at which cellular structures can be analyzed when applying this technique. There has been little interest in trying to push the limit of resolution closer to that determined by the resolving power of the electron microscope.


Author(s):  
L. V. Leak

Electron microscopic observations of freeze-fracture replicas of Anabaena cells obtained by the procedures described by Bullivant and Ames (J. Cell Biol., 1966) indicate that the frozen cells are fractured in many different planes. This fracturing or cleaving along various planes allows one to gain a three dimensional relation of the cellular components as a result of such a manipulation. When replicas that are obtained by the freeze-fracture method are observed in the electron microscope, cross fractures of the cell wall and membranes that comprise the photosynthetic lamellae are apparent as demonstrated in Figures 1 & 2.A large portion of the Anabaena cell is composed of undulating layers of cytoplasm that are bounded by unit membranes that comprise the photosynthetic membranes. The adjoining layers of cytoplasm are closely apposed to each other to form the photosynthetic lamellae. Occassionally the adjacent layers of cytoplasm are separated by an interspace that may vary in widths of up to several 100 mu to form intralamellar vesicles.


Author(s):  
T. Kanetaka ◽  
M. Cho ◽  
S. Kawamura ◽  
T. Sado ◽  
K. Hara

The authors have investigated the dissolution process of human cholesterol gallstones using a scanning electron microscope(SEM). This study was carried out by comparing control gallstones incubated in beagle bile with gallstones obtained from patients who were treated with chenodeoxycholic acid(CDCA).The cholesterol gallstones for this study were obtained from 14 patients. Three control patients were treated without CDCA and eleven patients were treated with CDCA 300-600 mg/day for periods ranging from four to twenty five months. It was confirmed through chemical analysis that these gallstones contained more than 80% cholesterol in both the outer surface and the core.The specimen were obtained from the outer surface and the core of the gallstones. Each specimen was attached to alminum sheet and coated with carbon to 100Å thickness. The SEM observation was made by Hitachi S-550 with 20 kV acceleration voltage and with 60-20, 000X magnification.


Author(s):  
W. G. Banfield ◽  
G. Kasnic ◽  
J. H. Blackwell

An ultrastructural study of the intestinal epithelium of mice infected with the agent of epizootic diarrhea of infant mice (EDIM virus) was first performed by Adams and Kraft. We have extended their observations and have found developmental forms of the virus and associated structures not reported by them.Three-day-old NLM strain mice were infected with EDIM virus and killed 48 to 168 hours later. Specimens of bowel were fixed in glutaraldehyde, post fixed in osmium tetroxide and embedded in epon. Sections were stained with uranyl magnesium acetate followed by lead citrate and examined in an updated RCA EMU-3F electron microscope.The cells containing virus particles (infected) are at the tips of the villi and occur throughout the intestine from duodenum through colon. All developmental forms of the virus are present from 48 to 168 hours after infection. Figure 1 is of cells without virus particles and figure 2 is of an infected cell. The nucleus and cytoplasm of the infected cells appear clearer than the cells without virus particles.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document