Detection of potato virus X in potato leaves by means of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

A rapid method of detection and evaluation of potato virus X (PVX) infection in potato leaves is described. The method is based on: 1) discarding of major part of cytoplasmic proteins from leaf homogenate by precipitation with polyethylene glycol in final concentration of 2%, 2) precipitation of virus containing fraction by increasing the concentration of polyethylene glycol to 3.5% and electrophoretic identification of virus coat protein extracted from this fraction. The procedure allows early detection of PVX in plants inoculated with virus as well as grown from infected tubers.

Cometabolic degradation of trichloroethylene byBurkholderia cepaciaG4 with poplar leaf homogenate

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chlorinated organic solvent, is one of the most common and widespread groundwater contaminants worldwide. Among the group of TCE-degrading aerobic bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia G4 is the best-known representative. This strain requires the addition of specific substrates, including toluene, phenol, and benzene, to induce the enzymes to degrade TCE. However, the substrates are toxic and introducing them into the soil can result in secondary contamination. In this study, poplar leaf homogenate containing natural phenolic compounds was tested for the ability to induce the growth of and TCE degradation by B. cepacia G4. The results showed that the G4 strain could grow and degrade TCE well with the addition of phytochemicals. The poplar leaf homogenate also functioned as an inducer of the toluene-ortho-monooxygenase (TOM) gene in B. cepacia G4.

Isolation of intact and pure chloroplasts from leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana plants acclimated to low irradiance for studies on Rubisco regulation

<p>A protocol is presented for low-cost and fast isolation of intact and pure chloroplasts from leaves of plants acclimated to low irradiance. The protocol is based on a differential centrifugation of cleared leaf homogenate and omits a centrifugation on Percoll gradient step. The intactness and purity of the chloroplasts isolated from leaves of low irradiance-acclimated plants by using this protocol (confirmed by phase contrast microscopy as well as enzymatic and immunological approaches) allows plausible studies on low irradiance-dependent Rubisco regulation.</p>

Ionizing Radiation Sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 49594 and Listeria innocua ATCC 51742 Inoculated on Endive (Cichorium endiva)†

Ionizing radiation inactivates the pathogenic bacteria that can contaminate leafy green vegetables. Leaf pieces and leaf homogenate of endive (Cichorium endiva) were inoculated with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 49594) or Listeria innocua (ATCC 51742), a nonpathogenic surrogate bacterium. The radiation sensitivity of the two strains was similar, although L. innocua was more sensitive to the type of suspending leaf preparation. During refrigerated storage after irradiation, the population of L. monocytogenes on inoculated endive was briefly suppressed by 0.42 kilogray (kGy), a dose calibrated to achieve a 99% reduction. However, the pathogen regrew after 5 days until it exceeded the bacterial levels on the control after 19 days in storage. Treatment with 0.84 kGy, equivalent to a 99.99% reduction, suppressed L. monocytogenes throughout refrigerated storage. Doses up to 1.0 kGy had no significant effect on the color of endive leaf material, regardless of whether taken from the leaf edge or the leaf midrib. The texture of leaf edge material was unaffected by doses up to 1.0 kGy, whereas the maximum dose tolerated by leaf midrib material was 0.8 kGy. These results show that endive leaves may be treated with doses sufficient to achieve at least a 99.99% reduction of L. monocytogenes with little or no impact on the product's texture or color.

The Effect of Bialaphos on Ammonium-Assimilation and Photosynthesis I. Effect on the Enzymes of Ammonium-Assimilation

In this investigation, the effect of bialaphos (phosphinothricyl-alanyl-alanine) on the enzymes involved in NH4+-assimilation - glutamine synthetase, glutamine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase - is examined and compared to the effect of phosphinothricin (glufosinate) on the same enzymes. Bialaphos was given to whole plants (in vivo) and to leaf homogenate (in vitro). The investigation showed that bialaphos has an inhibiting effect on glutamine synthetase in vivo, but not in vitro. In contrast to this, phosphinothricin inhibits glutamine synthetase in vitro as well as in vivo. It was found that bialaphos, similar to phosphinothricin, does not inhibit glutamine-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase in vivo or in vitro. Only at bialaphos concentrations exceeding 10 mM, there is an inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase in vitro. Using radioactive [3H]bialaphos (phosphinothricyl-3H-alanyl-alanine) it could be demonstrated that in the plant, bialaphos is split into phosphinothricin and alanine. The phosphinothricin released is probably the active herbicide component. Consequently, the herbicidal effects of phosphinothricin and bialaphos are the same.

Some properties of a microsomal oleate desaturase from leaves

1. When [1-14C]oleoyl-CoA was incubated with a pea-leaf homogenate oleate was both incorporated into microsomal 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine and released as the unesterified fatty acid. The proportion of oleate incorporated into this phospholipid was dependent on the relative amounts of thiol ester and microsomal preparation present in reactions. 2. At the concentrations of microsomal preparation and [14C]oleoyl-CoA used to study oleate desaturation the metabolism of the thiol ester was essentially complete after 5 min incubation, but the loss of label from 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine oleate and the concomitant increase in radioactivity in the linoleate of this phospholipid proceeded at approximately linear rates over a 60 min period. The kinetics of labelling of unesterified linoleate was consistent with the view that this labelled fatty acid was derived from 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine. 3. Oleate desaturation required oxygen and with unwashed microsomal fractions was stimulated either by NADPH or by the 105 000g supernatant. Washed microsomal preparations did not catalyse desaturation, but actively was restored by the addition of NADPH, 105 000G supernatant or Sephadex-treated supernatant. NADPH could be replaced by NADH or NADP+, but not by NAD+. 4. Microsomal fractions from mature and immature maize lamina and expanding spinach leaves also rapidly incorporated oleate from ([14C]oleoyl-CoA into 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine, but desaturation of 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine oleate was detected only with microsomal preparations from immature maize lamina. 5. It is proposed that leaf microsomal preparations posses an oleate desaturase for which 3-sn-phosphatidylcholine oleate is either the substrate or an immediate precursor of the substrate.