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A V Roberts

Publications and source records attributed to A V Roberts.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Evolutionary implications of permanent odd polyploidy in the stable sexual, pentaploid of Rosa canina L.

In Rosa canina (2n = 5x = 35), the pollen and ovular parents contribute, respectively, seven and 28 chromosomes to the zygote. At meiosis I, 14 chromosomes form seven bivalents and 21 chromosomes remain as univalents. Fluorescent in situ hybridization to mitotic and pollen mother cells (PMC) of R. canina showed that 10 chromosomes (two per genome) carry ribosomal DNA (rDNA) loci. Five chromosomes carry terminal 18S-5.8S-26S rDNA loci; three of these also carry paracentric 5S rDNA loci and were designated as marker chromosomes 1. Five chromosomes carry only 5S rDNA loci and three of these were designated as marker chromosomes 2. The remaining four of the 10 chromosomes with rDNA loci were individually identifiable by the type and relative sizes of their rDNA loci and were numbered separately. At PMC meiosis, two marker chromosomes 1 and two marker chromosomes 2 formed bivalents, whereas the others were unpaired. In a gynogenetic haploid of R. canina (n = 4x = 28), obtained after pollination with gamma-irradiated pollen, chromosomes at meiosis I in PMC remained predominantly unpaired. The data indicate only one pair of truly homologous genomes in R. canina. The 21 unpaired chromosomes probably remain as univalents through multiple generations and do not recombine. The long-term evolutionary consequence for the univalents is likely to be genetic degradation through accumulated mutational change as in the mammalian Y chromosome and chromosomes of asexual species. But there is no indication that univalents carry degenerate 5S rDNA families. This may point to a recent evolution of the R. canina meiotic system.

Chromosome Banding↗

Oryzalin-induced chromosome doubling in Rosa and its effect on plant morphology and pollen viability.

Shoot tips of the diploid rose Thérèse Bugnet were treated in vitro to oryzalin at concentrations of 5 and 15 microM. Tetraploid shoots were obtained in highest frequencies (40%) after exposure to 5 microM oryzalin for 14 days. Thin (1 mm) nodal sections were treated with 5 microM oryzalin and the highest frequency of tetraploids (66%) was obtained after exposure for only 1 day. The shorter exposure times required to induce chromosome doubling in thin nodal sections is attributed to the more efficient delivery of oryzalin to the meristem. Tetraploids were obtained from four diploid roses and hexaploids from two triploid roses. Chromosome doubling was accompanied by increases in thickness and a darker green colouration of the leaves and, in all diploid to tetraploid and one triploid to hexaploid conversion, the breadth/length ratio of leaflets was significantly increased. Internodes were longer in tetraploids than diploids but significantly shorter in hexaploids than triploids. The number of petals per flower in the tetraploid form of Thérèse Bugnet was double that of the diploid. Significant increases in pollen viability accompanied chromosome doubling of all four diploids and one of the two triploids.

Cell Division↗

The pinocytosis of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), [14C]sucrose and colloidal [198Au]gold by rat yolk sac cultured in vitro.

The rates of uptake of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), [14C]sucrose and colloidal [198Au]gold by 17.5-day rat yolk sac cultured in vitro were studied. Over a 6.5h period each substrate was accumulated at a constant and reproducible rate of approx. 2microliter/h per mg of protein. After accumulation in vitro, the three substances were released from the tissue into substrate-free medium at low rates. Sucrose present in the medium at concentrations up to 10 mg/ml was without effect on the accumulation of either [14C]sucrose or 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone), but at higher concentrations inhibited the uptake of both substrates. Some batches of colloidal [198Au]gold had a significantly higher Endocytic Index (up to 5 microliter/h per mg of protein). The Endocytic Index of such a batch decreased with increasing substrate concentration, but colloidal gold did not decrease the Endocytic Index of 125I-labelled poly(vinylpyrrolidone). It is concluded that the three substrates enter the yolk sac by pinocytosis in the liquid phase. Those batches of colloidal [198Au]gold with higher Endocytic Indices are considered to enter also by adsorption on membrane binding-sites.

Animals↗

A quantitative study of pinocytosis and lysosome function in experimentally induced lysosomal storage.

The highly pinocytic epithelial cells of the visceral yolk sac from 17.5-day rat conceptuses were used as a model in which to induce engorgement of the vacuolar system by direct accumulation of substances that are not hydrolysed by lysosomal enzymes. The ultra-structural appearances of these cells in pregnant animals that 24-48h before had received intraperitoneal injections of Triton WR-1339, polyvinylpyrrolidone, dextran or sucrose revealed gross abnormalities that were confined to the vacuolar system; in comparison with normal tissue the number, and in some cases the size, of vacuoles was increased, leading to close packing within the apical cytoplasm and distortion of the normal rounded shape. By culturing yolk sacs in vitro, rates of ingestion of 125I-labelled polyvinylpyrrolidone and of 125I-labelled bovine serum albumin were determined, together with the rate of digestion of the labelled protein. The rates of exocytosis of 125I-labelled polyvinylpyrrolidone and of lysosomal enzymes were also determined. No significant differences between normal and highly vacuolated tissues were found. Apparently marked vacuolation of these cells by these agents is without significant effect on pinocytosis, exocytosis or intralysosomal proteolysis.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Thalassemias.

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Erythropoiesis↗