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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Complexities in ETS-domain transcription factor function and regulation: lessons from the TCF (ternary complex factor) subfamily. The Colworth Medal Lecture.

The ETS-domain transcription factor family can be divided into a series of subfamilies. Elk-1 represents the founding member of the ternary complex factor (TCF) subfamily. By focusing on the TCF subfamily, we can demonstrate the complexities that exist in the function and regulation of ETS-domain transcription factors. This article focuses on Elk-1 in detail and summarizes the functions of other TCFs. The key themes covered include the domain structure of the TCFs, the mechanisms of complex formation with serum response factor, regulation of TCFs by mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades, and transcriptional regulatory properties of the TCFs. Finally, the emerging role of the TCFs in vivo is discussed. A picture is developing indicating that, while these proteins exhibit significant sequence and functional conservation, key differences in their structure and regulation are being identified which may relate to unique functions of these proteins in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Parasitic plant responses to host plant signals: a model for subterranean plant-plant interactions.

The ability of plants to fulfill nutritional needs by parasitizing neighboring plants has originated several times in angiosperm evolution. Molecular tools are now being exploited to investigate the evolutionary origins of plant parasitism and to dissect the genetic mechanisms governing parasitic plant-host plant interactions. Investigating the nature of signal exchanges between parasitic plants and their hosts serves as a tractable system for understanding how plants in general communicate in the environment. This work should also lead to the development of novel strategies for minimizing the devastation caused by parasitic weeds in international agriculture.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMed2001

[Studies on original plant of traditional Chinese drug "bai zhi" (radix Angelicae Dahuricae) and its closely related wild plants. IV. Discussion on original plant and cultivation history of traditional Chinese drug "bai zhi" and evolution of its closely related wild plants].

OBJECTIVE: To confirm the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" and to inquire into the cultivation history of "Bai Zhi" and evolution of closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi". METHOD: Various research results obtained were synthesized and discussed according to historical and current data. RESULT: Obtained research results, historical and current data showed almost no difference. CONCLUSION: 1. Angelica dahurica var. formosana must be the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi". 2. A. porphyrocaulis should be treated as a variety of A. dahurica, named as A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis. 3. 4 sorts of Chinese traditional drug "Bai Zhi" (Chuang Bai Zhi, Hang Bai Zhi, Qi Bai Zhi and Yu Bai Zhi) should not be taxonomically distinguished. The history of utilization and cultivation of "Bai Zhi", and the evolutional relation of the closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi" (A. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, and A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis) were also discussed.

Angelica↗
PubMed1999

Environmental behavior of explosives in groundwater from the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in aquatic and wetland plant treatments. Uptake and fate of TNT and RDX in plants.

Uptake and fate of TNT and RDX by three aquatic and four wetland plants were studied using hydroponic, batch, incubations in explosives-contaminated groundwater amended with [U-14C]-TNT or [U-14C]-RDX in the laboratory. Substrates in which the plants were rooted were also tested. Plants and substrates were collected from a small-scale wetland constructed for explosives removal, and groundwater originated from a local aquifer at the Milan Army Ammunition Plant. This study demonstrated rapid uptake of [U-14C]-TNT derived 14C, concentration at the uptake sites and limited transport in all plants. Per unit of mass, uptake was higher in submersed than in emergent species. Biotransformation of TNT had occurred in all plant treatments after 7-day incubation in 1.6 to 3.4 mg TNT L-i, with labeled amino-dinitrotoluenes (ADNTs), three unidentified compounds unique for plants, and mostly polar products as results. Biotransformation occurred also in the substrates, yielding labeled ADNT, one unidentified compound unique for substrates, and polar products. TNT was not recovered by HPLC in plants and substrates after incubation. Uptake of [U-14C]-RDX derived 14C in plants was slower than that of TNT, transport was substantial, and concentration occurred at sites where new plant material was synthesized. As for TNT, uptake per unit of mass was higher in submersed than in emergent species. Biotransformation of RDX had occurred in all plant treatments after 13-day incubation in 1.5 mg RDX L-1, with one unidentified compound unique for plants, and mostly polar products as results. Biotransformation had occurred also in the substrates, but to a far lower extent than in plants. Substrates and plants had one unidentified 14C-RDX metabolite in common. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of RDX in most plants and in three out of four substrates at the end of the incubation period.

Autoradiography↗
PubMed2003

Plant stress signalling: understanding and exploiting plant-plant interactions.

When plants are attacked by insects, volatile chemical signals can be released, not only from the damaged parts, but also systemically from other parts of the plant and this continues after cessation of feeding by the insect. These signals are perceived by olfactory sensory mechanisms in both the herbivorous insects and their parasites. Molecular structures involved can be characterized by means of electrophysiological assays, using the insect sensory system linked to chemical analysis. Evidence is mounting that such signals can also affect neighbouring intact plants, which initiate defence by the induction of further signalling systems, such as those that increase parasitoid foraging. Furthermore, insect electrophysiology can be used in the identification of plant compounds having effects on the plants themselves. It has been found recently that certain plants can release stress signals even when undamaged, and that these can cause defence responses in intact plants. These discoveries provide the basis for new crop protection strategies, that are either delivered by genetic modification of plants or by conventionally produced plants to which the signal is externally applied. Delivery can also be made by means of mixed seed strategies in which the provoking and recipient plants are grown together. Related signalling discoveries within the rhizosphere seem set to extend these approaches into new ways of controlling weeds, by exploiting the elusive potential of allelopathy, but through signalling rather than by direct physiological effects.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Plants and plant produce--about plants as cause of diseases].

BACKGROUND: Plants and plant products may lead to a variety of skin disorders, commonly referred to as phytodermatoses. MATERIAL AND METHODS: On the basis of literature studies and on the author's own experience, this article discusses the main groups of phytodermatoses, focusing on Norwegian plants that may cause skin disorders. RESULTS: A small number of plant families account for more than 95% of the phytodermatoses. Contact allergy to plants of the Compositae family is an important cause of skin disorder. Phytodermatoses are commonly related to the patient's occupation. INTERPRETATION: Doctors should be familiar with the term phytodermatoses and be aware of plants and plant products as possible causes of skin disorder.

Asteraceae↗
PubMed1992

Interactions of plant zinc and plant species on the bioavailability of plant cadmium to Japanese quail fed lettuce and spinach.

Many cadmium-contaminated environments contain high levels of zinc. The effects of plant Zn and plant species on plant Cd bioavailability were tested in Japanese quail fed lettuce and spinach. Four groups of birds received 10% of their diets as lettuce or spinach leaves intrinsically labeled with 109Cd and containing low or high intrinsic Zn. Two other groups were fed control diets containing 109Cd as CdSO4 and low or high Zn as ZnCO3. Cadmium concentrations in diets ranged from 0.857 to 1.05 micrograms/g dry wt. Zinc concentrations in low-Zn diets ranged from 21.2 to 22.8, and in high-Zn diets from 56.0 to 63.3 micrograms/g dry wt. Increased lettuce and spinach Zn decreased plant Cd retention in kidney, liver, and jejunum-ileum of Japanese quail. Spinach Cd was less absorbed than lettuce Cd at both Zn levels. Inorganic Zn produced a lesser decrease in Cd retention in kidney, liver, and jejunum-ileum than did plant Zn. We conclude that (1) crops that transport Zn and Cd readily into edible tissues show lower Cd bioavailability when grown in Zn-Cd contaminated environments than in Cd-only polluted sites, (2) plant species differ in Cd bioavailability for identical concentrations of Zn and Cd in edible tissues, and (3) toxicological studies with animals exposed to Cd salts and Zn supplements do not assess Cd bioavailability of Zn-Cd contaminated crops.

Absorption↗
PubMed2005

Putting the plants back into plant ecology: six pragmatic models for understanding and conserving plant diversity.

BACKGROUND: There is a compelling need to protect natural plant communities and restore them in degraded landscapes. Activities must be guided by sound scientific principles, practical conservation tools, and clear priorities. With perhaps one-third of the world's flora facing extinction, scientists and conservation managers will need to work rapidly and collaboratively, recognizing each other's strengths and limitations. As a guide to assist managers in maintaining plant diversity, six pragmatic models are introduced that are already available. Although theoretical models continue to receive far more space and headlines in scientific journals, more managers need to understand that pragmatic, rather than theoretical, models have the most promise for yielding results that can be applied immediately to plant communities. SIX PRAGMATIC MODELS: For each model, key citations and an array of examples are provided, with particular emphasis on wetlands, since "wet and wild" was my assigned theme for the Botanical Society of America in 2003. My own work may seem rather prominent, but the application and refinement of these models has been a theme for me and my many students over decades. The following models are reviewed: (1) species-area: larger areas usually contain more species; (2) species-biomass: plant diversity is maximized at intermediate levels of biomass; (3) centrifugal organization: multiple intersecting environmental gradients maintain regional landscape biodiversity; (4) species-frequency: a few species are frequent while most are infrequent; (5) competitive hierarchies: in the absence of constraints, large canopy-forming species dominate patches of landscape, reducing biological diversity; and (6) intermediate disturbance: perturbations such as water level fluctuations, fire and grazing are essential for maintaining plant diversity. CONCLUSIONS: The good news is that managers faced with protecting or restoring landscapes already have this arsenal of tools at their disposal. The bad news is that far too few of these models are appreciated.

Biodiversity↗
PubMed2001

[Studies on original plant of traditional Chinese drug "bai zhi" (radix Angelicae Dahuricae) and its closely related wild plants. II. Karyological and pollen morphological studies on "bai zhi" and closely related wild plants].

OBJECTIVE: To supplement cytobiological and pollen morphological data for confirming the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi". METHOD: Karyological study and pollen observation were made on "Bai Zhi" and its closely related wild plants. RESULT: Similarities and differences of "Bai Zhi" and its closely related wild plants were found. CONCLUSION: 1. 4 cultivated breeds of "Bai Zhi", Angelica dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, A. porphyrocaulis are really closely related plants. 2. A. dahurica var. formosana is closer to traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" than others.

Angelica↗
PubMed2006

A retrospective of an unconventionally trained plant pathologist: plant diseases to molecular plant pathology.

Plant pathology evolved from its mycology-oriented origins into a science dealing with biochemical mechanisms of diseases, along with enhanced crop production through disease control. This retrospective describes first my personal experience from my introduction to plant pathology, to the establishment of the concept of accessibility as a model pertaining to genetically defined basic compatibility induced by pathogens. I then refer to the development of molecular plant pathology from physiological and biochemical plant pathology fostered by the growth in recombinant technology in the second half of the past century. This progress was best reflected by the U.S.-Japan Seminar Series held at 4-5-year intervals from 1966 to 2003 and documented by publications in major journals of our discipline. These seminars emphasized that progress in science has always been supported by the invention of novel techniques and that knowledge integrated from modern genomics and subsequent proteomics should contribute to the progress of basic life sciences and, more importantly, to the elaboration of rational measures for disease control.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed1990

How plants respond to stimuli. The Ninth Annual Symposium on Current Topics in Plant Biochemistry and Physiology sponsored by the University of Missouri Interdisciplinary Program in Plant Biochemistry and Physiology, the US Department of Agriculture, and the National Science Foundation, Columbia, MO, USA, April 4-7, 1990.

With the rapid progress in the identification of the molecular components of calcium and protein kinase regulatory systems, it is presently an exciting time for those studying plant signal transduction. A clear message that was conveyed at the meeting was the need for an interdisciplinary approach to the problems currently facing researchers in this area. Thus, while the powerful methods of plant molecular biology allow for rapid advances in the identification of new molecules, this approach needs to be combined with careful biochemical and physiological analyses. This was exemplified by the large number of protein kinases described at the meeting but the surprisingly few reports of physiological function of phosphorylation. Similarly, while calcium has emerged as a major regulatory molecule in plants, little is known regarding the exact molecular mechanisms of calcium and calcium-modulatory protein action. These are clearly areas for future study that should reveal the elusive pathways that lie between stimuli and responses in the plant cell.

Calcium↗
PubMed2001

[Studies on original plant of traditional Chinese drug "bai zhi" (radix Angelicae Dahuricae) and its closely related wild plants. III. Comparison of coumarins of "bai zhi" with those of closely related wild plants].

OBJECTIVE: To provide chemical data for confirming the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi". METHOD: Coumarins of 4 cultivated breeds of "Bai Zhi" and 3 closely related wild plants, together with other 2 Angelica plants were compared by HPLC. RESULT: According to coumarin patterns, 4 cultivated breeds of "Bai Zhi" and 3 closely related wild plants could be divided into 3 groups: 1. 4 cultivated breeds of "Bai Zhi" ("Chuan Bai Zhi", "Hang Bai Zhi", "Qi Bai Zhi" and "Yu Bai Zhi") and Angelica dahurica var. formosana; 2. A. dahurica; 3. A. porphyrocaulis. CONCLUSION: In point of the coumarin components, A. dahurica var. formosana is closer to traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" than the others.

Angelica↗
PubMed1977

Promotion and inhibition of flower formation in a dayneutral plant in grafts with a short-day plant and a long-day plant.

Flower formation in the dayneutral tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivar "Trapezond" was accelerated by graft union with the short-day tobacco "Maryland Mammoth" when the grafts were kept on short days and by graft union with the long-day plant N. silvestris L. when they were kept on long days. When Maryland Mammoth/Trapezond grafts were kept on long days, flower formation in Trapezond was not, or only slightly, delayed compared to Trapezond/Trapezond controls; but when N. silvestris/Trapezond grafts were kept on short days, flower formation in Trapezond was inhibited and its growth changed to dwarf-like habit. The former results indicate transmission of flower-promoting material(s) ("florigen") from photoperiodic plants maintained under flower-promoting daylength conditions to a dayneutral graft partner; the latter indicate the presence in the long-day plant N. silvestris under short-day conditions of potent flower-inhibiting and growth-regulating material(s) that can also be transmitted to a day-neutral partner. Analogous flower-inhibitory materials seem not to be present, or to be present to a much lesser extent, in the short-day plant Maryland Mammoth under long-day conditions.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2007

Plant Gene and Alternatively Spliced Variant Annotator. A plant genome annotation pipeline for rice gene and alternatively spliced variant identification with cross-species expressed sequence tag conservation from seven plant species.

The completion of the rice (Oryza sativa) genome draft has brought unprecedented opportunities for genomic studies of the world's most important food crop. Previous rice gene annotations have relied mainly on ab initio methods, which usually yield a high rate of false-positive predictions and give only limited information regarding alternative splicing in rice genes. Comparative approaches based on expressed sequence tags (ESTs) can compensate for the drawbacks of ab initio methods because they can simultaneously identify experimental data-supported genes and alternatively spliced transcripts. Furthermore, cross-species EST information can be used to not only offset the insufficiency of same-species ESTs but also derive evolutionary implications. In this study, we used ESTs from seven plant species, rice, wheat (Triticum aestivum), maize (Zea mays), barley (Hordeum vulgare), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), soybean (Glycine max), and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), to annotate the rice genome. We developed a plant genome annotation pipeline, Plant Gene and Alternatively Spliced Variant Annotator (PGAA). Using this approach, we identified 852 genes (931 isoforms) not annotated in other widely used databases (i.e. the Institute for Genomic Research, National Center for Biotechnology Information, and Rice Annotation Project) and found 87% of them supported by both rice and nonrice EST evidence. PGAA also identified more than 44,000 alternatively spliced events, of which approximately 20% are not observed in the other three annotations. These novel annotations represent rich opportunities for rice genome research, because the functions of most of our annotated genes are currently unknown. Also, in the PGAA annotation, the isoforms with non-rice-EST-supported exons are significantly enriched in transporter activity but significantly underrepresented in transcription regulator activity. We have also identified potential lineage-specific and conserved isoforms, which are important markers in evolutionary studies. The data and the Web-based interface, RiceViewer, are available for public access at http://RiceViewer.genomics.sinica.edu.tw/.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Impact of grazing on plant species richness, plant biomass, plant attribute, and soil physical and hydrological properties of vertisol in East African highlands.

Understanding the problems of grazing land in vertisol areas and seeking long-lasting solutions is the central point where mixed crop livestock is the second stay for the majority of the population. In order to understand this, the current study was conducted at two sites, one with 0-4% slope and the other with 4--8% slope at Ginchi watershed, 80 km west of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The specific objectives of the study were to quantify changes in plant species richness, biomass, plant cover, and soil physical and hydrological properties. The grazing regimes were: moderate grazing (regulated), heavy grazing (free grazing), and no grazing (closed to any grazing), which was considered the control treatment. The results showed that the biomass yield in nongrazed plots was higher than in the grazed plots. However, the biomass yield in grazed plots improved over the years. Species richness and percentage of dominant species attributes were better in medium grazed plots than the other treatments. Soil compaction was higher in very heavily grazed plots than in nongrazed and medium-grazed plots. In contrast to that, the soil water content and infiltration rate were better in nongrazed plots than in grazed plots. Soil loss in grazed plots decreased with the increase of biomass yields and as the soil was more compacted by livestock trampling during the wet season. Finally since the medium stocking rate is better in species richness and plant attributes, and lies between nongrazed and heavily grazed plots in the rest of the measured parameters, it could be the appropriate stocking rate to practice by the smallholder farmer.

Africa, Eastern↗
PubMed2001

[Studies on original plant of traditional Chinese drug "bai zhi" (radix Angelicae Dahuricae) and its closely related wild plants. I. Morphological and anatomical studies on "bai zhi" and closely related wild plants].

OBJECTIVE: To supplement morphological and anatomical data for confirming the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae). METHOD: Morphologocal observation and anatomical study were made on 4 cultivated breeds and closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi". RESULT: According to morphological and anatomical characteristics discovered in this paper, 7 samples noted above could be divided into 3 groups: 1. 4 breeds ("Chuan Bai Zhi", "Hang Bai Zhi", "Qi Bai Zhi" and "Yu Bai Zhi") and Angelica dahurica var. formosana; 2. A. dahurica; 3. A. porphyrocaulis. CONCLUSION: In the morphological and anatomical point of view, A. dahurica var. formosana is closer to traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" than others.

Angelica↗
PubMed2001

Small plants, large plants: the importance of plant size for the physiological ecology of vascular epiphytes.

Recently, a number of publications have reported that many physiological properties of vascular epiphytes are a function of plant size. This short review will summarize what is known to date about this phenomenon, describe the possible mechanism and will discuss the consequences for the present understanding of epiphyte biology. Size-related changes are also known from other plant groups and it is argued that close attention should be paid to the size of the organisms under study in order to understand the performance and survival of a species in the field. In the light of these findings, the results of many earlier studies on epiphyte ecophysiology are now difficult to interpret because essential information on the size of the specimens used is missing.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1985

Cell surfaces in plant-microorganism interactions : v. Elicitors of fungal and of plant origin trigger the synthesis of ethylene and of cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein in plants.

Treatment of melon hypocotyls or petioles with an elicitor from Colletotrichum lagenarium, a fungal pathogen of melons, causes an initial transitory inhibition of protein synthesis and, after 18 hours, induces the synthesis of a plant cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP). Microgram amounts of elicitor are sufficient for maximum elicitation of HRGP when the elicitor is injected into hypocotyls. High elicitor concentrations have a strong inhibitory effect on total protein synthesis. Ethylene is increased early in elicitor-treated plant material, and may be involved in HRGP elicitation. In the presence of aminoethoxyvinylglycine, an inhibitor of ethylene synthesis, both elicitor-induced ethylene and elicitor-induced HRGP are inhibited. On the other hand, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, the direct precursor of ethylene, triggers the synthesis of HRGP to the same extent as the elicitor of C. lagenarium, and partly restores in elicitor-treated petioles the synthesis of ethylene and of HRGP after previous inhibition by aminoethoxyvinylglycine. Elicitation of HRGP occurs in other systems, such as soybeans when inoculated with an elicitor from Phytophtora megasperma f. sp. glycinea, and when melons are incubated with an elicitor isolated from their cell walls.

Journal Article↗