Search results for " life science"
showing 10 items of 12151 documents
Comparison of binding properties and early biological effects of elicitins in tobacco cells
1998
Abstract Elicitins are a family of small proteins secreted by Phytophthora species that have a high degree of homology and elicit defense reactions in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). They display acidic or basic characteristics, the acidic elicitins being less efficient in inducing plant necrosis. In this study we compared the binding properties of four elicitins (two basic and two acidic) and early-induced signal transduction events (Ca2+ influx, extracellular medium alkalinization, and active oxygen species production). The affinity for tobacco plasma membrane-binding sites and the number of binding sites were similar for all four elicitins. Furthermore, elicitins compete with one another fo…
Physiological and Molecular Characteristics of Elicitin-Induced Systemic Acquired Resistance in Tobacco
1996
Elicitins are low molecular weight proteins secreted by all Phytophthora species analyzed so far. Application of the purified proteins to tobacco Nicotiana tabacum leads to the induction of resistance to subsequent inoculations with the black shank-causing agent, Phytophthora parasitica var nicotianae. In this paper, we describe the systemic characteristics of elicitin-induced acquired resistance in tobacco. Elicitin application is followed by the rapid translocation of the protein in the plant. The basic elicitin, cryptogein, induces necrosis formation in the leaves, which results from accumulation of the protein in these organs. Necrosis does not seem to be essential for the establishment…
Involvement of Free Calcium in Action of Cryptogein, a Proteinaceous Elicitor of Hypersensitive Reaction in Tobacco Cells
1995
Treatment of suspension-cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var Xanthi) cells with cryptogein, a proteinaceous elicitor from Phytophthora cryptogea, induced a great stimulation of Ca2+ influx within the first minutes. Ca2+ influx is essential for the initiation of cryptogein-induced responses, since ethyleneglycol-bis([beta]-amino-ethyl ether)-N,N[prime]-tetraacetic acid or La3+, which block Ca2+ entrance, suppress cryptogein-induced responses such as extracellular alkalinization, active oxygen species, and phytoalexin production. Moreover, once initiated, these responses require sustained Ca2+ influx within the 1st h. A Ca2+ ionophore (A23187) was able to trigger an extracellular alkaliniz…
Real-time electrochemical detection of extracellular nitric oxide in tobacco cells exposed to cryptogein, an elicitor of defence responses
2008
International audience; It was previously reported that cryptogein, an elicitor of defence responses, induces an intracellular production of nitric oxide (NO) in tobacco. Here, the possibility was explored that cryptogein might also trigger an increase of NO extracellular content through two distinct approaches, an indirect method using the NO probe 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) and an electrochemical method involving a chemically modified microelectrode probing free NO in biological media. While the chemical nature of DAF-2-reactive compound(s) is still uncertain, the electrochemical modified microelectrodes provide real-time evidence that cryptogein induces an increase of extracellular N…
Membrane glycerolipid remodeling triggered by nitrogen and phosphorus starvation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
2014
International audience; Diatoms constitute a major phylum of phytoplankton biodiversity in ocean water and freshwater ecosystems. They are known to respond to some chemical variations of the environment by the accumulation of triacylglycerol, but the relative changes occurring in membrane glycerolipids have not yet been studied. Our goal was first to define a reference for the glycerolipidome of the marine model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a necessary prerequisite to characterize and dissect the lipid metabolic routes that are orchestrated and regulated to build up each subcellular membrane compartment. By combining multiple analytical techniques, we determined the glycerolipid profil…
Morphogenetic modifications induced by Pseudomonas fluorescens A6RI and Glomus mosseae BEG12 in the root system of tomato differ according to plant g…
2002
Summary • The ability of fluorescent pseudomonads and glomalean fungi to promote plant growth has been reported many times. However, little is known of their effects on root morphogenesis. Growth and root morphogenesis were compared in tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum ) plants inoculated or not with a model strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens (A6RI) or with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus mosseae (BEG12). • Plants were cultivated in a sandy-loam soil mixed with sand at two different ratios (2 : 1 and 1 : 2), in gnotobiotic conditions. Plant growth was evaluated by measuring root and shoot fresh weight, and various morphometric parameters were compared. • Growth of control plants was …
Purification and characterization of geranyl diphosphate synthase from Vitis vinifera L. cv Muscat de Frontignant cell cultures
1993
A geranyl diphosphate synthase (EC 2.5.1.1), which catalyzes the formation of geranyl diphosphate from dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate, was isolated from Vitis vinifera L. cv Muscat de Frontignan cell cultures. Purification of the enzyme was achieved successively by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, hydroxylapatite, Mono Q, Phenyl Superose, Superose 12, and preparative nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. The enzyme formed only geranyl diphosphate as a product. In all cases, neither neryl diphosphate, the cis isomer, nor farnesyl diphosphate was detected. The enzyme showed a native molecular mass of 68 [plus or minus] 5 kD as determined …
Immune response affects ant trophallactic behaviour.
2008
5 pages; International audience; Sociality is associated with many benefits that have favoured its evolution in social insects. However, sociability also presents disadvantages like crowding of large numbers of individuals, which may favour the spread of infections within colonies. Adaptations allowing social insects to prevent and/or control pathogen infections range from behavioural responses to physiological ones including their immune systems. In a state of infection, social interactions with nestmates should be altered in a way which might prevent its spreading. We simulated a microbial infection in workers of the ant Camponotus fellah by the administration of peptidoglycan (PGN) and t…
Cercospora beticola Toxin Inhibits Vanadate-Sensitive H+ Transport in Corn Root Membrane Vesicles
1988
The effect of Cercospora beticola toxin on the transport of protons by vanadate-sensitive ATPase was studied with corn (Zea mays) root microsomal vesicles prepared by differential centrifugation, sedimentation through a sucrose cushion, and washing with Triton X-100 plus KBr. In these preparations, addition of ATP induced intravesicular H(+)-accumulation as evidenced by a rapid quenching of the fluorescence of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxy acridine. This quenching was relatively unaffected by inhibitors of mitochondrial and tonoplast-type ATPases, but was strongly reduced by inhibitors of plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. C. beticola toxin markedly inhibited ATP dependent H(+)-transport, and this e…
Spontaneous quantity discrimination of artificial flowers by foraging honeybees
2020
ABSTRACTMany animals need to process numerical and quantity information in order to survive. Spontaneous quantity discrimination allows differentiation between two or more quantities without reinforcement or prior training on any numerical task. It is useful for assessing food resources, aggressive interactions, predator avoidance and prey choice. Honeybees have previously demonstrated landmark counting, quantity matching, use of numerical rules, quantity discrimination and arithmetic, but have not been tested for spontaneous quantity discrimination. In bees, spontaneous quantity discrimination could be useful when assessing the quantity of flowers available in a patch and thus maximizing f…