KEY MESSAGE: Different blue-aleurone wheats display major differences in chromosome composition, ranging from disomic chromosome additions, substitutions, single chromosome arm introgressions and chromosome translocation of Thinopyrum ponticum. Anthocyanins are of great importance for human health due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancerogenic potential. In common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) their content is low. However, elite lines with blue aleurone exhibit significantly increased levels of anthocyanins. These lines carry introgressed chromatin from wild relatives of wheat such as Thinopyrum ponticum and Triticum monococcum. The aim of our study was to characterize genomic constitutions of wheat lines with blue aleurone using genomic and fluorescence in situ hybridization. We used total genomic DNA of Th. ponticum and two repetitive DNA sequences (GAA repeat and the Afa family) as probes to identify individual chromosomes. This enabled precise localization of introgressed Th. ponticum chromatin. Our results revealed large variation in chromosome constitutions of the blue-aleurone wheats. Of 26 analyzed lines, 17 carried an introgression from Th. ponticum; the remaining nine lines presumably carry T. monococcum chromatin undetectable by the methods employed. Of the Th. ponticum introgressions, six different types were present, ranging from a ditelosomic addition (cv. Blue Norco) to a disomic substitution (cv. Blue Baart), substitution of complete (homologous) chromosome arms (line UC66049) and various translocations of distal parts of a chromosome arm(s). Different types of introgressions present support a hypothesis that the introgressions activate the blue aleurone trait present, but inactivated, in common wheat germplasm.
Barley is one of the most important cereal crops grown worldwide. It has numerous applications, but its utility could potentially be extended by genetically manipulating its hormonal balances. To explore some of this potential we identified gene families of cytokinin dehydrogenases (CKX) and isopentenyl transferases, enzymes that respectively irreversibly degrade and synthesize cytokinin (CK) plant hormones, in the raw sequenced barley genome. We then examined their spatial and temporal expression patterns by immunostaining and qPCR. Two CKX-specific antibodies, anti-HvCKX1 and anti-HvCKX9, predominantly detect proteins in the aleurone layer of maturing grains and leaf vasculature, respectively. In addition, two selected CKX genes were used for stable, Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of the barley cultivar Golden Promise. The results show that constitutive overexpression of CKX causes morphological changes in barley plants and prevents their transition to flowering. In all independent transgenic lines roots proliferated more rapidly and root-to-shoot ratios were higher than in wild-type plants. Only one transgenic line, overexpressing CKX under the control of a promoter from a phosphate transporter gene, which is expressed more strongly in root tissue than in aerial parts, yielded progeny. Analysis of several T1-generation plants indicates that plants tend to compensate for effects of the transgene and restore CK homeostasis later during development. Depleted CK levels during early phases of development are restored by down-regulation of endogenous CKX genes and reinforced de novo biosynthesis of CKs.
- MeSH
- Agrobacterium tumefaciens MeSH
- Cytokinins biosynthesis genetics MeSH
- Gene Expression * MeSH
- Fertility genetics MeSH
- Plants, Genetically Modified enzymology genetics MeSH
- Hordeum enzymology genetics MeSH
- Plant Roots embryology genetics MeSH
- Oxidoreductases biosynthesis genetics MeSH
- Plant Proteins biosynthesis genetics MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Hladiny kadmia v celkovej krvi boli merané v skupine 108 dospelých vegetariánov, nefajčiarov (na alternatívnom stravovaní 5,64 rokov) a porovnávané so skupinou 90 nefajčiarov na zmiešanej strave (omnivori). Vegetariáni mali významne vyššiu priemernú hladinu kadmia v porovnaní s omnivormi s výskytom 7,4 % hodnôt v rizikovom pásme nad 5 μg/1, s maximálnou hodnotou v súbore 10,48 μg/l vs 2,27 μg/l u omnivorov. Výskyt hodnôt do 1μg/l bol u 50,9 % vegetariánov, ale 96,7 % omnivorov. Vegetariáni konzumovali denne 2násobné množstvo celozrnných potravin v porovnaní s omnivormi a ďalej naklíčené obiloviny (kadmium sa akumuluje z pôdy hlavne v obaloch obilných zŕn a v klíčkoch). U 8 rizikových vegetariánov boli zistené fyziologické hodnoty železa, vápnika, zinku a selénu. Hodnoty lipoperoxidácie boli u 3 vegetariánov nad limitom, v priemere boli fyziologické, ale vyššie než prv zistené údaje väčších súborov vegetariánov aj omnivorov. Vysvetlením môžu byť podprahové hladiny vitamínu E u 6 vegetariánov. Napriek vysokým hladinám vitamínu C nebola pravdepodobne zabezpečená dostatočná likvidácia volných radikálov, ktorých zvýšená tvorba je predpokladaná vyšším príjmom kadmia.
Cadmium blood levels were assessed in a group of 108 adult vegetarians, non-smokers (5.64 years on an alternative diet) and compared with a group of 90 non-smokers on a mixed diet (omnivores). The vegetarians had a significantly higher mean cadmium level as compared with omnivores with 7.4% of the values in the risk zone above 5 μg/l, with a maximum value of 10.48 μg/l in the group vs. 2.27 μg/l in omnivores. The incidence of values under 1 μgl\ was recorded in 50.9% vegetarians and in 96.7% omnivores. Vegetarians consumed daily twice as many whole grain foods as compared with omnivores as well as sprouting cereals ( cadmium from soil accumulates in particular in the aleurone layers and germs). In 8 vegetarians at risk physiological values of iron, zinc and selenium were found. The values of lipid peroxidation were in three vegetarians above the limit, on average they were normal but higher than previously recorded data in larger groups of vegetarians and omnivores. This might be due to subthreshold vitamin E levels in six vegetarians. Despite high vitamin C levels probably adequate elimination of free radicals was not ensured, their higher production being assumed in subjects with a high cadmium intake.
- MeSH
- Diet, Macrobiotic MeSH
- Diet, Vegetarian MeSH
- Cadmium analysis blood MeSH
- Food Contamination MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
A facultative parasite of cereals, Fusarium culmorum is a soil-, air- and seed-borne fungus causing foot and root rot, fusarium seedling blight, and especially Fusarium head blight, a spike disease leading to decreased yield and mycotoxin contamination of grain. In the present study, we tested changes in expression of wheat genes (B2H2, ICS, PAL, and PR2) involved in defence against diseases. We first compared expression of the analysed genes in seedlings of non-inoculated and artificially inoculated wheat (variety Bohemia). The second part of the experiment compared expression of these genes in seedlings grown under various treatment conditions. These treatments were chosen to determine the effects of prochloraz, sodium bicarbonate, ergosterol, aescin and potassium iodide on expression of the analysed defence genes. In addition to the inoculated and non-inoculated cultivar Bohemia, we additionally examined two other varieties of wheat with contrasting resistance to Fusarium sp. infection. These were the blue aleurone layer variety Scorpion that is susceptible to Fusarium sp. infection and variety V2-49-17 with yellow endosperm and partial resistance to Fusarium sp. infection. In this manner, we were able to compare potential effects of inductors upon defence gene expression among three varieties with different susceptibility to infection but also between inoculated and non-inoculated seedlings of a single variety. The lowest infection levels were detected in the sodium bicarbonate treatment. Sodium bicarbonate had not only negative influence on Fusarium growth but also positively affected expression of plant defence genes. Expression of the four marker genes shown to be important in plant defence was significantly affected by the treatments. The greatest upregulation in comparison to the water control was identified under all treatments for the B2H2 gene. Only expression of PAL under the ergosterol and prochloraz treatments were not statistically significant.
- MeSH
- Fusarium immunology MeSH
- Sodium Bicarbonate pharmacology MeSH
- Plant Diseases genetics immunology microbiology MeSH
- Disease Resistance genetics MeSH
- Triticum genetics MeSH
- Seedlings genetics microbiology MeSH
- Gene Expression Profiling * MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
