Book of Abstracts - Geyseco

FESPB 2010 - XVII Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology
University of Aarhus, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of
Genetics and Biotechnology, Research Centre Flakkebjerg, Denmark
*Corresponding author e-mail: ClausKrogh.Madsen@agrsci.dk
Increasing the endogenous phytase activity in cereal grains is of
importance in order to improve the sustainability of animal intensive
agriculture. Furthermore it may help counter some forms of
human malnutrition
such as zinc deficiency which affects millions.
Understanding the molecular basis for the observed variation
between species and cultivars would be valuable for the effort
to increase endogenous phytase activity by breeding or cisgenic
approaches. Two families of phytases are known in cereals, the
Multiple Inositol Phosphatases (MINPP’s) and the Purple Acid
Phosphatase Phytases (PAPhy’s). Both families are highly conserved
at the mature protein level and variation in specific activity
within each family appears to be small.
Hence we propose that the variation in phytase activity between
species and cultivars are mainly attributable to gene regulation.
To investigate this hypothesis we have used genomic library
screening and PCR to isolate promoters of phytase genes from
wheat, barley and rye. Promoters from cultivars representing
the whole spectrum of grain phytase activity in wheat have been
PCR amplified, cloned and sequenced. The promoters are analyzed
for known regulatory elements and compared. Already, we
have shown that PAPhy genes are regulated by two distinctly different
types of promoters that are active primarily during grain
filling and germination, respectively. In order to account for the
variations in grain phytase activity we wish to correlate promoter
polymorphisms with variations in expression level or pattern.
These parameters are examined by proteomics, qRT-PCR, reporter
gene constructs and immunolocalisation. Selected proteins
are expressed in Pichia pastoris and characterized in vitro.
P05-063: BIOLOGICAL EFFECT EVALUATION OF A
TRITERPENIC COMPLEX TOWARDS CELL LINE DU
145
Olariu, L.* – Constantinovici, M. – Dumitriu, B. - Zglimbea, L.
– Dociu, N.
BIOTEHNOS S.A.
*Corresponding author e-mail: lolariu@biotehnos.com
Objective: Determine the triterpenic acids complex actions on
DU 145, human prostate carcinoma cell line, for the purpose of
studying the biological effect of this new biological active product,
obtained from Salviae sp., on this neoplastic cell type. Methods:
There were applied several types of cell biology specific
protocols for a complete screening of its biological effects: viability
and citotoxicity evaluation, using ELISA technique; proliferation,
apoptosis and cell cycle analysis, using flow cytometry.
The viability and cytotoxic evaluation were made after 24 h of
DU 145 cells exposure to increasing doses of this complex and
its carrier DMSO, ranging from 8 to 16 μM; the positive control
was methothrexate 10 μM. The DNA synthesis analysis using
flow cytometry were done after 48 h exposure to specific doses
of triterpenic complex, DMSO and methothrexate. The statistical
analysis of raw data was made with FCS Express software. Results:
The triterpenic complex effect on proliferation and viability
status of DU 145 cells was negative, inhibiting them in a dose
dependent manner; citotoxicity was moderate until 12 μM, after
that raising drastically its value. There was a significant reduction
of the proliferation index which had half the value measured for
untreated cells. Also this complex induced early apoptosis (30%
of treated cells compared to 9% for control) and had a blocking
effect on DNA synthesis (compared to DMSO and methothrexate
10 μM), both being more evident at 10 μM concentration.
Conclusions: These results could be used as a starting point for
more profound evaluation of biological implications of triterpenic
derivates as therapeutical agents of neoplastic diseases.
P05-064: SCREEN FOR DEVELOPMENTAL PHENOTY-
PES IN TAXON RESTRICTED GENES
Chikkaputtaiah, C.* – Donoghue, M. – Li, W. - Swamidatta, S.
– Spillane, C.
Genetics and Biotechnology lab, Botany and Plant science, National
University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
*Corresponding author e-mail: chinnatal@gmail.com
Taxon restricted genes are protein coding genes which have no
recognizable homologs in other species or within existing protein
sequence databases. Even though they constitute up to one third
of the genes found in any particular species, very little is known
about their function and evolutionary genesis. Our group has defined
a set of taxon restricted genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and
whole genome selection scans indicated that some of the taxon
restricted genes are fast evolving with a dN/dS>1 suggesting that
these genes could be under positive Darwinian selection. We are
performing systematic genetic, molecular and biochemical characterization
of taxon restricted genes to elucidate their role in different
developmental processes including reproduction and seed
development in plants.
P05-065: BIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF DOMINANT
POLLEN TYPES REPRESENTED BY LOCAL HONEY
SAMPLES
Tidke, J.* - Nagarkar, S.S.
Department of Botany,Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University,
Amravati (MS), India
*Corresponding author e-mail: jaikirantidke@rediffmail.com
Qualitative and quantitative biochemical analysis of pollen grains
of fifteen plant species i.e. Brassica campestris, Gossypium
hirsutum, Azadirachta indica, Moringa oleifera, Butea monosperma,
Cajanus cajan, Syzygium cumini, Coriandrum sativum,
Helianthus annuus, Parthenium hysterophorus, Tridax procumbens,
Vernonia cineria, Ipomoea fistulosa, Vitex negundo and
Ricinus communis was undertaken during the year 2008-2009.
The pollen grains of these plant species were found to be dominantly
present in the local honey samples. The pollen samples
were biochemically investigated for carbohydrates and sugars,
free amino acids, protein, free lipids, moisture and ash contents.
The maximum amount of reducing sugar and total carbohydrates
was found to be 3.08% and 5.76% in Vernonia cineria. Maximum
crude protein and soluble protein i.e. 48.4% and 32.1% was
found to be present in pollen grains of Parthenium hysterophorus.
Free amino acids and lipid contents were encountered maximum
in Helianthus annuus pollen; i.e. 3.09% and 4.10%. The
maximum amount of moisture and ash was 12.83% and 7.05%
in Tridax procumbens and Brassica campestris respectively. The
role of some biochemical was found to be responsible for the
visits of flower visiting bees in general and honey bee (A. dorsata)
in particular. The data obtained through pollen biochemical
analysis is being interpreted with pollen frequency class and the
honey bee visits. Some pollen types such as Moringa oleifera,
Helianthus annuus, Ricinus communis and Parthenium hysterophorus
having more amounts of protein, carbohydrates and amino
acids were dominantly represented in studied honey samples.
Key Words: Biochemical, pollen, visitor relevance