In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant

The time course of juvenile hormone (JH) metabolism is examined in cultures ofPeriplaneta americana fat body and ovaries in medium containingManduca sexta carrier protein or cockroach hemolymph. In the absence ofM. sexta carrier protein or cockroach hemolymph, both tissues extensively catabolize exogenous [3H]JH in the medium. Addition of the carrier protein or hemolymph to the culture system prevents the hydrolysis of the hormone in the medium. Within the tissues JH is degraded whether or not carrier protein or hemolymph is present which suggests that the protective role of these molecules is exclusively extracellular. Incubation of [3H]JH with medium preconditioned with tissue results in destruction of the hormone. This suggests that the fat body secretes esterases into the medium. In contrast, the ovarioles hydrolyze the hormone by means of cell-associated enzyme. The relationship of these phenomena to insect development is discussed.

Four cell lines have been isolated fromDrosophila hydei embryos. Three lines have a normal XY karyotype, the fourth has an XO karyotype with an additional small heterochromatic fragment. The cells contain presumable cytoplasmic virus like particles.

Excised tissues from transverse young stem sections of Lilium longiflorum were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with growth regulators at various concentrations. After 45 d in culture, the presence of α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) in the culture medium at 5.4 μM resulted in bulblet formation while 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 2.2 μM resulted in root formation. The presence of IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) in the culture medium at 1.0 μM resulted in shoot formation while plantlet formation occurred when IBA was added at a concentration of 2.0 μM. When 1-phenyl-3-(1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-yl)-urea (TDZ) was added to the culture medium at 1.1 μM, protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) formed, while 2.2 μM resulted in shoot formation (on abaxial and adaxial surfaces). The presence of NAA and TDZ in the culture medium at 5.4 μM and 0.4, 1.1 or 2.2 μM, respectively, resulted in somatic embryo formation while NAA- and 6-benzylaminopurine-(BA) containing culture medium formed callus or bulblets. The establishment of different regeneration systems when explants are exposed to various growth regulators demonstrates that the choice of growth regulator combinations and concentrations are of significance in determining the morphogenetic response and plant regeneration capacity.

Use of Hypericum perforatum L., commonly known as St. John's wort, has increased recently due to the pharmaceutical potential of hypericin, found in its leaves. Hypericin has been reported to effect a natural treatment for mild and moderate depression by increasing the concentration of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. We have developed a novel cell culture system for in vitro growth and production of this species, suggesting a possible technology for large-scale production of hypericin. Leaf explants grown in Murashige and Skoog salts supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (0.90 μM) and kinetin (0.11 μM) gave maximum percentage callus formation compared to other medium treatments evaluated. Hypericin localization in cell phase and leaves was found to vary, with cell phase accumulating hypericin in special organelles and leaves accumulating it in vacuoles. Light and dark conditions, with cell aggregate size, played important roles in growth and hypericin production in cell suspension cultures.

Erysimum crepidifolium Rchb. is one of the few Brassicaceae species accumulating glucosinolates as well as cardenolides. This is possibly providing a selective advantage in evolution as both compounds are part of a chemical defense system. In order to study the biosynthesis of these compounds, a regeneration protocol for E. crepidifolium using in vitro shoot cultures derived from seeds has been developed. Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium supplemented with various combinations of cytokinins and auxins was used. MS medium containing NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.04 mg mL−1) and BAP (6-benzylaminopurine, 0.2·10−2 mg mL−1) proved to be optimal for root formation. Plantlets developed well on modified MS medium without the use of phytohormones. About 80% of the plantlets rooted in vitro developed into intact plants after transfer to the greenhouse. Cardenolides (1.75 mg g−1 dry weight (DW)) were detected in cultured shoots on solid DDV media while glucosinolates mainly accumulated in roots where 0.025 mg g−1 FW were detected in shoots cultured on the same medium (DDV). The expression of two progesterone 5β-reductase and three Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase genes were measured in shoot cultures since the encoded enzymes are supposed to be involved in cardenolide biosynthesis. E. crepidifolium shoot cultures propagated on solid media meet the necessary requirements, i.e., clonal homogeneity, product accumulation, and gene expression, for a suitable model to study cardenolide but not glucosinolate biosynthesis.

Lactuca indica L. (Asteraceae), a wild lettuce, is used as a vegetable and in traditional medicine. This study aims to establish in vitro propagation protocol and evaluate lactucin and antibacterial property from in vitro and natural plant tissues. Leaf blades and petioles were cultured in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 1.2 mg L–1 indoleacetic acid (IAA). Leaf petioles and a lower BAP concentration (0.5 mg L–1) were optimal for direct shoot induction, while the leaf blade and a higher BAP (4 mg L–1) concentration performed best for callus induction. When the callus was subcultured, 98.7% of samples regenerated plants on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg L–1 BAP and 0.5 mg L–1 IAA. MS medium containing 1 mg L–1 IAA was best for in vitro rooting. A high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the in vitro samples revealed a higher amount of lactucin (sesquiterpene lactones) in the root than the callus and the leaf, whereas in naturally grown plants, higher lactucin amounts were obtained from the juvenile root followed by the root of the flowering plant and juvenile leaf as the lowest concentration. All tissue extracts showed antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas fuscovaginae (a rice pathogen) and Escherichia coli, which was directly proportional to amount of lactucin produced. This in vitro regeneration and phytochemical investigation will facilitate the further exploitation of this useful wild plant.

A monoclonal antibody was produced against Kunitz soybean inhibitor (KSBTI) and used in an inhibition enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The inhibition EIA was as sensitive as competetive EIAs and was easily modified for other protein-antibody interactions. The KSBTI assay described detected KSBTI in complex mixtures from 100 μg/ml to 50 ng/ml and did not react with the Bowman-Birk trypsin inhibitor. The assay was used to examine levels of KSBTI inGlycine max hypocotyl-derived callus tissue. The developing hypocotyls contained 0.21 μg KSBTI per mg of fresh tissue. This level of KSBTI rapidly decreased when placed in culture and was undetectable 6 days later. The decrease in KSBTI correlated with the development of callus.