Ultrastructural characterization of a pigment mutant of the red alga Palmaria palmata

Ultrastructural examination of a green-pigmented mutant of the red alga Palmaria palmata (L.) O. Kuntze revealed unusual features of the chloroplasts. Encircling peripheral thylakoids, characteristic of the wild-type plastids and florideophyte plastids generally, were lacking. Parallel evenly spaced thylakoids occurred in groups, leaving large volumes of thylakoid-free stroma. Irregularly shaped, electron-dense inclusions with an amorphous substructure and diameters up to 3 μm occurred in some plastids. Cells of the sporeling holdfasts contained structures resembling prolamellar bodies. Attempts to induce formation of prolamellar bodies in blades by dark treatment for 5 weeks were unsuccessful. However, some plastids did develop highly corrugated thylakoids with the crests of one thylakoid apposed to the troughs of the adjacent thylakoid. Thylakoid morphology of the wild-type control was not altered by the absence of light.

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Characterization of gamma irradiation-induced mutations in Arabidopsis mutants deficient in non-homologous end joining

Journal of Radiation Research ◽

10.1093/jrr/rraa059 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 61 (5) ◽

pp. 639-647

Author(s):

Yan Du ◽

Yoshihiro Hase ◽

Katsuya Satoh ◽

Naoya Shikazono

Keyword(s):

Gamma Rays ◽

Wild Type ◽

End Joining ◽

Complex Type ◽

Single Base ◽

In The Wild ◽

Non Homologous End Joining ◽

Dna Ends ◽

Wild Type Control

Abstract To investigate the involvement of the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway in plant mutagenesis by ionizing radiation, we conducted a genome-wide characterization of the mutations induced by gamma rays in NHEJ-deficient Arabidopsis mutants (AtKu70−/− and AtLig4−/−). Although both mutants were more sensitive to gamma rays than the wild-type control, the AtKu70−/− mutant was slightly more sensitive than the AtLig4−/− mutant. Single-base substitutions (SBSs) were the predominant mutations in the wild-type control, whereas deletions (≥2 bp) and complex-type mutations [i.e. more than two SBSs or short insertion and deletions (InDels) separated by fewer than 10 bp] were frequently induced in the mutants. Single-base deletions were the most frequent deletions in the wild-type control, whereas the most common deletions in the mutants were 11–30 bp. The apparent microhomology at the rejoined sites of deletions peaked at 2 bp in the wild-type control, but was 3–4 bp in the mutants. This suggests the involvement of alternative end joining and single-strand annealing pathways involving increased microhomology for rejoining DNA ends. Complex-type mutations comprising short InDels were frequently detected in the mutants, but not in the wild-type control. Accordingly, NHEJ is more precise than the backup pathways, and is the main pathway for rejoining the broken DNA ends induced by ionizing radiation in plants.

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Ultrastructural characterization of male sterile33 (ms33) mutant in Arabidopsis affected in pollen desiccation and maturation

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b00-141 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

pp. 118-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Houman Fei ◽

Vipen K Sawhney

Keyword(s):

Pollen Development ◽

Ultrastructural Level ◽

Mitotic Division ◽

Wild Type ◽

Pollen Maturation ◽

Ultrastructural Characterization ◽

In The Wild ◽

Pollen Stage ◽

Mutant Pollen

The MS33 gene in Arabidopsis is required for stamen filament growth and for pollen maturation. The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of ms33 mutation on pollen development at the ultrastructural level. There were no differences between the wild type and ms33 mutant pollen development before the first mitotic division of microspores. At the bicellular pollen stage, the first signs of abnormalities were observed in the ms33 tapetum, which started to degenerate early and released osmiophilic material in the anther locule. In ms33 pollen, the endintine was thicker, and exintine thinner, than in the wild type, and the mutant pollen had large vacuoles. Later in development, the mutant pollen underwent second mitosis and produced two normal-looking sperm cells; however, the intine was precociously formed, and there were abnormalities in tryphine deposition on the pollen wall, in the size of vacuoles, and in the formation of lipid bodies in the vegetative cell cytoplasm. Based on these observations it is suggested that mutation in the MS33 gene interferes with intine formation and tryphine deposition, both of which negatively affect pollen desiccation resulting in large, highly vacuolate pollen that are nonviable.Key words: Arabidopsis, male sterility, mutant, pollen, tapetum, ultrastructure.

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Ultrastructural Characterization of Infection and Colonization of Maize Leaves by Colletotrichum graminicola, and by a C. graminicola Pathogenicity Mutant

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto.2002.92.7.803 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 92 (7) ◽

pp. 803-812 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

C. W. Mims ◽

L. J. Vaillancourt

Keyword(s):

Host Cells ◽

Signal Peptidase ◽

Colletotrichum Graminicola ◽

Wild Type ◽

Mesophyll Cells ◽

Ultrastructural Characterization ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Maize Leaves ◽

Short Time

Observations were made of the ultrastructure of infection and colonization of leaves of a susceptible maize inbred by Colletotrichum graminicola and by a C. graminicola pathogenicity mutant. The mutant causes no symptoms on either maize leaves or stalks. Prior evidence suggested that it is deficient in production of signal peptidase, responsible for cleavage of signal peptides from proteins destined for transport through the endoplasmic reticulum. There was no significant difference in the process of infection or colonization by the mutant and wild-type strains up to 48 h after inoculation. Both the mutant and the wild type produced globose, melanized appressoria within 24 h after inoculation on the host surface. By 36 h, both strains had penetrated the host epidermal cells directly. The host cells frequently formed papillae in response to appressoria, but these were not usually successful in preventing fungal ingress in either case. Penetration was followed by formation of irregularly shaped, swollen infection hyphae. Infection hyphae of both strains grew biotrophically for a relatively short time (less than 12 h). One or more hyphal branches was produced from each infection hypha, and these invaded adjacent mesophyll cells. Both strains of the fungus grew cell-to-cell, setting up new biotrophic interactions in each cell, between 36 and 48 h after inoculation. Papillae were frequently formed by the mesophyll cells, but these were not successful in preventing fungal ingress. The first noticeable difference between the mutant and the wild type was related to their interaction with mesophyll cells. Cells invaded by the wild type died relatively quickly, whereas those infected by the mutant appeared to survive longer. The most dramatic difference between the mutant and wild type occurred when the mutant completely failed to make a transition to necrotrophic growth, while the wild type made that switch at 48 to 72 h after inoculation. The mutant may be unable to secrete sufficient quantities of one or more proteins that are necessary to support the switch between biotrophy and necrotrophy.

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Isolation and Characterization of a New Agglutinin in the Red Alga Palmaria palmata (L.) O. Kuntze

Botanica Marina ◽

10.1515/botm.1982.25.11.537 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 25 (11) ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Hisao Kamiya ◽

Kyoko Ogata ◽

Kanji Hori

Keyword(s):

Red Alga ◽

Palmaria Palmata ◽

Isolation And Characterization

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Characterization of the Role of the Divalent Metal Ion-Dependent Transcriptional Repressor MntR in the Virulence of Staphylococcus aureus

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.71.5.2584-2590.2003 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 2584-2590 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Masaru Ando ◽

Yukari C. Manabe ◽

Paul J. Converse ◽

Eishi Miyazaki ◽

Robert Harrison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Metal Ion ◽

Mouse Skin ◽

Wild Type ◽

Divalent Metal Ion ◽

Gel Shift Assay ◽

Wild Type Control

ABSTRACT DtxR-type metal ion-dependent repressors, present in many bacterial pathogens, may regulate expression of virulence genes such as that encoding diphtheria toxin. SirR, a DtxR homologue initially identified in Staphylococcus epidermidis, governs the expression of the adjacent sitABC operon encoding a putative metal ion ABC transporter system. We identified a sirR homologue, mntR, in Staphylococcus aureus and demonstrated by gel shift assay that the corynebacterial repressor DtxR binds to the S. aureus mntABC operator in the presence of Fe2+ or Mn2+. Since a mutant DtxR, DtxR(E175K), functions as an iron-independent hyperrepressor in certain settings, we constructed a heterodiploid S. aureus strain expressing dtxR(E175K) from the native mntR promoter. Transcription of the S. aureus mntABC operon was repressed in the presence of Fe2+ or Mn2+ in wild-type and heterodiploid S. aureus strains. Under metal ion-limiting conditions, mntABC transcription was reduced but not abolished in S. aureus isolates expressing dtxR(E175K) compared with an isogenic control, suggesting that DtxR(E175K) binds the S. aureus MntR box in vivo. Under all conditions tested, mntABC transcription in the dtxR(E175K)-expressing strain was reduced relative to the isogenic control, indicating that DtxR(E175K) function was constitutively active. In the mouse skin abscess model, dtxR(E175K)-expressing S. aureus recombinants showed significantly reduced CFU levels compared with the isogenic wild-type control. We conclude that the S. aureus MntR box is recognized by corynebacterial DtxR proteins and thus belongs to the DtxR family of metal-dependent operator sites. Moreover, constitutive repression by DtxR(E175K) reduces the virulence of S. aureus in the mouse skin abscess model.

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Ultrastructural identification of three types of sensory setae on copepod antennae

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100141159 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 956-957

Author(s):

T. M. Weatherby ◽

P.H. Lenz

Keyword(s):

Phase Locking ◽

Membrane Surface ◽

Reaction Times ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Structural Features ◽

Calanoid Copepods ◽

Marine Food Webs ◽

Dendritic Membrane ◽

Ultrastructural Characterization

Crustaceans, as well as other arthropods, are covered with sensory setae and hairs, including mechanoand chemosensory sensillae with a ciliary origin. Calanoid copepods are small planktonic crustaceans forming a major link in marine food webs. In conjunction with behavioral and physiological studies of the antennae of calanoids, we undertook the ultrastructural characterization of sensory setae on the antennae of Pleuromamma xiphias.Distal mechanoreceptive setae exhibit exceptional behavioral and physiological performance characteristics: high sensitivity (<10 nm displacements), fast reaction times (<1 msec latency) and phase locking to high frequencies (1-2 kHz). Unusual structural features of the mechanoreceptors are likely to be related to their physiological sensitivity. These features include a large number (up to 3000) of microtubules in each sensory cell dendrite, arising from or anchored to electron dense rods associated with the ciliary basal body microtubule doublets. The microtubules are arranged in a regular array, with bridges between and within rows. These bundles of microtubules extend far into each mechanoreceptive seta and terminate in a staggered fashion along the dendritic membrane, contacting a large membrane surface area and providing a large potential site of mechanotransduction.

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