Contents
Invited Reviews
Perspective: Plant Biology-A Quiet Pioneer
Machi F. Dilworth. . . . . . . 183 [PDF]
Throughout the 20th Century, plant biology made contributions to the conceptual and technological advances in basic biology and biotechnology, although they were not always recognized by the larger field of biology. Plants have direct applications to today’s major societal challenges including food security, climate change, energy, and sustainability. Solutions to these challenges require innovative technologies that are solidly based on science.
Breeding of Japanese butterbur (Petasites japonicus) by using flowerhead cultureYuzuri Iwamoto. . . . . . . 189 [PDF]
To induce somaclonal variation related to plant yield, adventitious buds were regenerated directly from immature flowerheads of Japanese butterbur. The total yield of the highest yielding variant induced by somaclonal variation was 129.8% of that of the original variety.
Original Papers
Two-component high-affinity nitrate transport system in barley: Membrane localization, protein expression in roots and a direct protein-protein interaction
Shinji Ishikawa, Yuka Ito, Yuki Sato, Yuka Fukaya, Misa Takahashi, Hiromichi Morikawa, Norikuni Ohtake, Takuji Ohyama, Kuni Sueyoshi. . . . . . . 197 [PDF]
A high affinity transport system for nitrate in plants is operated by a two-component NRT2/NAR2 transport system. In this study, membrane localization, protein expression in roots and a direct protein-protein interaction of barley HvNRT2 and HvNAR2 proteins were investigated.
Biotic and abiotic stresses induce AbSAMT1, encoding S-adenosyl-L-methionine: salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase, in Atropa belladonna
Soonil Kwon, Kenichi Hamada, Aya Matsuyama, Michiko Yasuda, Hideo Nakashita, Takashi Yamakawa. . . . . . . 207 [PDF]
Salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase was suggested to have two functional roles in Atropa belladonna as the signaling compound of the salicylate-dependent response, and also to deplete salicylic acid storage as a result of the induction of the jasmonate-dependent response
Isolation of suppressors of late flowering and abnormal flower shape phenotypes caused by overexpression of the SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE gene in Arabidopsis thaliana
Rym Fekih, Kana Miyata, Riichiro Yoshida, Hiroshi Ezura, Tsuyoshi Mizoguchi. . . . . . . 217 [PDF]
In Arabidopsis SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) encodes a MADS-box transcription factor and mutation in the SVP gene suppresses the late flowering phenotype of the lhy;cca1 under continuous light. We identified three suppressors of late flowering and abnormal flower shape phenotypes of 35S:SVP plants. Genetic analysis suggested that the suppressor phenotypes appeared to be caused by monogenic and recessive mutations.
Benzyladenine arrests cell cycle progression in G1 phase in tobacco BY-2 cells preceding induction of cell death
Noriko Suda, Hiroaki Iwai, Shinobu Satoh, Shingo Sakai. . . . . . . 225 [PDF]
Micromolar concentrations of exogenous cytokinin inhibit the growth of tobacco BY-2 cells and induce cell death. In this report, we elucidated that benzyladenine inhibited cell cycle progression of BY-2 cells mainly at G1 phase, preceding the induction of cell death.
Effects of light and cytokinin on in vitro micropropagation and microrhizome production in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.)
Tafseera Hashemy, Hisae Maki, Yohko Yamada, Takako S. Kaneko, Kunihiko Syono. . . . . . . 237 [PDF]
The promotive effects of low light intensity for micro-propagation and of short day condition for microrhizome induction were reported. The secretory cell-like cells were observed in the tissue of induced microrhizome.
Transgenic spinach plants produced by Agrobacterium-mediated method based on the low temperature-dependent high plant regeneration ability of leaf explants
Dong Poh Chin, Jin Hua Bao, Masahiro Mii. . . . . . . 243 [PDF]
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system was established in spinach as a basis for introducing useful genes. Our results show that culture of the leaf explants under low temperature (14oC) condition at plant regeneration stage after Agrobacterium infection was highly effective for obtaining transgenic plants in a wide range of cultivars.
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) with Bacillus thuringiensis cry1Ac gene for resistance against two common vegetable pests
Jin Hua Bao, Dong Poh Chin, Masanobu Fukami, Masashi Ugaki, Masashi Nomura, Masahiro Mii. . . . . . . 249 [PDF]
Transgenic plants of spinach overexpressing modified cry1Ac gene isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis were generated. Expression of Cry1Ac proteins in leave of T1 plants was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Insect bioassays against two insect pests showed more than 93% insect mortality within 1 week.
Short Communications
Effect of light quality on rosmarinic acid and antioxidant activity of sweet basil, Ocimum basilicum L
Tomomi Shiga, Kazuhiro Shoji, Hiroaki Shimada, Shin-nosuke Hashida, Fumiyuki Goto, Toshihiro Yoshihara. . . . . . . 255 [PDF]
Ultra performance liquid chromatograpy analysis of the phenolic content of a methanolic extract of sweet basil revealed the presence of rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and chicoric acid. Continuous white light is effective in increasing the RA content of basil, which results in high antioxidant activity.
Gene Note
Unusual expression of an Arabidopsis ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCC11
Yoshihisa Kamimoto, Masafumi Hamamoto, Nobukazu Shitan, Kazufumi Yazaki. . . . . . . 261 [PDF]In this study we have found that AtABCC11 gene, a member of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein family of Arabidopsis, gives an unusual transcript of much smaller size than the full-size mRNA covering the entire open reading frame. We have also assessed the promoter activity of AtABCC11.