In den Chloroplasten von höheren Pflanzen sind die Galaktolipide Monogalaktosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) und Digalaktosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) die am weitesten verbreiteten Lipide. In dieser Forschungsarbeit wurde die Funktion der DGDG Synthase DGD1, und insbesondere die Funktion des N-terminalen Bereichs dieses Enzyms in der Modellpflanze Arabidopsis thaliana untersucht. Die Überexpression des N-terminalen Bereichs von DGD1 in WT-Col2 resultierte in einem reduzierten Wachstum, welches sich jedoch von der dgd1-1 Mutante unterschied. Dies legte bereits nahe, dass die Expression von N-DGD1 einen negativen Einfluss auf das Wachstum hat. Durch Studien in einem heterologen E.coli Expressionssystem konnte diese These bestätigt werden. Zellen, die ausschließlich N-DGD1 zusammen mit einer MGD Synthase aus Gurke exprimierten, waren im Wachstum stark beeinträchtigt. Nicht nur der N-terminale Bereich von DGD1, auch der N-terminale Bereich von MGD1 besitzt eine Funktion als Transitpeptid und ist somit ein wichtiger Faktor zur korrekten Lokalisierung des MGD1 Proteins. In dieser Arbeit ist es gelungen, ein Fusionskonstrukt aus N-MGD1 und DGD2 in die dgd1-1 Mutante zu transferieren und damit das reduzierte Wachstum zu komplementieren. Frühere Versuche, ein reduziertes dgd1-1 Wachstum mit DGD2 allein zu komplementieren, scheiterten. Somit gibt dies einen Hinweis darauf, dass N-MGD1 als Transitpeptid fungieren kann. Bindungsstudien zur Interaktion von DGD1 und N-DGD1 Protein zeigten, dass die polaren Lipide MGDG und DGDG in Wechselwirkung mit dem N-terminalen Bereich von DGD1 treten. Bis zum heutigen Zeitpunkt ist nicht erforscht, wie der Transport von DGDG und MGDG zwischen den Hüllmembranen des Chloroplasten erfolgt. Die in dieser Arbeit angefertigen Bindungsstudien konnten Hinweise darauf geben, dass N-DGD1 als eine Art „Antiporter“ fungiert, um MGDG und DGDG zwischen den Hüllmembranen zu transportieren. Weiterhin wurden Bindungsstudien zur Erforschung von Interaktionen der Glykosyltransferasen DGD1, DGD2, MGD1, MGD2 und MGD3 angefertigt. Dabei wurden Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Glykosyltransferasen DGD1, DGD2 und MGD2 detektiert. Interessant ist, dass Hinweise auf eine Dimerbildung bestimmter Enzyme gefunden wurden, so für DGD1 und MGD2. Ein weiterer Ansatz zur Erforschung von Wechselwirkungen von DGD1 Protein mit bis jetzt unbekannten Proteinen war die Expression von DGD1-StrepIITag und DGD1-CTAPTag Fusionsproteinen in dgd1-1 Mutanten. Es wurden für beide Tags transgene Linien generiert, die im Wachstum komplementiert waren und wildtypähnliche Mengen an DGDG akkumulierten. Die Expression der verschiedenen Tags in den Pflanzen war sehr unterschiedlich, wobei der DGD1-CTAP-Tag am stärksten exprimiert war. Mit Pflanzenmaterial dieser Linien kann nun eine Aufreinigung des getaggten Proteins und eventueller Interaktionspartner erfolgen. / The two galactolipids monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyl-diacylglycerol (DGDG) constitute the bulk of membrane lipids in chloroplasts. They play a crucial role in organell development and are important for the functionality of photosynthetic complexes in thylakoids. Two DGDG synthases, DGD1 and DGD2, are found in Arabidopsis, and the two proteins localize to the chloroplast envelope membranes. The dgd1 mutant which contains only 10% of wild type amounts of DGDG shows a dwarf phenotype and reduced photosynthetic capacity. The DGD1 protein consists of two domains. While the C-terminal part is responsible for galactosyltransferase activity, no clear function can be attributed to the N-terminal extension. To study the function of the N-terminal part of DGD1 in chloroplast membrane lipid synthesis, translational fusion proteins harboring different DGDG synthase sequences were introduced into wild type and dgd1 mutant plants and analyzed for changes in lipid content and growth. The dgd1 mutant phenotype was complemented with a full-length DGD1 sequence, but not with DGD2. Interestingly, the chimeric fusion of the N-terminal part of DGD1 with DGD2 did complement the dgd1 growth and lipid deficiency. Over-expression of the N-terminal part of DGD1 in wild type Arabidopsis plants affected growth and resulted in alterations of leaf morphology. However, this phenotype was distinct from that observed for dgd1, because these transgenic plants contain normal amounts of galactolipids, and leaves are not yellowish. In conclusion, these data suggest that the N-terminal region of DGD1 might be important for galactolipid transport across the chloroplast envelope membranes towards the thylakoid membranes. Interaction studies between N-DGD1 Protein and different membrane lipids showed an interaction between N-DGD1 Protein and MGDG and DGDG. Till now not much is known about the transport mechanisms of DGDG and MGDG between the chloroplast envelopes. This work gave some indications, that the N-terminal part of DGD1 is involved in the transport of MGDG and DGDG between the chloroplast envelopes. Furthermore interaction studies were made for the glycosyltransferases DGD1, DGD2 MGD1, MGD2 and MGD3. Interactions between DGD1, DGD2 and MGD2 were observed. Another way for finding interacting proteins of DGD1 was the expression of a DGD1-CTAPTag fusion protein in the dgd1-1 mutant. These transgenic lines contained a high amount of DGD1-CTAPTag protein. With these plants its now possible to analyze interacting partners of DGD1 with help of Tandem Affinity Purification method.

A targeting peptide at the N-terminus of a precursor protein usually directs the protein synthesized in the cytosol to a specific organelle in the cell. Interestingly, some targeting peptides, so-called dual targeting peptides (dTPs) can target their protein to both mitochondria and chloroplasts. In order to understand the mechanism of dual targeting, a dTP from threonyl tRNA synthetase (ThrRS-dTP) was investigated as a model dTP in this thesis work. The results suggest that ThrRS-dTP is intrinsically disordered in solution but has an α-helical propensity at the N-terminal part. Tom20 and Toc34 are the two primary receptors on the outer membranes of mitochondria and chloroplasts, respectively. We found that the N-terminal half of the ThrRS-dTP sequence, including an amphiphilic helix, is important for the interaction with Tom20. This part also contains a φχχφφ motif, where φ represents a hydrophobic/aromatic residue and χ represents any amino acid residue. In contrast, neither the amphiphilic helix nor φχχφφ motif in ThrRS-dTP has any special role for its interaction with Toc34. Instead, the entire sequence of ThrRS-dTP is important for Toc34 interaction, including the C-terminal part which is barely affected by Tom20 interaction. In addition, the role of lipids in the organelle membrane for the recognition of dual targeting peptides during protein import is also the focus of this thesis. The tendency to form α-helix in ThrRS-dTP, which is not observable in solution by CD, becomes obvious in the presence of lipids and DPC micelles. To be able to study such interactions, DMPC/DHPC isotropic bicelles under different conditions have also been characterized. These results demonstrate that bicelles with a long-chained/short-chained lipid ratio q = 0.5 and a concentration larger than 75 mM should be used to ensure that the classic bicelle morphology persists. Moreover, we developed a novel membrane mimetic system containing the galactolipids, MGDG or DGDG, which have been proposed to be important for protein import into chloroplasts. Up to 30% MGDG or DGDG lipids were able to be integrated into bicelles. The local dynamics of the galactolipids in bicelles displays two types of behavior: the sugar head-group and the glycerol part are rigid, and the acyl chains are flexible. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: In press.</p>

När ett blad gulnar genomgår det både morfologiska och metaboliska förändringar. Denna process benämns senescence och en förbättrad förståelse av dess mekanismer är viktiga både ur ett grundvetenskapligt perspektiv och för potentiella bioteknologiska applikationer. Denna avhandling rapporterar om flera viktiga aspekter relaterade till de cellulära och metaboliska mekanismer som sker under senescencen med tonvikt på mitokondriernas bidrag till denna process. I ett första steg utvecklade vi metoder för att isolera antingen mycket funktionella mitokondrier eller mycket rena mitokondrier från blad av Arabidopsis thaliana. Dessa metoder användes sedan till för att studera mitokondriella bidrag till cellens redox balans och att uppskatta mitokondriernas kapacitet under senescence-processen. Framför allt jämfördes induktionen av senescencen berodende på olika mörkerbehandlingar av Arabidopsis. Jämförelse mellan individuellt mörklagda blad med hela mörklagda växter visade en betydande skillnad i metabolisk strategi mellan de två mörkerbehandlingarna. Genom att integrera data från mätningar av fotosyntes, respiration och konfokal mikroskopi med transcriptomics- och metabolomics-profiler föreslår vi att metabolismen hos blad från helt mörklagda växter antar ett ”stand-by läge” för att kunna bibehålla fotosynteskapaciteten så länge som möjligt. I kontrast till detta visar mitokondrier från individuellt mörklagda blad en hög aktivitet och kan därmed producera energi och kolskelett för degraderingen av cellkomponenter, vilket möjliggör återvinning av näringsämnen. Vi har även studerat dynamiken av det mikrotubulibaserade cytoskelettet under mörkerindicerad senescence. Mitokondriernas rörlighet påverkades av en tidig nedbrytning av mikrotubuli hos individuellt mörklagda blad men inte hos blad där hela växten mörkerbehandlats. Dessutom verkade ett flertal mikrotubuliassocierade proteiner (MAP’s) att vara involverade i buntningen av mikrotubuli runt kloroplasterna. Sammanfattningsvis belyser det arbete som presenteras i denna avhandling ett flertal viktiga steg med avseende på metabolisk anpassning och andra cellulär mekanismer i Arabidopsisblad som utsätts för långvarig mörkerbehendling. Specifikt föreslår vi att mitokondrierna bidrar med speciella och viktiga funktioner under bladens senescence eftersom mitokondriernas roll under långvarig mörkerbehandling av blad verkar bero på den totala statusen av metabolismen hos växten. / When switching from green to yellow, a leaf undergoes both morphological and metabolic changes. This process is known as senescence and improved understanding of its mechanisms is important both from a fundamental scientific perspective but also for biotechnological applications. The present thesis reports on several important aspects regarding the cellular and metabolic mechanisms occurring during leaf senescence with an emphasis on the mitochondrial contribution to this process. As a first step, we developed methods to isolate either highly functional crude mitochondria or highly purified mitochondria from leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. These methods were further used to study mitochondrial contributions to cellular redox homeostasis and to estimate the mitochondrial capacities in leaves undergoing senescence. In particular, we compared the induction of senescence by different dark treatments in Arabidopsis. The comparison between individually darkened leaves and leaves from whole darkened plants revealed different metabolic strategies in response to darkness. Integrating data from measurements of photosynthesis, respiration and confocal laser microscopy with transcriptomics and metabolomics profiling, we suggested that metabolism in leaves of the whole darkened plants enter a “stand-by mode” with low mitochondrial activity in order to maintain the photosynthetic machinery for as long as possible. In contrast, mitochondria from individually darkened leaves are more active and may provide energy and carbon skeletons for the degradation of cell constituents, facilitating the retrieval of nutrients. We also investigated the dynamic of the microtubular cytoskeleton during dark-induced senescence. Mitochondrial mobility was affected by an early disruption of the microtubules in individually darkened leaves but not in whole darkened plants. In addition, several microtubules associated proteins (MAPs) seemed to be involved in the bundling of the microtubules around the chloroplasts. Altogether, the work presented in this thesis highlights several important steps regarding the metabolic adjustments and the cellular mechanisms in Arabidopsis leaves submitted to prolonged darkness. In particular, we suggest the mitochondria to fulfill specific and important functions during leaf senescence since the role of mitochondria in leaves experiencing prolonged darkness appears very dependant on the whole metabolic status of the plant.

Il serait opportun de débuter cette introduction en donnant une définition claire du processus d'édition des ARN, mais c'est aussi un exercice périlleux car le terme d'édition des ARN a été utilisé dans la littérature pour décrire une multitude de processus biochimiques différents et la distinction entre les processus d'édition ou de modification est parfois confuse. Le terme d’édition des ARN a été utilisé pour la première fois en 1986 pour décrire l’insertion de 4 résidus uridines dans le transcrit mitochondrial coxII chez le trypanosome (Benne et al., 1986). La communauté scientifique était sceptique et on a alors pensé que ce mécanisme était sans doute spécifique à ce « drôle » de protozoaire. Puis, rapidement, l'édition d'ARNm a été décrite chez de nombreux organismes eucaryotes, soit pour expliquer des processus d'insertions ou de délétions de nucléotides (qui altèrent le nombre de nucléotides contenus dans la molécule d'ARN) soit pour décrire des conversions ou des remplacements de nucléotides (qui altèrent l'identité des nucléotides contenus dans la molécule d'ARN). Plus tard, le terme d'édition des ARN a été utilisé pour décrire des désaminations (le plus fréquemment C-en-U, et A-en-I) survenant dans les ARNt et les ARNr d'organismes eucaryotes et procaryotes, mais aussi des modifications mineures des résidus (comme l'ajout de groupement méthyl). De même la polyadénylation de la partie 3' de certains ARNt est aussi communément appelée processus d'édition des ARN. Enfin, un phénomène d'édition cotranscriptionnel des ARN lié au « patinage » de l'ARN polymérase a également été mis en évidence chez certains virus.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Submitted by Rodolfo Lizcano Toledo (rodolfolizcano@gmail.com) on 2017-04-11T19:04:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Rodolfo_Lizcano_Toledo.pdf: 3969406 bytes, checksum: 2ef5dd577215fbca06ae57d5b3bd9983 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-04-11T19:16:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 lizcanotoledo_r_me_jabo.pdf: 3969406 bytes, checksum: 2ef5dd577215fbca06ae57d5b3bd9983 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-11T19:16:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 lizcanotoledo_r_me_jabo.pdf: 3969406 bytes, checksum: 2ef5dd577215fbca06ae57d5b3bd9983 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-08 / O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação na FCAV/UNESP. Objetivou-se avaliar a caracterização os sintomas visuais de deficiência de micronutrientes em folhas; e avaliar os efeitos desses micronutrientes no estado nutricional do maracujazeiro amarelo. No experimento foi utilizado solução nutritiva, como substrato vermiculita em extrato úmido. Foram utilizadas mudas de maracujá (Passiflora edulis Sims.) do híbrido comercial BRS Gigante Amarelo do Cerrado. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado; com oito tratamentos (solução completa (Controle), omissão de B, omissão de Cu, omissão de Fe, omissão de Mn, omissão de Mo, omissão de Zn, solução completa + Ni); e 5 repetições. Utilizou-se como unidade experimental; vasos com 8 dm-3 de substrato com 1 planta/vaso e 2 vasos por unidade experimental. Após 60 dias do plantio, foi avaliada a matéria seca de cada tratamento, foi feito diagnóstico visual das deficiências nutricionais em folhas. Semanalmente foi avaliado o teor de clorofila para estabelecer regressão linear ou quadrática, entre os teores de clorofila e as deficiências nutricionais de cada tratamento; uma avaliação de variáveis fisiológicas como a transpiração, fotossíntese, condutância estomática e concentração interna e externa de CO2. Avaliaram-se características morfológicas como desenvolvimentos de pêlos radiculares e alterações no mesofilo foliar. A ordem de manifestação das deficiências no experimento foram as seguintes: Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu>Mo>B; a toxicidade de Níquel apareceu aos 40 dias após ao transplante, com sintomas de clorose nas folhas novas, logo um amarelecimento geral e algumas partes brancas. A omissão de B resultou em deformações no limbo foliar e perda da dominância apical, mostrando deformação dos pontos de crescimento; a omissão de Mn ocasionou redução do crescimento e clorose generalizada das folhas jovens com reticulo grosso, a omissão de Fe resultou em uma clorose internerval, com aparência de reticulado fino, sendo Fe e Mn os primeiros nutrientes cuja omissão resulta em sintomas de deficiência nas plantas de maracujá, seguidos pelo zinco e cobre, e por último o boro. O zinco e cobre apresentaram deformação e alongamento das folhas reduzindo consideradamente a altura e desenvolvimento radicular, o molibdênio apresentou uma clorose nas folhas velhas que posteriormente se espalho de forma geral. Os teores dos micros na parte aérea e raiz variaram de acordo ao tratamento, refletindo em problemas morfológicos e a nível ultra-estrutural na célula e fisiológicos, alterando variáveis como a transpiração, fotossíntese, condutância estomática e a relação entre a concentração de CO2 nos espaços intercelulares e a concentração de CO2 no ambiente. A omissão de ferro foi o elemento que mais refletiu problemas pela formação de pêlos radicais, observando-se maior formação destes em condições de deficiência do elemento possivelmente por sua relação com os hormônios etileno e auxinas. Todos os tratamentos apresentaram um desarranjo e desorganização a nível ultra-estrutural, nas organelas como os cloroplastos, parede celular, grânulos de amidos, grânulos de lipídeos, núcleo, afetando o funcionamento da célula e causando problemas fisiológicos que refletem em sintomas visuais e no desenvolvimento do maracujazeiro. / The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at FCAV / UNESP. The objective was to evaluate the characterization of the visual symptoms of micronutrient deficiency in leaves; And to evaluate the effects of these micronutrients on the nutritional status of yellow passion fruit. In the experiment, a nutrient solution was used, with vermiculite as a substrate in a humid extract. Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.) Seedlings of commercial hybrid BRS Gigante Amarelo do Cerrado were used. The experimental design was completely randomized; With eight treatments (complete solution (Witness), omission of B, omission of Cu, omission of Fe, omission of Mn, omission of Mo, omission of Zn, complete solution + Ni); And 5 replicates. It was used as experimental unit; Vessels with 8 dm-3 of substrate with 1 plant / pot and 2 pots per experimental unit. After 60 days of planting, the dry matter of each treatment was evaluated, and the nutritional deficiencies were evaluated in leaves. The chlorophyll content was evaluated weekly to establish linear or quadratic regression between chlorophyll levels and nutritional deficiencies of each treatment; besides an evaluation of physiological variables such as transpiration, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and internal and external CO2 concentration. Morphological characteristics were evaluated by means of optical microscope as were the development of root hair and by means of transmission electron microscopy, changes in leaf mesophyll. The order of manifestation of the deficiencies in the experiment were as follows: Fe> Mn> Zn> Cu> Mo> B; The toxicity of Nickel appeared at 40 days after the experiment was carried out in the vessels with symptoms of chlorosis in the new leaves, thus a general yellowing and some white parts. The omission of B resulted in deformations in the leaf limb and loss of apical dominance, showing deformation of the growth points; The omission of Mn caused reduction of growth and generalized chlorosis of the young leaves with thick reticulum, the omission of Fe resulted in an internerval chlorosis, with the appearance of fine crosslinking, with Fe and Mn being the first nutrients whose omission results in symptoms of plant deficiency Of passion fruit, followed by zinc and copper, and finally boron. The zinc and copper presented deformation and elongation of the leaves, reducing considerably the height and root development, the molybdenum presented a chlorosis in the old leaves that later spread in general form. The contents of the microspheres in the shoot and root varied according to the treatment, reflecting in morphological and ultrastructural problems in the cell and physiological, changing variables such as transpiration, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and the relation between the concentration of CO2 in the spaces And the concentration of CO2 in the environment. The iron omission was the element that most reflected problems due to the formation of radical hair, being observed a greater formation of iron under conditions of deficiency of the element possibly due to its relation with the hormones ethylene and auxins. The observations in the transmission electron microscope showed in all the treatments a derangement and disorganization at the ultrastructural level, in the organelles as the chloroplasts, cell wall, starch granules, lipid granules, nucleus, affecting the functioning of the cell and causing physiological problems Which reflect on visual symptoms and the development of passion fruit.

Ao longo dos últimos anos, o radical livre gasoso óxido nítrico (NO) vem ganhando destaque como uma importante molécula sinalizadora em respostas fotomorfogênicas em plantas. Sua produção e dagradação parecem incluir uma diversificada gama de rotas bioquímicas, entretanto, a importância relativa de cada um dos sistemas capazes de regular sua disponibilidade e toxidade nos tecidos vegetais ainda permanece pouco compreendida. Dentre as possíveis rotas de conjugação e degradação do NO em tecidos vegetais, postula-se que a glutationa (GSH) desempenhe um papel de destaque no armazenamento desse radical livre por meio da formação reversível da S-nitrosoglutationa (GSNO), sendo possível sua subsequente degradação através da ação da enzima S-nitrosoglutationa redutase (GSNOR). No presente trabalho investigamos a influência da luz sobre o metabolismo de NO em duas etapas de desenvolvimento vegetal caracterizados pela ocorrência de eventos de diferenciação plastidial: (I) o desestiolamento de plântulas e (II) o amadurecimento de frutos carnosos de tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum). Além do genótipo selvagem Micro-Tom (MT), também foram utilizados os mutantes fotomorfogênicos aurea (au) e high pigment 1 e 2 (hp1 e hp2). Durante o desestiolamento das plântulas de tomateiro constatou-se um incremento progressivo tanto nos teores endógenos quando nas taxas de degradação de NO, bem como na atividade da enzima GSNOR. Sob condições luminosas similares, mutantes com respostas exageradas à luz apresentaram incrementos ainda mais evidentes nesses parâmetros do que aqueles observados no genótipo selvagem. A aplicação de inibidores de S-nitrosilação de proteínas, bem como a avaliação do conteúdo de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ROS) indicaram que tanto a formação de S-nitrosotiois quanto a interação do NO com ROS contribuíram para a determinação da capacidade de remoção de NO nos tecidos fotossinteticamente ativos de tomateiro. Em frutos, observou-se uma correlação positiva entre a atividade da enzima nitrato redutase (NR) e o padrão temporal de produção de NO, uma vez que ambos os parâmetros apresentaram maiores níveis em frutos imaturos. O amadurecimento desses frutos foi acompanhado por uma diminuição transitória dos conteúdos de NO ao passo que as taxas de degradação de NO mantiveram-se bastante reduzidas durante todo o processo de amadurecimento, sugerindo a existência de um estoque de NO na forma de GSNO ou algum outro S-nitrosotiol. A sinalização luminosa influenciou positivamente tanto a produção quanto a degradação de NO em frutos imaturos de tomateiro. Em conjunto, os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que o metabolismo do NO em tomateiro é fortemente controlado pela luz, a qual é capaz de modular conjuntamente as taxas de produção e degradação desse importante composto sinalizador. / In recent years, the gaseous free radical nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as an important signaling molecule in plant photomorphogenic response. NO production and degradation seems to include a wide range of biochemical routes; however, the relative importance of which one of the systems capable of regulating NO availability and toxicity in plant tissues remains elusive. Among all potential NO degradation and conjugation routes in plant tissues, it has been suggested that gluthathione (GSH) plays a key role in NO storage due to the formation of S-nitrosogluthathione (GSNO), being possible its subsequent degradation by the action of enzyme S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR). In this work, we have investigated the light influence on NO metabolism during two plant developmental events characterized by the occurrence of plastidial differentiation: (I) seedling de-etiolation and (II) fruit ripening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Besides the wild-type Micro-Tom (MT) genotype, the tomato photomorphogenic mutants aurea (au) and high pigment 1 and 2 (hp1 and hp2) were also employed in this study. During the de-etiolation of tomato seedlings, a progressive increment was observed in the NO endogenous levels and degradation rates as well as in the GSNOR activity. Under similar light conditions, light hypersensitive mutants exhibited more conspicuous increases in these parameters than those detected in the wild-type genotype. Feeding protein S-nitrosylation inhibitors and measurements of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production indicated that both S-nitrosothiols formation and NO interaction with ROS may to contribute for determining the NO removal capacity in photosynthetically active tissues of tomato. In fruits, a positive correlation was observed between nitrate reductase (NR) activity and the temporal pattern of NO production since both parameters exhibited increased levels in immature fruits. The ripening of theses fruits was accompanied by a transitory reduction in endogenous NO levels whereas its degradation rates were maintained reduced all over the ripening process, thereby suggesting the existence of a more stable NO reservoir such as GSNO or some other S-nitrosothiol. In general light signaling positively influenced both NO production and degradation in mature green tomato fruits. Altogether, the data obtained indicated that tomato NO metabolism is significantly influenced by light, which is able to simultaneous modulate both the production and degradation of this important signaling compound.

The photosynthesis of the aerial roots of epiphytic orchids has been the subject of numerous studies. However, the roots are always evaluated as a homogeneous structure, even though they actually consist of significantly different areas. This work deals for the first time with the possibility of the spatial distribution of photosynthesis between the root layers, specifically the cortex and the stele. A combination of various microscopic techniques, the histochemical characterization of the apoplastic barriers and the immunohistochemical localization of the photosynthetic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase has been used. The results show that well-developed chloroplasts in the stele probably occur in the subfamily Epidendroideae in all epiphytic representatives, while in the subfamily Vanilloideae they occur occasionally. The ultrastructure of chloroplasts from both areas is systematically different, so it is likely that their functions also differ. Apoplastic barriers are prominent in the roots and differentiate early during root development, which can effectively isolate chloroplasts in the stele from the cortex. Chloroplasts also occur in the sclerenchyma cells of the stele, where were identified hitherto unknown pits in cell walls that could provide gas exchange within the stele....

Hepatitis C viral infection is the major cause of acute hepatitis and chronic liver disease and remains the leading cause of liver transplants (NIH). An estimated 180 million people are infected globally (WHO). There is no vaccine available to prevent hepatitis C. The treatment with antiviral drugs is expensive, accompanied with various side effects and is limited only to those at risk of developing advanced liver disease. The treatment is also effective in only about 30% to 50% of treated patients and still a high percentage of patients are resistant to therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of effective vaccine antigens and an efficacious HCV vaccine. The non-structural 3 protein of the hepatitis C virus is a multifunctional protein of the virus required for virus polyprotein processing and replication. Vaccine antigen production via chloroplast transformation system usually results in high expression levels and eliminates the possibility of contamination with vector sequences,human or animal pathogens. The HCV NS3 antigen was expressed in the chloroplast of Nicotiana tabacum var. Petit havana and LAMD-609. The 1.9kb NS3 gene was cloned into a chloroplast expression vector, pLD-Ct containing the 16S rRNA promoter, aadA gene coding for the spectinomycin selectable marker, psbA 5' untranslated region to enhance translation in the light and 3' untranslated region for transcript stability and trnI & trnA homologous flanking sequences for site specific integration into the chloroplast genome. Chloroplast integration of the NS3 gene was first confirmed by PCR. Southern blot analysis further confirmed site-specific gene integration and homoplasmy. The NS3 protein was detected in transgenic chloroplasts by immunoblot analysis. The NS3 protein was further quantified by ELISA. Maximum expression levels of NS3 up to 2% in the total soluble protein were observed even in old leaves, upon 3-day continuous illumination. These results demonstrate successful expression of the HCV non-structural 3 antigen in transgenic tobacco chloroplasts. Animal studies to test the immunogenecity of the chloroplast derived HCV NS3 will be performed using chloroplast derived NS3 antigen.