JOURNAL

Contents

Original Papers

Overexpression of LOV KELCH PROTEIN 2 enhances cell elongation and increases cell number and ploidy in the hypocotyl of Arabidopsis thaliana

Yuji Miyazaki, Takeshi Yoshizumi, Tomoyuki Takase, Minami Matsui, Tomohiro Kiyosue. . . . . . . 267 [PDF] [Supplement]

The GFP-LKP2-overexpressing plants with elongated hypocotyls had more cortical cells than control plants but the same number of epidermal cells. Further, the cells in the hypocotyls of GFP-LKP2-overexpressing plants, especially in the middle regions of the epidermis and cortex, were longer and possessed larger nuclei, with increased DNA content.

The construction of transgenic Forsythia plants: comparative study of three Forsythia species

Kinuyo Morimoto, Eiichiro Ono, Hyun-Jung Kim, Atsushi Okazawa, Akio Kobayashi, Honoo Satake. . . . . . . 273 [PDF]

We have investigated the optimal conditions for the regeneration, growth, and antibiotic-based selection of Forsythia suspense, F. koreana (Fk), and F. intermedia (Fi), and compared the possibility of the construction of transgenic plants among the three species. Finally, we constructed the hygromycin-resistant Fk and Fi.

A simple method for purifying undenatured miraculin from transgenic tomato fruit

Narendra Duhita, Kyoko Hiwasa-Tanase, Shigeki Yoshida, Hiroshi Ezura. . . . . . . 281 [PDF]

Miraculin is a taste-modifying protein that is able to change sour taste into sweet taste. In this study, undenatured miraculin was purified efficiently from transgenic tomato fruits accumulating miraculin by utilizing nickel column and ion column chromatography.

Simultaneous quantification of lignans in Arabidopsis thaliana by highly sensitive capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry

Atsushi Okazawa, Katsuhito Hori, Ryohei Okumura, Yoshihiro Izumi, Naoki Hata, Takeshi Bamba, Eiichiro Fukusaki, Eiichiro Ono, Honoo Satake, Akio Kobayashi. . . . . . . 287 [PDF]

A highly sensitive analytical method that enables quantification of both glycoside and aglycone forms of lignans in Arabidopsis thaliana simultaneously using capillary LC-ESI-IT-MS/MS was established. Some lignans not previously detected in A. thaliana were quantified in extracts of both roots and shoots.

Non-destructive bioluminescence detection system for monitoring defense gene expression in tobacco BY-2 cells

Yuriko Watakabe, Sachiko Ono, Tsuneyuki Tanaka, Kazuyuki Hiratsuka. . . . . . . 295 [PDF]

PR-1a gene promoter isolated from the genomic DNA of tobacco BY-2 was fused to the luciferase reporter and introduced into cells by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Induction experiments by chemicals indicate that the assay system would be useful for the identification and characterization of chemicals capable of inducing defense gene expression in higher plants cells.

Short Communication

Rice homologs of inducer of CBF expression (OsICE) are involved in cold acclimation

Junya Nakamura, Takashi Yuasa, Tran Thi Huong, Keisuke Harano, Sho Tanaka, Tomoe Iwata, Thuy Phan, Mari Iwaya-Inoue. . . . . . . 303 [PDF]

o understand a mechanism of cold acclimation in rice plants, we investigated involvement of Inducer of CBF expression (ICE), a MYC-like transcriptional factor in cold stress response of rice plants. When rice seedlings were subjected to cold stress, up-regulation of rice ICE-related proteins was observed by immunoblot with anti-ICE peptide specific antibody and subsequent induction of OsDREB1B and trehalose phosphate phosphatase gene was detected and RT-PCR. Trehalose treatment enhanced cold tolerance of rice seedlings. It is suggested that OsICE1 and OsICE2 are involved in cold-acclimation of rice.

Gene Note

Identification of genes in Arabidopsis thaliana with homology to a novel acyl-glucose dependent glucosyltransferase of carnations

Taira Miyahara, Yuki Matsuba, Yoshihiro Ozeki, Nobuhiro Sasaki. . . . . . . 311 [PDF] [Supplement]

The homologous genes for novel anthocyanin acyl-glucose dependent anthocyanin glucosyltransferases were found in Arabidopsis gene database, as beta-glucosidase (BGLU) 1-11. Co-expression analysis and quantitative RT-PCR analysis implied that BGLU1, 7, 9 might be involved in the glucosylation of anthocyanins or flavonoids.

Metabolomics Note

Increased furanocoumarin production by Glehnia littoralis roots induced via Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection

Masahiro Terato, Aya Ishikawa, Koji Yamada, Yoshihiro Ozeki, Yoshie Kitamura. . . . . . . 317 [PDF]

All clones of Glehnia littoralis root cultures, which were obtained following Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection, lacked growth without the hormone, but that growth behaviour was altered when cultured with IBA. Two superior clones harbouring bacterial genes showed enhanced sensitivity to elicitors, resulting in increased de novo synthesis of furanocoumarins.

Mutagenesis Note

Optimization of ion-beam irradiation for mutagenesis in soybean: effects on plant growth and production of visibly altered mutants

Sachiko Arase, Yoshihiro Hase, Jun Abe, Megumi Kasai, Tetsuya Yamada, Keisuke Kitamura, Issay Narumi, Atsushi Tanaka, Akira Kanazawa. . . . . . . 323 [PDF]

We irradiated dried soybean seeds with carbon ions and analyzed the dose-response relationship in terms of plant growth and seed production. Based on the results, we produced plant populations irradiated with 2.5-5.0 Gy on a large scale and consequently detected mutants with visibly altered phenotypes. These results provide for the first time the evidence for mutagenic effects of ion-beam irradiation in soybean and suggest that these irradiation conditions are suitable for producing a mutant population.

Technical Note

Effects of light on production of endogenous and exogenous lignans by Forsythia koreana wildtype and transgenic cells

Kinuyo Morimoto, Hyun-Jung Kim, Eiichiro Ono, Akio Kobayashi, Atsushi Okazawa, Honoo Satake. . . . . . . 331 [PDF] [Supplement]

The Forsythia koreana transgenic cells, CPi-Fk cells, in which an exogenous sesamin-synthase CYP81Q1 is stably expressed while an pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase is suppressed by RNA interference, showed a 2.7-fold, increase in sesamin production by blue light irradiation, compared with the level obtained under the dark condition.

Tissue Culture Notes

Adventitious bud formation through nodule induction by thidiazuron in cultured leaf segments of the Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.)

Tomosaburo Yokoyama, Yuji Moriyasu, Yasutake Sugawara. . . . . . . 339 [PDF]

Multiple meristematic nodules were induced on leaf segments from the Japanese persimmon ‘Fuyu’ on a solidified 50% MS medium containing 1μM thidiazuron and 2% sucrose. Adventitious buds were thereafter formed on the nodules. Adventitious buds developed into shoots after transfer to the medium containing 10μM zeatin.

Biotransformation of estragole by the plant cultured cells of Caragana chamlagu

Ken-ichi Itoh, Kaoru Nakamura, Masahiko Murakami, Hiroaki Satoh, Tadashi Aoyama, Susumu Kitanaka, Hiroshi Sakamaki, Toshio Takido. . . . . . . 345 [PDF]

Although estragole is found that in many herbs including and is thought to be a useful biomass, the use of estragole for chemical industries have not yet developed. We report here that the plant cells of Caragana chamlagu converted estragole to useful chemical materials such as 4-methoxycinnamaldehyde, 4-methoxycinnamyl alcohol and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde.