Effects of salinity (0, 50, 100 and 250 mM NaCl) on growth, root:shoot dry mass ratio, osmotic potential (ψ_x), electrolyte leakage and contents of Na⁺ and K⁺, polyamines and abscisic acid (ABA) were studied in the grape rootstocks Dogridge, 1613, St. George and Salt Creek. In control rootstocks, the root length was highest in Dogridge and contents of K⁺ and ABA in Salt Creek. Salinity treatments increased root Na⁺ and decreased K⁺ content and St. George exhibited highest Na⁺ content and Na⁺:K⁺ ratio. The root:shoot dry mass ratio in all rootstocks increased upto 100 mM NaCl. With increasing NaCl concentration, putrescine, spermine and spermidine contents showed consistent increase and putrescine increase was highest in St. George and spermidine and spermine in the Dogridge and Salt Creek. Under salinity, the ABA content increased in all the rootstocks but more in Salt Creek and Dogridge than in St. George.

Among the 400 soybean (Glycine max) landraces, we selected 3 tolerant (KAS150-9, KAS160-15, and KAS170-9) and 3 susceptible lines (KAS160-14, KAS160-20, and KAS201-6-1) by the survival percentage and injury scores. Susceptible lines showed decrease in chlorophyll content and increase in glucose and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents under waterlogging stress, while tolerant lines did not change significantly. For AFLP analysis, 8 EcoRI (+3) and 8 MseI (+3) primers used in 32 primer combinations generated a total of 2 566 bands with a mean of 80 bands per primer combination, of which 1 117 (43.5 %) were clearly polymorphic between the tolerant and susceptible lines. A genetic similarity coefficient, based on cluster analysis using an unweighted pair grouping method of average (UPGMA), was 0.79 for the tolerant group, while the susceptible landraces were genetically less related, with a genetic similarity coefficient of 0.17. The 10 reproducible polymorphic PCR products present in the 3 tolerant or susceptible lines were sequenced and converted into sequence tagged site (STS) markers. These STS primer sets were designated GmWT01-GmWT06 and GmWS01-GmWS04. Two STS primer sets, GmWT06 and GmWS02, generated a single monomorphic PCR product identical in size to the original AFLP fragments. For the broad application of these STS markers in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for soybean genotypes tolerant to waterlogging stress, two developed STS markers are being evaluated with putative waterlogging tolerant mutant lines induced by γ-radiation in soybean mutation breeding programs.

Seven-day-old maize seedlings grown in a nitrogen-free hydroponic culture were exposed for 48 h to 0, 100 and 300 μM trans-cinnamic, p-coumaric, ferulic, caffeic acids, umbelliferone and 200 μM KNO₃. Net nitrate uptake was affected by trans-cinnamic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids in a concentration-dependent manner, and trans-cinnamic acid appeared to be the strongest inhibitor. Conversely, at low concentrations, caffeic acid stimulated net nitrate uptake while umbelliferone did not influence it. After 24 h of treatment, plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase activity significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in response to trans-cinnamic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids, while umbelliferone and caffeic acid had no effect on H⁺-ATPase activity.

An efficient regeneration protocol via somatic embryogenesis was optimized for mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek; cv. Vamban 1]. Primary leaf explants were used for embryogenic callus induction in MMS medium (Murashige and Skoog salts with B5 vitamins) containing 2.0 mg dm^-3 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 150 mg dm^-3 glutamine and 3 % sucrose. Fast growing, highly embryogenic cell suspensions were established from 21-d-old calli in MMS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm^-3 2,4-D and 50 mg dm^-3 proline (Pro), and maximum recovery of globular (39.0 %), heart-shaped (26.3 %) and torpedo-stage (21.0 %) somatic embryos were observed in this medium. Mature cotyledonary-stage somatic embryos were cultured for 5 d in half strength B5 liquid medium containing 0.05 mg dm^-3 2,4-D, 20 mg dm^-3 Pro, 5 μM abscisic acid, 1000 mg dm^-3 KNO₃, 50 mg dm^-3 polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and 30 g dm^-3 D-mannitol. Mature somatic embryos were germinated after dessication for 3 d and complete development of plantlets accomplished in MMS medium containing 30 g dm^-3 maltose, 0.5 mg dm^-3 benzyladenine and 500 mg dm^-3 KNO₃. Profuse lateral roots, and regeneration frequency (up to 60 %) were observed in half-strength MMS medium containing 0.5 mg dm^-3 indolebutyric acid (IBA). The regenerated plants were grown to fruiting and were morphologically normal and fertile.

The impacts of solar UV (280-400 nm) radiation on photosynthetic activities and polypeptide composition of thylakoids of cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L, UV-B sensitive) and black gram (Vigna mungo L., UV-B resistant) plants were compared. The activity of photosystem 1 and especially photosystem 2 increased in cluster bean while decreased in black gram, when either UV-B or UV-B + UV-A radiation was removed as compared to control plants. Exclusion of UV-B radiation caused changes in the protein composition of the thylakoids particularly in the 33, 23 and 17 kDa proteins of photosystem 2.

The structural features of flavonoids which are involved in the modulation of auxin distribution in Arabidopsis thaliana were evaluated. An auxin-inducible promoter IAA2 fused to a reporter gene (GUS) was used to monitor the tissue responsiveness to auxins. The following aspects were investigated: 1) the influence of flavonoids (quercetin, naringenin, kaempferol, myricetin and isorhamnetin) on the distribution of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in roots and leaves, 2) differences in flavonoid uptake into roots and shoots depending on flavonoid concentration in the medium, and 3) influence of structurally different flavonoids on the gravitropic response and growth of roots. The same flavonoids differently affected IAA and IBA distribution in leaves and roots. There were several structural requirements for the flavonoids which resulted in the changes of auxin response/distribution. Great differences between the ability of shoots and roots to take up quercetin were showed. Also, flavonoids influenced gravitropism and root growth of Arabidopsis seedlings in a structure-dependent manner.

This communication presents a simple method for isolation of oxygen evolving photosystem 2 (PS 2) core complex by solubilisation of PS 2 membranes with the nonionic detergent octyl-β-D-thioglucopyranoside (OTG). This complex was free of cytochrome (Cyt) f contamination and also lacked the 22 and 10 kDa proteins that may not be directly required for primary photochemistry of the PS 2 complex and water oxidation. OTG could also remove the Cyt f contamination from the PS 2-core complex isolated using octyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (OGP). The Cyt f contamination in the PS 2 complexes could potentially interfere with spectrophotometric determinations of redox states of Cyt _b559 and its stoichiometry in the PS 2 complex.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) on the activity of antioxidative system and lipid peroxidation in the leaves of reed canary grass (Phalaris arudinacea). The activity of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) as well as the content of glutathione, ascorbate and phenolic compounds were determined. An induced-increase in the APX, CAT, GPX and GR activities was stronger for PCP, while a significant increase in the GST activity was noted only for 2,4-DCP. Both compounds increased the content of phenolic compounds, oxidized and reduced glutathione as well as the content of ascorbic acid. PCP induced stronger increase in lipid peroxidation than 2,4-DCP. The observed changes revealed that chlorophenols induce oxidative stress and oxidative damage in the leaves of reed canary grass.

Leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR) converts leucoanthocyanidin to (+)-catechin, a precursor of proanthocyanidins abundant in Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) fruits. A putative LAR gene (DkLAR) was isolated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends from young fruits. The full-length cDNA of DkLAR gene was 1 356 bp long and encoded an open reading frame of 349 residues. The deduced DkLAR protein was closely related to the homolog in other plant species. The expression of the DkLAR gene in Chinese pollination-constant non-astringent (PCNA) genotype was coincident with the tannin cell development, but was not in Japanese PCNA and Chinese pollination-variant astringent (PCA) genotypes.

The role of acetylsalicylic acid (0, 1 and 10 μM) pre-treatment in amelioration of salt and osmotic stress in a wild species of potato (Solanum stoloniferum) was investigated. We compared the effects of iso-osmotic concentrations of polyethylene glycol 6000 (15 %) and NaCl (80 mM) on the physiological responses of this species in explants grown in the liquid Murashige and Skoog medium. Both salt and drought reduced shoot growth parameters, photosynthetic pigment contents and increased lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, H₂O₂ content and lipoxygenase activity. The effect of NaCl was more severe than that of polyethylene glycol. Salinity also increased Na⁺ content and decreased K⁺ content and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio. Under both stresses, the activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and glutathione reductase enzymes were increased. Acetylsalicylic acid pre-treatment alleviated the adverse effects of both stresses on all parameters measured.

Three highly identical cDNA clones of APETALA3 (AP3) gene, BnAP3-2, BnAP3-3 and BnAP3-4 were isolated from Brassica napus L. by RT-PCR. The sequence analysis showed that all the three AP3 cDNAs contained a complete open reading frame. Their nucleotide sequences had 91-97 % similarity and their predicted amino acid sequences shared 93-98 % identity. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR result showed that all the three BnAP3 genes were expressed at the transcriptional level in petals as well as stamens. Among the three BnAP3 genes, BnAP3-3 was expressed at the highest level and BnAP3-2 was expressed at the lowest level in petals. The transcription level of BnAP3-3 was 1.59 times than that of BnAP3-2. The transcription levels of BnAP3-2, BnAP3-3 and BnAP3-4 in stamen were 7.75, 5.11 and 3.88 times than those in petal, respectively. The yeast two-hybrid assays results showed that all the three BnAP3 proteins could form strong heterodimers with BnPI, and obviously different dimerization affinities among the three proteins to BnPI were observed. The ratio of the affinity of BnAP3-2, BnAP3-3 and BnAP3-4 to BnPI-1 was 1.27:1:1.62. Although the three BnAP3 genes were highly identical, the differences of their expression and affinity of protein interaction might reflect some functional divergence.

A protocol for in vitro multiplication of Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew. has been developed from cultured leaves procured from multiplying axillary shoots on the cultured nodal explants. The highest efficiency of shoot formation was observed on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2 mg dm^-3 benzyladenine (BA) and 0.5 mg dm^-3 1-naphthaleneacetic acid. The regenerated shoots were transferred to MS medium containing 3 mg dm^-3 BA for growth and proliferation. Shoots above 2 cm in length were transferred to MS medium supplemented with 1 mg dm-3 indole-3-butyric acid plus 0.5 mg dm^-3 indole-3-acetic acid for root induction. No variation was detected among the micropropagated plants by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers.

The DNA of fifteen Italian cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. durum) were analyzed by in fluorescence amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) in order to obtain the characteristic fingerprintings of genotypes and assess their genetic relatedness. Among 64 combinations of fluorescence labelled primers, three different combinations were chosen as producing a total of 6630 AFLP fragments, 2277 (34.3 %) of them being polymorphic. By using this fAFLP methodology a DNA fingerprinting of each durum wheat cultivar was generated for genotype identification. Analysis of the genetic relationships show the low variability among durum wheat cultivars.

Cadmium (100, 400 and 1000 μM CdCl₂) treatments resulted in the inhibition of root dry biomass, root elongation and increased Cd accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots. Further, these treatments decreased relative water content, chlorophyll content, ¹⁴CO₂-fixation, activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and abscisic acid content while increased malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide and free proline contents. Chloroplast and root ultrastructure was also changed. Pretreatment of seeds with SA (500 μM) for 20 h resulted in amelioration of these effects.

Proline (Pro) accumulation under water stress was measured in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) drought tolerant cv. A1 and sensitive cv. Nira. Activities of pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5C reductase) and pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5C synthetase), two enzymes involved in the Pro biosynthetic pathway were also estimated. Water stress resulted in a reduction in the leaf dry mass and chlorophyll content along with a gradual accumulation of Pro. RT-PCR results show higher expression of Δ¹-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (p5cs) gene in correlation with up-regulated Pro accumulation in cv. A1. P5C reductase was found to be the Pro synthesis rate limiting whereas P5C synthetase did not show any specific response to the drought stress in both cultivars.

The mean effective water self-diffusion coefficient in maize root segments under the effect of aquaporin blocker (mercuric chloride, 0.1 mM) was measured using the spin-echo NMR method with pulsed magnetic field gradient within the temperature range from 10 to 35 °C. HgCl₂ caused the reduction in water diffusion by 30 % as compared to the control samples. Temperature dependences of water self-diffusion coefficients showed two linear regions with different values of Q₁₀ and activation energy, E_a. As the temperature reduced from 20 to 10 °C, E_a values calculated from the Arrhenius plots were close to those of bulk water (20 ± 3 kJ mol^-1) and slightly changed for the sample pretreated HgCl₂. Within the temperature range from 25 to 35 °C the slope of temperature dependences became steeper and E_a values were 31 ± 3 kJ mol^-1 for the control and 40 ± 4 kJ mol^-1 for the treated sample. In the vicinity of 20 °C, the temperature dependence of water diffusion via the mercury-sensitive water channels showed extreme value. In the region, the specific area of the mercury-sensitive aquaporins was 0.004 % of the total cell surface area. The data indicate that water transfer via aquaporins is sensitive to temperature, and the contributions of the transmembrane pathways (aquaporins, lipid bilayer) differ in different temperature ranges.

TaCer6 was firstly cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and identified as a tissue-specific gene in wheat. To determine if environmental factors such as drought and low temperature induce TaCer6 transcription, we examined the effects of these factors on TaCer6 in two wheat cultivars. Our results demonstrated that light was essential for TaCer6 transcription, salt stress inhibited TaCer6 expression and application of salicylic acid enhanced TaCer6 transcripts accumulation. In addition, polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and abscisic acid increased the expression of TaCer6 more in the drought- and cold-tolerant cultivar Jinmai47 than in non-tolerant cultivar Shi4185. Low temperature increased TaCer6 transcription in Jinmai47 while decreased it in Shi4185.

The changes in the fresh biomass accumulation, photosynthetic and anthocyanin pigments, photosystem 2 (PS 2) activity, ultrastructure of chloroplast, total lipids and fatty acid composition of thylakoid membrane were followed in the aquatic fern Azolla caroliniana grown on medium either deficient or supplied with various phosphorus concentrations. The content of photosynthetic pigments and the anthocyanin/chlorophyll ratio increased significantly with increasing PO₄ ^3- concentration. Phosphate deficiency inhibited growth and PS 2 activity and decreased content of total lipids and phospholipids in isolated thylakoids. This was accompanied with a significant increase in the percentage of galalactolipids.

Leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and activities of antioxidant enzymes were studied in two pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars grown under drought (D) and heat (H), as well as under drought and heat in combination (HD). The drought-tolerant cv. Zhengjiao 13 exhibited greater net photosynthetic rate (P_N) and cytochrome respiratory pathway activity (R_SHAM), and lower contents of superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide, as compared to the drought-sensitive cv. Longkouzaojiao. The P_N and R_SHAM decreased and ROS production increased under D and HD in both cultivars. As compared to the Longkouzaojiao, Zhengjiao 13 retained higher non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), photorespiration rate (R_L), and alternative respiratory pathways (R_KCN) under D and HD. Drought increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities in the cytosol, chloroplasts and mitochondria in the two cultivars. Although SOD and APX activities decreased in Longkouzaojiao under HD, SOD activity increased in Zhengjiao 13. There was no H-induced reactive oxygen species production due to increase of R_L, NPQ, R_SHAM, R_KCN and activities of SOD and APX. However, H slightly decreased the P_N. The results indicated that HD was more detrimental than either stress alone.

We quantified inbreeding depression for fruit production, embryo vitality and seed germination in three deceptive orchids, Serapias vomeracea, S. cordigera and S. parviflora, which do not provide any reward to their pollinators, and are predicted to experience high outcrossing. Of the three species examined only S. parviflora was autonomously selfing. Both S. vomeracea and S. cordigera showed highly significant differences in fitness between selfed and outcrossed progenies, resulting in high levels of inbreeding depression, which increased in magnitude from seed set to seed germination. Inbreeding depression may promote outcrossing in Serapias by acting as a post-pollination barrier to selfing. Cumulative inbreeding depression across three stages in S. parviflora was lower that in both outcrossing species. The large difference in germination between selfed and outcrossed seeds is an important issue in conservation biology.

We studied the nutritional modes of the orchid Serapias strictiflora and its mycorrhizal fungus Epulorhiza sp. using the differences in carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) of C₃ orchid and C₄ maize tissues. We found that if cultivated in substrate lacking any organic compounds, the mycorrhizal extraradical mycelia (δ¹³C = -26.3 ± 0.2 ‰) developed well, despite being fully dependent on nutrition from orchid roots (δ¹³C = -28.6 ± 0.1 ‰). If the mycorrhizal fungus had additional access to and colonized decaying maize roots (δ¹³C = -14.6 ± 0.1 ‰), its isotopic composition (δ¹³C = -21.6 ± 0.4 ‰) reflected a mixture of biotrophy and saprotrophy. No statistically significant differences in δ¹³C of new storage tubers were found between Epulorhiza-associated orchids with (δ¹³C = -28.2 ± 0.1 ‰) and without access to maize roots (δ¹³C = -28.6 ± 0.2 ‰). We conclude that autotrophy is the predominant nutritional mode of mature S. strictiflora plants and that they supply their mycorrhizal fungus with substantial amount of carbon (69 ± 3 % of the fungus demand), even if the fungus feeds saprotrophically.

The effect of maturation pretreatment on development and growth of Abies numidica De Lann. somatic embryos was studied. The most beneficial was pre-culturing on Schenk and Hildebrandt medium without growth regulator for 2 weeks. Dry mass accumulation of emblings was lower than that of seedlings after 50 d of culturing. Contents of microelements in seedlings were higher than in emblings, but macroelements contents were higher in emblings. Contents of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in cotyledons were higher in seedlings than in emblings while no qualitative differences were detected between the protein profiles of seedlings and emblings.

The δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALA-S) is an enzyme which catalyzes the synthesis of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). The Bradyrhizobium japonicum ALA-S coding sequence lacking plastidal transit sequence was introduced into the rice genome (C line). The transgenic lines, C4 and C5, were compared with the transgenic lines expressing TALA-S gene with plastidal transit sequence (P line) to investigate whether the plastidal sequence affects the targeting capacity of B. japonicum ALA-S gene and the ALA-synthesizing capacity in rice plants. The B. japonicum ALA-S mRNA was expressed efficiently in C lines and the protein was localized in the stroma of chloroplasts regardless of the transit sequence as in P lines. The resulting transgenic plants, C line, had similar levels of ALA-S activity, ALA, protoporphyrin IX and chlorophylls, compared to those of P lines. In response to irradiance of 350 μmol m^-2 s^-1, transgenic lines C4 and C5 displayed the characteristic phenotypes of photodynamic damage, i.e., decreases in photosynthetic parameter F_v/F_m, as in P5 and P14 lines, whereas wild type did not. These results indicate that the lack of the plastidal transit sequence influences neither chloroplast translocation of B. japonicum ALA-S nor ALA-synthesizing capacity in the transgenic rice.

Sap flow and potential evapotranspiration rates were analyzed for two coniferous tree species (Douglas-fir and Scots pine) and one broadleaf species (sessile oak) in a mixed Carpineto-Quercetum forest during the growing season 2005. The relationship between sap flow and potential evapotranspiration rates, effective crown area as a measure of the relative transpiration and daily relative proportion of the storage water used for transpiration were used as indicators of the tree water dynamics. These indicators were determined on four consecutive days and all three showed good reliability concerning tree water dynamics.

The major capsid protein L1 of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) was transiently expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) leaves using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The expression vector pTV00 was derived from tobacco rattle virus (TRV). The highest L1 expression 15 μg g^-1(f.m.) was achieved when the coding sequence of L1 was optimized for expression in humans that caused an increase of the guanine and cytosine (GC) content from 38.2 % in wild type HPV16 to 64.1 % in optimized sequence. L1 monomers readily self-assembled into capsomeres and further into virus like particles (VLPs). Immunological characterization and electron microscopy showed that 89 % of L1 retained VLP structure also in extracts prepared from freeze-dried leaves. Plant expressed L1 in crude extracts was highly immunogenic without any additional adjuvant as vaccinated mice developed strong humoral and cellular immune response, comparable to that elicited by purified VLPs derived from insect cells. Further, the induced antibodies effectively neutralized infection of 293TT cells with pseudovirions. This finding demonstrates that the TRV expression system is comparable to other plant expression systems and due to the broad host range of TRV is particularly attractive when expression in plants with low content of toxic alkaloids is desired. Moreover, a monoclonal anti-L1 antibody E2 raised in the course of immunization with crude extract from freeze-dried leaves expressing L1 is specific preferentially against HPV VLPs and could be used in direct ELISA for monitoring of VLPs assembly and VLP purification protocols.

The encapsulated shoot tips and nodal segments of Eclipta alba were stored at 4, 12 and 20 °C under irradiance of 1.5 gmmol m^-2 s^-1 and high conversion was observed in synseeds stored at 4 °C for 8 weeks. Duration of storage was extended up to 12 weeks by decreasing sucrose concentration in the alginate matrix from 3 to 1 or 2 % and conversion frequency was 71.2-76.1 %. Synseed-derived plantlets survived by 100 % in ex vitro conditions. RAPD analysis revealed uniform amplification profile in donor and synseed derived plantlets.

To get insight into mechanism by which apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh.) regulates flowering, two apple flowering locus T (FT) homologues, MdFT1 and MdFT2, were isolated from the leaf cDNAs of cultivar Gala. The open reading frames (ORFs) of two MdFTs encoded 174 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of MdFT1 and MdFT2 showed 94.3 % similarity to each other, while 72.6 and 76.0 % to AtFT protein, respectively. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR indicated their specific expression in leaves. Visualization of MdFT2-GFP fusion protein demonstrated its localization on membrane. Ectopic overexpression of either MdFT1 or MdFT2 in Arabidopsis significantly induced early flowering by activating the downstream flowering-related genes.

Using in vitro culture, we determined the effect of photoperiod during growth of Chenopodium rubrum mother plants on vegetative and reproductive development of offspring. Photoperiod during flowering induction of mother plants (the first 6 d after the germination) has the key influence on seed germination and offspring growth, while offspring flowering and seed maturation is determined by photoperiod their mothers experienced during, and shortly after, flowering induction. The mechanism can be through changes in seed protein pattern which we found dependent on photoperiod experienced by mother plants.

The objective of the current work was to analyse the variability of high and low molecular mass (HMM and LMM) glutenin subunits, along with some morphological characteristics in sixty Spanish accessions of rivet wheat (Triticum turgidum L. ssp. turgidum). The lines were grouped in sixteen botanical varieties and five additional types, according the morphological criteria. Up to 13 allelic variants (four alleles for the Glu-A1 locus and nine alleles for the Glu-B1 locus) and 34 B-LMMGs patterns were found in the evaluated lines. The current data indicated a clear reduction of morphological variability, along with an asymmetric distribution of the alleles and patterns for seed storage proteins. This polymorphism could be useful for enlarging the genetic background of modern durum wheat.

Xylanase inhibitor TAXI-I gene was cloned from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and then TAXI-I encoding sequence was expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant TAXI-I protein inhibited glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 11 xylanases in Aspergillus niger (Anx; a fungal xylanase), and Thermomonospora fusca (Tfx; a bacterial xylanase), and also inhibited hybrid xylanases Atx (a hybrid xylanase whose parents are T. fusca and A. niger) and Btx (a hybrid xylanase whose parents are T. fusca and Bacillus subtilis). Among the tested xylanases, A. niger xylanase was the most inhibited one by wheat xylanase inhibitor TAXI-I, while T. fusca xylanase was the least inhibited one. The profile of TAXI-I gene expression in wheat in response to phytohormones was also investigated. TAXI-I gene expression was drastically induced by methyl jasmonate (MeJa), and hardly detected in gibberellic acid (GA) treatment. Therefore, TAXI-I might be involved in plant defense against fungal and bacteria xylanases.