The platform - enables identification of phenotypic diversity in root and shoot growth traits of agar grown plants.

Background: Root system architecture and especially its plasticity in acclimation to variable environments play a crucial role in the ability of plants to explore and acquire efficiently soil resources and ensure plant productivity. Non-destructive measurement methods are indispensable to quantify dynamic growth traits. For closing the phenotyping gap, we have developed an automated phenotyping platform, -, for non-destructive characterization of root and shoot traits of plants grown in transparent agar medium.

Phenotype of Arabidopsis thaliana semi-dwarfs with deep roots and high growth rates under water-limiting conditions is independent of the GA5 loss-of-function alleles.

Background And Aims: The occurrence of Arabidopsis thaliana semi-dwarf accessions carrying inactive alleles at the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis GA5 locus has raised the question whether there are pleiotropic effects on other traits at the root level, such as rooting depth. In addition, it is unknown whether semi-dwarfism in arabidopsis confers a growth advantage under water-limiting conditions compared with wild-type plants. The aim of this research was therefore to investigate whether semi-dwarfism has a pleiotropic effect in the root system and also whether semi-dwarfs might be more tolerant of water-limiting conditions.

GROWSCREEN-Rhizo is a novel phenotyping robot enabling simultaneous measurements of root and shoot growth for plants grown in soil-filled rhizotrons.

Root systems play an essential role in ensuring plant productivity. Experiments conducted in controlled environments and simulation models suggest that root geometry and responses of root architecture to environmental factors should be studied as a priority. However, compared with aboveground plant organs, roots are not easily accessible by non-invasive analyses and field research is still based almost completely on manual, destructive methods.

Effects of altered α- and β-branch carotenoid biosynthesis on photoprotection and whole-plant acclimation of Arabidopsis to photo-oxidative stress.

Functions of α- and β-branch carotenoids in whole-plant acclimation to photo-oxidative stress were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type (wt) and carotenoid mutants, lutein deficient (lut2, lut5), non-photochemical quenching1 (npq1) and suppressor of zeaxanthin-less1 (szl1) npq1 double mutant. Photo-oxidative stress was applied by exposing plants to sunflecks. The sunflecks caused reduction of chlorophyll content in all plants, but more severely in those having high α- to β-branch carotenoid composition (α/β-ratio) (lut5, szl1npq1).

Temperature responses of roots: impact on growth, root system architecture and implications for phenotyping.

Root phenotyping is a challenging task, mainly because of the hidden nature of this organ. Only recently, imaging technologies have become available that allow us to elucidate the dynamic establishment of root structure and function in the soil. In root tips, optical analysis of the relative elemental growth rates in root expansion zones of hydroponically-grown plants revealed that it is the maximum intensity of cellular growth processes rather than the length of the root growth zone that control the acclimation to dynamic changes in temperature.

Medicinal plants: a natural chaperones source for treating neurological disorders.

Currently, no pharmaceuticals for the etiological treatment of neurodegenerative protein-misfolding diseases (e.g., ALS, Alzheimer's or prion diseases) are available.

Plant metal chaperones: a novel perspective in dementia therapy.

Dys-homeostasis of copper metabolism and oxidative stress are major hallmarks in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Therefore, metal bioavailability and mechanisms of copper ion homeostasis throughout the body are crucial and potential targets for therapeutic agents. Many of the medications used or suggested, respectively, at present time, may either be toxic, reveal a lack of specificity or have unknown mechanisms of action in vivo.

Phytochemical approach and bioanalytical strategy to develop chaperone-based medications.

Currently, no pharmaceuticals for the etiological treatment of degenerative protein-misfolding diseases (e.g., ALS, Alzheimer's or prion diseases) are commercially available.

New hope for the diagnosis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease.

Improperly folded metal cofactor-containing proteins (e.g., copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase, CCS) are believed to play a key role in several protein-misfolding diseases (e.

Important contributions of a new quantitative preparative native continuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (QPNC-PAGE) procedure for elucidating metal cofactor metabolisms in protein-misfolding diseases--a theory.

The quantitative analysis of metallochaperone proteins in biofluids (e.g. blood, liquor) may be a major prerequisite for clinical investigations concerning the structure-function relationships of biologically-active metal cofactor-containing chaperones in protein-misfolding diseases (e.

Improved separation of palladium species in biological matrices by using a combination of gel permeation chromatography and isotachophoresis.

The binding of palladium to high-molecular-mass compounds in palladium-treated lettuce is investigated as an example for a biological matrix. The total palladium concentration in lettuce leaves is 10.3 ng/g wet weight.