The plant ADH gene family.

The structures, evolution and functions of alcohol dehydrogenase gene families and their products have been scrutinized for half a century. Our understanding of the enzyme structure and catalytic activity of plant alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH-P) is based on the vast amount of information available for its animal counterpart. The probable origins of the enzyme from a simple β-coil and eventual emergence from a glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase have been well described.

Expression of a modified Mannheimia haemolytica GS60 outer membrane lipoprotein in transgenic alfalfa for the development of an edible vaccine against bovine pneumonic pasteurellosis.

The GS60 antigen is one of the protective antigens of Mannheimia haemolytica A1. GS60 contains conserved domains belonging to the LppC family of bacterial outer membrane lipoproteins. A high antibody titer to GS60 has been shown to be significantly correlated with resistance to pneumonic pasteurellosis.

Improved high performance liquid chromatographic separation of anthocyanin compounds from grapes using a novel mixed-mode ion-exchange reversed-phase column.

A novel mixed mode HPLC method using a column combining both ion-exchange and reversed-phase separation mechanisms has been developed to facilitate analysis of anthocyanins in grapes. Chromatographic performance and subsequent analysis of anthocyanidin diglucosides and acylated compounds are significantly improved using the new column, compared to those associated with conventional C18 reversed-phase methods. The mixed mode column produces a distinctive eluting pattern for the different anthocyanin subgroups, avoiding overlaps found with C18 columns.

Selective recruitment of Adh genes for distinct enzymatic functions in Petunia hybrida.

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in plants is generally associated with glycolytic fermentation, which facilitates cell survival during episodes of low-oxygen stress in water-logged roots as well as chronically hypoxic regions surrounding the vascular core. Work with tobacco and potato has implicated ADH activity in additional metabolic roles, including aerobic fermentation, acetaldehyde detoxification and carbon reutilization. Here a combination of approaches has been used to examine tissue-specific patterns of Adh gene expression in order to provide insight into the potential roles of alcohol dehydrogenases, using Petunia hybrida, a solanaceous species with well-characterized genetics.

Distinct genes produce the alcohol dehydrogenases of pollen and maternal tissues in Petunia hybrida.

Analysis of cDNA clones derived from hypoxic root mRNA of Petunia hybrida has revealed the existence of a third active gene encoding alcohol dehydrogenase in petunia. A combination of RT-PCR and ADH activity gels provide evidence for the selective tissue-specific expression of these three genes in multiple floral organs and hypoxically stressed roots. Expression of adh 1 in the plant appears to be restricted to immature pollen grains; the other two genes are expressed differentially in maternal anther tissues, stigma, petals, and hypoxic root.

A simple extraction and chromatographic system for the simultaneous analysis of anthocyanins and stilbenes of Vitis species.

A separation system has been developed to permit the simultaneous analysis of major anthocyanins and stilbenes from berries of Vitis species in <1 h. The system makes use of separation by HPLC and detection by UV-visible absorption and fluorescence, for anthocyanins and stilbenes, respectively, with the two detection systems linked in series. Monitoring the absorption at 520 nm permits ready identification and quantification of major anthocyanins.

Conservation in divergent solanaceous species of the unique gene structure and enzyme activity of a gametophytically-expressed flavonol 3-O-galactosyltransferase.

Flavonol 3-O-galactosyltransferase (F3GalTase) is a pollen-specific enzyme which glycosylates the flavonols required for germination in petunia. The highly restricted tissue-specific expression and substrate usage make F3GalTase unique among all other flavonoid glycosyltransferases (GTs) described to date, including the well characterized Bronze 1 (Bz1) gene of maize. RFLP mapping, DNA gel blot, and sequence analyses showed that the single copy F3galtase gene has a different genomic organization than Bz1.