First genome edited poinsettias: targeted mutagenesis of flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase using CRISPR/Cas9 results in a colour shift.

Unlabelled: The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a remarkably promising tool for targeted gene mutagenesis, and becoming ever more popular for modification of ornamental plants. In this study we performed the knockout of ' (') with application of CRISPR/Cas9 in the red flowering poinsettia ( cultivar 'Christmas Eve', in order to obtain plants with orange bract colour, which accumulate prevalently pelargonidin. F3'H is an enzyme that is necessary for formation of cyanidin type anthocyanins, which are responsible for the red colour of poinsettia bracts.

Bioscaffold Stiffness Mediates Aerosolized Nanoparticle Uptake in Lung Epithelial Cells.

In this study, highly porous, ultrasoft polymeric mats mimicking human tissues were formed from novel polyurethane soft dendritic colloids (PU SDCs). PU SDCs have a unique fibrillar morphology controlled by antisolvent precipitation. When filtered from suspension, PU SDCs form mechanically robust nonwoven mats.

A highly mutable GST is essential for bract colouration in Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Ex Klotsch.

Background: Mutation breeding is an extraordinary tool in plant breeding to increase the genetic variability, where mutations in anthocyanin biosynthesis are targets to generate distinctive phenotypes in ornamental species. In poinsettia, ionizing radiation is routinely applied in breeding programs to obtaining a range of colours, with nearly all pink and white varieties being obtained after γ- or X-ray mutagenesis of red varieties. In the present study we performed a thorough characterization of a potential mutagenesis target gene as the main responsible for the 'white paradox' in poinsettia.

Hybrid de novo transcriptome assembly of poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Ex Klotsch) bracts.

Background: Poinsettia is a popular and important ornamental crop, mostly during the Christmas season. Its bract coloration ranges from pink/red to creamy/white shades. Despite its ornamental value, there is a lack of knowledge about the genetics and molecular biology of poinsettia, especially on the mechanisms of color formation.

Phenotypic Selection in Ornamental Breeding: It's Better to Have the BLUPs Than to Have the BLUEs.

Plant breeders always face the challenge to select the best individuals. Selection methods are required that maximize selection gain based on available data. When several crosses have been made, the BLUP procedure achieves this by combining phenotypic data with information on pedigree relationships via an index, known as family-index selection.

Identifying Effective Design Approaches to Allocate Genotypes in Two-Phase Designs: A Case Study in .

Robust phenotypic data allow adequate statistical analysis and are crucial for any breeding purpose. Such data is obtained from experiments laid out to best control local variation. Additionally, experiments frequently involve two phases, each contributing environmental sources of variation.

Selection for production-related traits in : improved design and analysis make all the difference.

Ornamental plant variety improvement is limited by current phenotyping approaches and neglected use of experimental designs. The present study was conducted to show the benefits of using an experimental design and corresponding analysis in ornamental breeding regarding simulated response to selection in for production-related traits. This required establishment of phenotyping protocols for root formation and stem cutting counts, with which 974 genotypes were assessed in a two-phase experimental design.

IgG stability in fresh and conditioned medium of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and larch (Larix decidua) embryogenic suspension cultures.

To explore the feasibility of larch (Larix decidua Mill.) embryogenic cell culture as alternative plant expression system, protein stability in fresh and conditioned medium was characterized in this study and compared to tobacco BY2 suspension culture. Fresh and conditioned media were spiked with 1 microg human IgG and IgG content was determined by ELISA after 24 h incubation.

Bioproduction of therapeutic proteins in the 21st century and the role of plants and plant cells as production platforms.

In the last decade, the technique to genetically modify crop plants has gained more and more interest in terms of bioproduction of heterologous proteins. Plants have been discovered as a possible source for large amounts of cost effective recombinant protein. Main application fields are therapeutics for use in animal and human health, diagnostics, and technical enzymes.

Characterization of photosynthetically active duckweed (Wolffia australiana) in vitro culture by Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS).

The feasibility of oxygen transfer rate (OTR) measurement to non-destructively monitor plant propagation and vitality of photosynthetically active plant in vitro culture of duckweed (Wolffia australiana, Lemnaceae) was tested using Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS). As a result, OTR proofed to be a sensitive indicator for plant vitality. The culture characterization under day/night light conditions, however, revealed a complex interaction between oxygen production and consumption, rendering OTR measurement an unsuitable tool to track plant propagation.