Assessment of representational difference analysis (RDA) to construct informative cDNA microarrays for gene expression analysis of species with limited transcriptome information, using red and green tomatoes as a model.

Microarray technology makes it feasible to analyse the expression of thousands of different gene elements in a single experiment. Most informative are 'whole genome' arrays, where all gene expression products of a single species or variety are represented. Such arrays are now available for a limited number of model species.

Anaerobic mineralization of toluene by enriched sediments with quinones and humus as terminal electron acceptors.

The anaerobic microbial oxidation of toluene to CO(2) coupled to humus respiration was demonstrated by use of enriched anaerobic sediments from the Amsterdam petroleum harbor (APH) and the Rhine River. Both highly purified soil humic acids (HPSHA) and the humic quinone moiety model compound anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS) were utilized as terminal electron acceptors. After 2 weeks of incubation, 50 and 85% of added uniformly labeled [(13)C]toluene were recovered as (13)CO(2) in HPSHA- and AQDS-supplemented APH sediment enrichment cultures, respectively; negligible recovery occurred in unsupplemented cultures.

3-Acetyl deoxynivalenol and esterase production in a fungicideinsensitive strain ofFusarium culmorum.

3-Acetyl deoxynivalenol (3-ADON) and esterase production were determined in a strain ofFusarium culmorum insensitive to the fungicide, difenoconazole. Following further exposure to this fungicide for different periods of time, the initiation of 3-ADON production was observed to be accelerated in the insensitive strain compared to a control (sensitive) strain of the phytopathogen. In particular, 3-ADON appeared in insensitive cultures within 21 days of incubation with fungicide levels of 1 to 4 µg/ml media and at 43 days with difenoconazole levels of 6 and 10 µg/ml.