Long-Lasting Stable Expression of Human LL-37 Antimicrobial Peptide in Transgenic Barley Plants.

Antimicrobial peptides play a crucial role in the innate immune system of multicellular organisms. LL-37 is the only known member of the human cathelicidin family. As well as possessing antibacterial properties, it is actively involved in various physiological responses in eukaryotic cells.

CRISPR/Cas9-Induced Loss-of-Function Mutation in the Barley Gene Causes Abnormal Embryo Development Leading to Severely Reduced Grain Germination and Seedling Shootless Phenotype.

The diverse roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs, MPKs) in plant development could be efficiently revealed by reverse genetic studies. In knockout mutants complete the life cycle; however, ~40% of their embryos show defects in the development leading to abnormal phenotypes of seeds and seedlings' roots. Contrary to the , the rice () is an essential gene as transfer DNA (T-DNA) insertion and CRISPR/Cas9 induced loss-of-function mutations in the cause early embryo arrest.

Influence of Technological Maturity on the Secondary Metabolites of Hemp Concentrate ( L.).

During the last decade, the popularity of hemp products has been rising rapidly. Products containing cannabidiol (CBD) are of predominant interest. Traditional hemp products are frequently enriched by CBD due to their potential therapeutic effects.

Seed Priming With Protein Hydrolysates Improves Arabidopsis Growth and Stress Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses.

The use of plant biostimulants contributes to more sustainable and environmentally friendly farming techniques and offers a sustainable alternative to mitigate the adverse effects of stress. Protein hydrolysate-based biostimulants have been described to promote plant growth and reduce the negative effect of abiotic stresses in different crops. However, limited information is available about their mechanism of action, how plants perceive their application, and which metabolic pathways are activating.

Genotoxic and cytotoxic assessment of two endemic Lamiaceae species from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

subsp. (K.Malý) Govaerts and Vis.

Modeling the effect of heat treatment on fatty acid composition in home-made olive oil preparations.

The aim of this study was to simulate olive oil use and to monitor changes in the profile of fatty acids in home-made preparations using olive oil, which involve repeated heat treatment cycles. The material used in the experiment consisted of extra virgin and refined olive oil samples. Fatty acid profiles of olive oil samples were monitored after each heating cycle (10 min).

Influence of Extraction Solvent on the Phenolic Profile and Bioactivity of Two Species.

The phenolic composition, as well as the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of two poorly investigated species, Waldst. and the endemic Vis., were studied.

Improving rice salt tolerance by precision breeding in a new era.

Rice is a premier staple food that constitutes the bulk of the daily diet of the majority of people in Asia. Agricultural productivity must be boosted to support this huge demand for rice. However, production is jeopardized by soil salinity.

Use of seed priming to improve Cd accumulation and tolerance in Silene sendtneri, novel Cd hyper-accumulator.

Changes in the environment as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation impact negatively on plant growth and crop production. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most dangerous metals that enters the food chain, with toxic effects on plants and human health. This study evaluated the potential of Silene sendtneri as a novel hyperaccumulator and the role of seed priming in tolerance and accumulation rate of Cd.

Which Seed Properties Determine the Preferences of Carabid Beetle Seed Predators?

Ground beetles are important invertebrate seed predators in temperate agro-ecosystems. However, there is a lack of information regarding which seed properties are important to carabids when they select seeds for consumption. Therefore, seed properties, such as size, shape, morphological defence, and chemical composition, were measured, and in addition to seed taxonomy and ecology, these data were used to explain carabid preferences.

Evaluation of Physiological Parameters of Intestinal Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Isolated from Patients Suffering from IBD and Healthy People.

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are multifactorial illnesses of the intestine, to which microorganisms are contributing. Among the contributing microorganisms, sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are suggested to be involved in the process of bowel inflammation due to the production of hydrogen sulfide (HS) by dissimilatory sulfate reduction. The aims of our research were to physiologically examine SRB in fecal samples of patients with IBD and a control group, their identification, the study of the process of dissimilatory sulfate reduction (sulfate consumption and HS production) and biomass accumulation.

Analytical methods in strigolactone research.

Strigolactones (SLs) are important plant hormones that are produced via the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway and occur at extremely low concentrations in various plant species. They regulate root development, play important roles in symbioses between higher plants and mycorrhizal fungi, and stimulate germination of plant-parasitic and species. Chemical analysis is central to research on the biochemistry of SLs and their roles in developmental biology and plant physiology.

Biochemical and mesophyll diffusional limits to photosynthesis are determined by prey and root nutrient uptake in the carnivorous pitcher plant Nepenthes × ventrata.

Background And Aims: Carnivorous plants can enhance photosynthetic efficiency in response to prey nutrient uptake, but the underlying mechanisms of increased photosynthesis are largely unknown. Here we investigated photosynthesis in the pitcher plant Nepenthes × ventrata in response to different prey-derived and root mineral nutrition to reveal photosynthetic constrains.

Methods: Nutrient-stressed plants were irrigated with full inorganic solution or fed with four different insects: wasps, ants, beetles or flies.

Plant biotechnology: Green for Good V 2019.

The Green for Good (G4G) conferences bring together plant science researchers mainly from Europe, as well as guests from overseas. As with previous G4G conferences, the 5th event (G4G V) was held at Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic, organized by the Centre of Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research and the European Federation of Biotechnology. The meeting focused on trends in plant biotechnology, genetics and biochemistry to identify the basis for solving the global challenge of providing food for an ever-growing population.

Auxin canalization and vascular tissue formation by TIR1/AFB-mediated auxin signaling in Arabidopsis.

Plant survival depends on vascular tissues, which originate in a self-organizing manner as strands of cells co-directionally transporting the plant hormone auxin. The latter phenomenon (also known as auxin canalization) is classically hypothesized to be regulated by auxin itself via the effect of this hormone on the polarity of its own intercellular transport. Correlative observations supported this concept, but molecular insights remain limited.

and : Metal concentration, phenolic content, and biological activity.

Medicinal mushrooms have long tradition in Asia, and recently they began to be consumed in Europe as well. Among hundreds of species, only a few of them are intensively investigated, i.e.

Aluminum contamination of food during culinary preparation: Case study with aluminum foil and consumers' preferences.

The aim of the work was to estimate the degree of aluminum leakage from aluminum foil during baking process of selected food/meals. The experiment included 11 different types of food (Atlantic salmon mackerel duck breasts, cheese Hermelín, tomato, paprika, Carlsbad dumplings, pork roast, pork neck, chicken breasts, and chicken thighs) baked both marinated and not marinated. The aluminum content was measured by AAS and ICP/MS methods.

Role of Smoke Stimulatory and Inhibitory Biomolecules in Phytochrome-Regulated Seed Germination of .

The biologically active molecules karrikinolide (KAR) and trimethylbutenolide (TMB) present in wildfire smoke play a key role in regulating seed germination of many plant species. To elucidate the physiological mechanism by which smoke-water (SW), KAR, and TMB regulate seed germination in photosensitive 'Grand Rapids' lettuce (), we investigated levels of the dormancy-inducing hormone abscisic acid (ABA), three auxin catabolites, and cytokinins (26 isoprenoid and four aromatic) in response to these compounds. Activity of the hydrolytic enzymes α-amylase and lipase along with stored food reserves (lipids, carbohydrate, starch, and protein) were also assessed.

Quantification of karrikins in smoke water using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Karrikins (KARs) are plant growth regulators that promote seed germination and the subsequent growth and development of seedlings of many plant species. In nature they are generated and released by combustion of plant material and promote the restoration of burned ecosystems. Smoke water can be artificially prepared as a saturated extract of all substances in smoke produced by burning plants, and it has various horticultural and agricultural applications.

Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of , an endemic species from Turkey.

The chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of the essential oils of the endemic P. H. Davis et Hub.

SATrans: New Free Available Software for Annotation of Transcriptome and Functional Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes.

Recent technological advances have made next-generation sequencing (NGS) a popular and financially accessible technique allowing a broad range of analyses to be done simultaneously. A huge amount of newly generated NGS data, however, require advanced software support to help both in analyzing the data and biologically interpreting the results. In this article, we describe SATrans (Software for Annotation of Transcriptome), a software package providing fast and robust functional annotation of novel sequences obtained from transcriptome sequencing.

Identification of cisplatin-binding sites on the large cytoplasmic loop of the Na/K-ATPase.

Cisplatin is the most widely used chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of various types of cancer; however, its administration brings also numerous side effects. It was demonstrated that cisplatin can inhibit the Na/K-ATPase (NKA), which can explain a large part of the adverse effects. In this study, we have identified five cysteinyl residues (C452, C456, C457, C577, and C656) as the cisplatin binding sites on the cytoplasmic loop connecting transmembrane helices 4 and 5 (C45), using site-directed mutagenesis and mass spectrometry experiments.

Stability of strigolactone analog GR24 toward nucleophiles.

Background: Strigolactones (SLs) are plant hormones that play various roles in plant development. The chemical stability of SLs depends on the solvent, the pH, and the presence of nucleophiles. Hydrolysis leads to detachment of the butenolide ring, and plays a crucial role in the initial stages of the signal-transduction process occurring between the receptor and the SL signaling molecule.