Byoung-Sik Pyo

Effects of alfalfa leaf extracts and phenolic allelochemicals on early seedling growth and root morphology of alfalfa and barnyard grass

Abstract Alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) plants contain water-soluble substances that are autotoxic as well as allelopathic to other plants. Laboratory experimentation through a petri dish assay with imbibed seeds was conducted to evaluate the phytotoxic effects of alfalfa cv. “Vernal” leaf extracts, coumarin, trans -cinnamic acid, o -coumaric acid, and hydro-cinnamic acid on the seedling growth and anatomical responses of 6 day-old alfalfa and barnyard grass. With increasing concentration, the alfalfa leaf extracts significantly reduced root lengths of alfalfa and barnyard grass ( Echinochloa crus-galli , Beauv. var. oryzicola Ohwi). Coumarin, trans -cinnamic acid, o -coumaric acid, and hydro-cinnamic acid at 10 −4 xa0M significantly reduced root lengths of alfalfa and barnyard grass. The root systems, especially root tips of alfalfa, were stunted and swollen by the aqueous alfalfa leaf extracts at 30xa0gxa0l −1 and coumarin at 10 −3 xa0M. This research suggests that alfalfa plant extracts significantly affected root growth and morphological differentiation of susceptible plants, resulting in reduction of their biomass in the presence of either autotoxic or allelopathic compounds. The results may have value in enabling weed control based on natural plant extracts.

Expression of the IL-2 gene in the potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Superior)

We intended to examine the expression of the T-cell growth factor (human interleukin-2) so that a binary vector, pSSK-1, carrying the IL-2 gene was constructed and transferred intoA. tumefaciens for the purpose of the transformation of the potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Superior). All of theAgrobacterium-infected potato explants were regenerated to shoots in modified MS medium and 81% of them rooted on the medium containing kanamycin (200 mg/L). Southern and Northern analysis were performed to verify the transformation events. EL-ISA test indicated that IL-2 protein was produced from IL-2-transformed potatoes. These results suggested expression and production of the IL-2 protein from the transgenic potato.

Measurement of the Anti-oxidative Properties of Extract from Medicinal Plants Using an On-line HPLC-DPPH Assay

Natural anti-oxidative compounds have important disease prevention and food preservation properties, in addition to anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, and skin whitening effects. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), with an ultra vilolet (UV) detector coupled to a reverse phase C18 column and an online measurement system for 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, was used to search for potent antioxidative compounds in crude extracts. The online HPLCDPPH assay was then applied to confirm antioxidative compounds in water extracts from Radix of Pueraria lobata, Rhizoma of Zingiber officinale, Fructus of Chaenomeles sinensis, Cortex of Ulmus pumila, and Radix of Astragalus membranaceus. To determine the yields of the extracts, the Brix% of each extract solution was measured using a refractometer. When the relative DPPH radical scavenging ability values of the water extracts were compared with those of a positive control (ascorbic acid), the water extracts of P. lobata, C. sinensis, and U. pumila were 7.77%, 4.71%, and 4.19%, respectively. The results suggest that this method provides a useful assay for rapid measurement of DPPH radical scavenging abilities and conformation of antioxidative compounds in natural products. Moreover, it can reduce the time spent on the separation of active compounds from natural materials, such as medicinal plants, in addition to the use of reagents for separation.

β-Glucan synthetase II activity upon callose formation in the flower ofArabidopsis thaliana

Callose formation was observed in the pollens during flower development and pollen tube grown in the pistil ofA. thaliana. The accumulation of callose occurred in the tetrad in the flower bud and pollen tube. Therefore, the activity of β-glucan synthetase II (GS II), which is responsible for synthesizing the callose, was measured in the flowers on the same developmental stages. The enzyme activity was increased by about 10% while the level of callose contents was increased by about 70% in tetrads. Then, callose accumulation was increased during pollen tube growth by about 30% higher than the other stages and enzyme activity was detected, 30% more too. These results suggest that callose plays an important role in the growth of pollen and pollen tube by increasing GS II activity.