Structure of microsclerotia of Verticillium dahliae in roots of 'Russet Burbank' potatoes

Microsclerotia of Verticillium dahliae in potato (Solatium tuberosum) roots were examined, primarily with the transmission electron microscope. These resting structures were found in all tissues except the xylem, even though the tracheary elements of some microsclerotium-containing roots were infected. Microsclerotia were occasionally present within 9 days of inoculation, but they became more numerous with time. Usually, the microsclerotia consisted of a peripheral region composed of degenerate cells and cells with cytoplasmic contents of moderate electron density and an inner region of cells with very electron-dense cytoplasm. Melanin coated all cells but was more abundant over cytoplasm-containing cells. Roots containing large microsclerotia were moribund. Several living roots contained small microsclerotia, some of which produced penetration hyphae. Living host cells responded to attempted penetrations by producing lignitubers which ensheathed the penetration hyphae, as was previously described by the authors.

The study of differentiative potential of the lactating mouse mammary gland in organ culture

The organ culture of the mammary gland of lactating mice was used to examine the response of the differentiated gland to lactogenic stimuli, insulin, cortisol, and prolactin. Time course studies showed that casein synthesis in cultured tissue decreased rapidly during the first 2 d despite the presence of the three hormones, but on the 3rd d tissue cultured with either insulin and prolactin or all three hormones regained the ability to synthesize milk proteins, casein, and alpha-lactalbumin: a greater increase occurred in the three hormone system. The delayed addition of prolactin on Day 2 to the culture system containing insulin and cortisol also stimulated casein synthesis. The addition of cytarabine, which inhibited insulin-dependent cell proliferation in cultured explants, did not block the rebound of milk protein synthesis. These results indicate that in the presence of insulin, cortisol, and prolactin mammary epithelial cells in culture first lose and then regain the ability of synthesizing milk protein without requiring the formation of new daughter cells.

Histopathology of Verticillium dahliae within mature roots of Russet Burbank potatoes

Roots of Russet Burbank potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) inoculated with Verticillium dahliae Kleb. were examined, primarily with the electron microscope. Penetration hyphae entered epidermal cells directly, apparently aided by hydrolytic enzymes. In most instances, penetration took place without eliciting any structural response. Most hyphae failed to penetrate deeper than the epidermal layer, owing primarily to the formation by exodermal cells of lignitubers that ensheathed the penetration hyphae. Apparently lignitubers were sometimes initiated as callose-like appositions opposite encounter sites. All cortical layers were capable of lignituber production. Few hyphae were encountered within cells deeper than the second cortical layer, and intercellular colonization was not extensive. Nonetheless, vascular infection of unwounded roots occurred. Wilt symptoms were first noted 2 days after hyphae were found in vessel elements of the root. Walls and pit membranes of colonized tracheary elements were coated with an electron-dense substance. As the disease progressed, hyphae invaded all tissues in the vascular cylinder and eventually grew back out into the cortex. The soft-walled tissues were destroyed. In wounded roots many severed vessels contained membranous remnants, conidia, and hyphae that tended to be accumulated at the perforation plates.

The effect of colonization by Verticillium dahliae on the root tips of Russet Burbank potatoes

The structure and development of tissues in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) root tips colonized by Verticillium dahliae Kleb. were contrasted with those of uninoculated root tips. Within 2 days of inoculation hyphae had penetrated the root cap without eliciting any wall appositions in the root cap cells. Callose-like deposits were found along the walls of protodermal cells bordering the colonized cap cells. Overall, colonized root tips had lost their meristematic appearance owing to increased vacuolation in the cells. In contrast to the normal longitudinal course of primary vascular differentiation, in infected root tips the protoxylem matured in advance of the protophloem. Fifteen days after inoculation the root tips had lapsed into maturity. The endodermis and exodermis extended completely around what was once the apical meristem. Although the xylem had differentiated to within several cell layers of the colonized apex, xylem infection had not occurred in this region. Sieve elements in colonized root tips failed to develop sieve-plate pores.

The regulatory function of spermidine in hormonal control of the development of mouse mammary gland in culture

The interplay of insulin, glucocorticoid, and prolactin induces differentiation of mouse mammary gland in culture. Earlier studies indicated that spermidine plays a key role in hormonal control of mammary development by mediating some of the lactogenic actions of glucocorticoid. In this study we examined the effect of progesterone, an inhibitor of lactogenesis, on milk protein synthesis and spermidine accumulation. The maximal degree of inhibition, which was attained at 300 nM, was about 40% for casein synthesis, 90% for alpha-lactalbumin synthesis, and 70% for spermidine accumulation. The increase in the activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthetase, two key enzymes in polyamine biosynthesis, was inhibited by 55 and 65%, respectively, by progesterone. The extent of progesterone inhibition of milk protein synthesis was greatest in cultured tissue from virgin mice, which contained a low level of spermidine, whereas mammary explants from lactating mice, which contained a high level of spermidine, were insensitive to progesterone. The inhibitory effect of progesterone can be partially antagonized by cortisol, which causes an enhancement of spermidine accumulation. These results suggest that the synthesis and accumulation of spermidine serve as targets for the inhibitory action of progesterone on lactogenesis.

Comparison of psychophysical and evoked-potential tuning curves in the chinchilla

Frequency selectivity was examined in normal-hearing chinchillas using psychophysical and evoked-potential tuning curves. The acoustic conditions and masking procedures used for the evoked-potential and psychophysical studies were nearly identical. Frequency selectivities as measured by psychophysical and physiologic techniques were quite similar across different probe frequencies. The results suggest that the relatively efficient evoked-potential procedure may be substituted for the time-consuming psychophysical paradigm. Furthermore, the results are consistent with the view that tuning takes place primarily at the auditory periphery.

Putrescine and the regulation of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase in cultured mouse mammary gland

The activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase (S-adenosyl-L-methionine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.50) purified from mouse mammary gland can be stimulated by physiological concentrations of putrescine (Ka = 5 x 10(-7) M). In contrast, the elevation of the intracellular concentrations of putrescine in cultured mouse mammary tissue by exogenous addition of putrescine or by cultivation of the tissue in hypotonic medium results in the decrease in both the activity and the amount of the enzyme in tissue. Conversely, the addition of 1 mM alpha-methyl ornithine, an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, causes augmentation of the activity and the amount of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase, despite its inhibitory action on insulin-stimulated increase in the concentration of putrescine. These data suggest that putrescine can act as a 'negative' regulator of the enzyme in this system.

Regulation of ornithine decarboxylase in cultured mouse mammary gland by the osmolarity in the cellular environment

The biphasic increase of ornithine decarboxylase activity in mouse mammary gland in organ culture occurs with a hormone-independent first peak and a hormone-dependent second peak. The data presented indicate that a change in the osmolarity of the cellular environment is the major contributing factor for the emergence of the hormone-independent ornithine decarboxylase activity in mammary explants. Thus, incubation of mammary explants for 3 h in a medium diluted 53% with distilled water results in approx. 1000-fold stimulation of enzyme activity over the initial level, whereas a similar dilution of the medium with 0.18 M NaCl or 0.3 M sucrose blocks the increase. The increase in enzyme activity is similarly affected by a reduction of the concentration of NaCl in the culture medium. The hypoosmotic stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity appears to be affected at a posttranscriptional level, and is enhanced further by the actions of insulin and prolactin. The hypoosmotic enhancement of ornithine decarboxylase activity produces a large increase in the intracellular concentration of putrescine in mammary explants. However, neither the concentration of spermidine and spermine nor the activity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase is affected. In addition, studies of putrescine transport in mammary explants show that hypotonicity causes an increase in the rate of influx and a decrease in efflux of putrescine with enhancement of intracellular putrescine accumulation. On the other hand, the uptake of spermidine, spermine, amino acids, sugar, and a lipophilic cation, triphenylmethylphosphonium is unaffected. These data suggest a possibility that osmotic alteration in cellular environment causes an incresed need for putrescine in mammary cells, resulting in stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity, which may represent a cellular mechanism for maintaining the homeostasis of the intracellular cationic environment.

Cyclic AMP as a negative regulator of hormonally induced lactogenesis in mouse mammary gland organ culture

In organ cultures of mammary glands from mice in midpregnancy, addition of both insulin and prolactin induces a marked accumulation of alpha-lactalbumin, whereas the augmentation of casein synthesis requires the presence of insulin, prolactin, and cortisol. Addition of 0.5 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP resulted in complete inhibition of alpha-lactalbumin accumulation and partial inhibition of casein synthesis. Furthermore, either cholera toxin at 0.1-1.0 microgram/ml (a stimulator of adenylate cyclase) or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase) in combination with 2 mM cyclic AMP, produced a similar pattern of inhibition of alpha-lactalbumin and casein synthesis in cultured tissue. During culture of mammary explants in medium containing no hormone, or insulin alone, or insulin, prolactin, and cortisol, the tissue content of cyclic AMP decreased rapidly, reaching half the initial level in 24-48 hr. These results indicate that cyclic AMP plays "negative" regulatory function in hormonal induction of milk protein synthesis during the development of the mammary gland.

Studies on regulatory factors of ornithine decarboxylase activity during development of mouse mammary epithelium in vitro

The activity of ornithine decarboxylase increases markedly in a biphasic manner during the hormone-dependent development of mouse mammary epithelium in vitro. The first peak of activity occurring at 3 to 4 hours of culture was elicited by incubating mammary explants in a culture medium without any added hormones, although addition of insulin or prolactin, or both, caused a greater increase. The emergence of the second peak of activity at about 12 hours depended on the actions of both insulin and prolactin. A second increase in activity could also be effected postmitotically by the delayed addition of prolactin. Studies with actinomycin D and cycloheximide suggest that the first increase in enzyme activity may be effected at a post-transcriptional level, whereas a second increase may be at both transcriptional and translational levels. During the first 3 hours of incubation, there was a rapid, transient increase in cyclic AMP concentration in mammary epithelium. The presence of insulin or prolactin in culture did not affect the change in epithelial cyclic AMP concentration. Addition of several derivatives of cyclic AMP, 0.1 to 0.5 mM, as well as prostaglandin E1, a stimulator of adenylate cyclase, resulted in enhancement of the first increase in enzyme activity. The effect of cyclic nucleotide was additive to that of insulin and prolactin and appears to be mediated at a post-transcriptional level. The stimulatory effect of a lower concentration of both the cyclic nucleotide and prostaglandin E1 was augmented by theophylline, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase. These results may suggest possible involvement of cyclic AMP in the first increase in enzyme activity that occurs in the absence of any added hormones.