Wisteria
Plant Lectins
Molecular phylogeny and evolution of alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) genes in legumes. (1/2)
BACKGROUND: Nuclear genes determine the vast range of phenotypes that are responsible for the adaptive abilities of organisms in nature. Nevertheless, the evolutionary processes that generate the structures and functions of nuclear genes are only now be coming understood. The aim of our study is to isolate the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) genes in two distantly related legumes, and use these sequences to examine the molecular evolutionary history of this nuclear gene. RESULTS: We isolated the expressed Adh genes from two species of legumes, Sophora flavescens Ait. and Wisteria floribunda DC., by a RT-PCR based approach and found a new Adh locus in addition to homologues of the Adh genes found previously in legumes. To examine the evolution of these genes, we compared the species and gene trees and found gene duplication of the Adh loci in the legumes occurred as an ancient event. CONCLUSION: This is the first report revealing that some legume species have at least two Adh gene loci belonging to separate clades. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that these genes resulted from relatively ancient duplication events. (+info)Starmerella caucasica sp. nov., a novel anamorphic yeast species isolated from flowers in the Caucasus. (2/2)
Taxonomic analysis of budding yeast strains isolated from flowers of Wisteria sinensis (Fabales, Fabaceae) abundantly visited by flying insects, mainly bees in city parks of Baku is described. The isolates forming slightly pink colonies and propagating by budding represent a hitherto unknown yeast species for which the name Starmerella caucasica is proposed. The sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit rRNA genes and the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions were highly similar in the isolates and indicated a close relationship with Candida kuoi and Starmerella bombicola in the phylogenetic analysis. S. caucasica can be separated from these species by its growth on glucosamine and D-tryptophan, in vitamin-free medium and at 37 degrees C, and its inability to grow on citrate, ethylamine, cadaverine and in media supplemented with 0.01% of cycloheximide. The type strain is 11-1071.1(T). It has been deposited in Centralbureau voor Schimmelcultures (Utrecht, the Netherlands) as CBS 12650(T), the National Collection of Agricultural and Industrial Microorganisms (Budapest, Hungary) as NCAIM Y.02030(T) and the Culture Collection of Yeasts (Bratislava, Slovakia) as CCY 90-1-1(T). The GenBank accession numbers for nucleotide sequences of S. caucasica are JX112043 (D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene) and JX112044 (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). Mycobank: MB 800536. (+info)N-Acetylglucosamine receptors are not a well-defined concept in medicine or biology. N-Acetylglucosamine is a type of sugar that can be found on the surface of many cells in the body, where it can serve as a recognition site for various proteins and antibodies. However, there is no widely accepted definition of "N-Acetylglucosamine receptors" as a distinct class of cellular components with specific functions.
In general, receptors are molecules that bind to specific ligands (such as hormones, neurotransmitters, or drugs) and trigger a response in the cell. N-Acetylglucosamine can be a component of glycoproteins and glycolipids on the cell surface, which can interact with other molecules and play a role in various biological processes, such as cell recognition, adhesion, and signaling. However, these interactions are typically not referred to as "receptor" functions.
Therefore, it is important to note that the term "N-Acetylglucosamine receptors" may not be medically or scientifically accurate, and further clarification may be needed to understand the specific context in which it is being used.
I'm sorry for any confusion, but "Wisteria" is not a medical term. It is the name of a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae, that are native to Eastern Asia and North America. The plants are known for their long, hanging clusters of flowers in various colors including blue, purple, and white. They are often used as ornamental plants in gardens and parks. If you have any medical concerns or questions, I would be happy to try and help with those.
Plant lectins are proteins or glycoproteins that are abundantly found in various plant parts such as seeds, leaves, stems, and roots. They have the ability to bind specifically to carbohydrate structures present on cell membranes, known as glycoconjugates. This binding property of lectins is reversible and non-catalytic, meaning it does not involve any enzymatic activity.
Lectins play several roles in plants, including defense against predators, pathogens, and herbivores. They can agglutinate red blood cells, stimulate the immune system, and have been implicated in various biological processes such as cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis (programmed cell death). Some lectins also exhibit mitogenic activity, which means they can stimulate the proliferation of certain types of cells.
In the medical field, plant lectins have gained attention due to their potential therapeutic applications. For instance, some lectins have been shown to possess anti-cancer properties and are being investigated as potential cancer treatments. However, it is important to note that some lectins can be toxic or allergenic to humans and animals, so they must be used with caution.