• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 2006

Major contributions has been made in cellular ultrastructure studies with the use of high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM) and tomography. Applications of HVEM, accompanied by appropriate image processing, have provided great improvements in the analysis of three-dimensional cellular structures. In the present study, structural patterns of the crystalline bodies that are distinguished in mesophyll plastids of CAM-performing Sedum rotundifolium L., have been investigated using HVEM and tomography. Tilting, and diffraction pattern analysis were performed during the investigation. The titlting was performed at ${\pm}60^{\circ}\;with\;2^{\circ}$ increments while examining serial sections ranging from 0.125 to $1{\mu}m$ in thickness. The young plastids exhibited crystalline inclusion bodies that revealed a peculiar structural pattern. They were irregular in shape and also variable in size. Their structural attributes affected the plastid morphology. The body consisted of a large number of tubular elements, often reaching up to several thousand in number. The tubular elements typically aggregated to form a fluster The elements demonstrated either a parallel or lattice arrangement depending on the sectioning angle. The distance between the elements was approximately 20nm as demonstrated by the diffraction analysis. HVEM examination of the serial sections revealed an occasional fusion or branching of elements within the inclusion bodies. Finally, a three-dimensional reconstruction of the plastid crystalline bodies has been attempted using two different image processing methods.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2009

The plastid inclusion has long been known to exist in leaves of numerous plant species, especially in those of flowering plants. Among the inclusions, crystalline bodies are the most frequently distinguished structures of the foliar plastids, however, microtubules and phytoferritins are also reported occasionally. The crystalline inclusions vary in shape, and are located either in the stroma or within intrathylakoidal spaces, whereas microtubules and phytoferritins are more uniform in shape and are formed in the stroma. In crystalline structures, the composing elements exhibit a lattice pattern and/or paralleled tubules that are either bounded by membranes or exist without membrane enclosing. Other types of inclusions have not been shown to be enclosed by any membranous structures. According to the current survey, the plastid inclusion, with the exception of phytoferritins, has been shown to exhibit a crystalline or tubular pattern, and has been reported in more than 56 species of various families. Their occurrence is not restricted to any photosynthetic pathway, but is found to be randomly distributed among C-3, C-4 and CAM species, without phylogenetic relationships. The progress in plastid inclusion research reveals more information about the function and complexity, but the need for characterizing the 3-D structure of the crystalline inclusions also has been acknowledged in previous studies. A 3-D characterization would utilize tilting and tomography of serial sections with appropriate image processing that would provide valuable information on the sub-structures of the crystalline inclusions. In fact, recent studies performed on 3-D reconstruction of the plastid inclusions revealed important information about their comprising elements. In this article, the crystals and microtubules that have been reported in various types of plastids have been reviewed, with special consideration given to their possible sub-cellular function within the plastids.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2006

Image processing by ultra high voltage electron microscopy (UHVEM) and tomography has offered major contributions to research in the field of cellular ultrastructure. Furthermore, such advancements also have enabled the improved analysis of three-dimensional cellular structures in botany. In the present study. using UHVEM and tomography, we attempted to reconstruct the three-dimensional images of plastid inclusions that probably differentiate during photosynthesis. The foliar tissues were studied Primarily with the TEM and further examined with UHVEM. The spatial relationship between tubular elements and the thylakoidal membrane and/or starch grains within plastids mainly have been investigated in CAM-performing Sedum as well as in $C_4$ Salsola species. The inclusion bodies were found to occur only in early development in the former, while they were found only in mesophyll cells in the latter. The specimens were tilted every two degrees to obtain two-dimensional images with UHVEM and subsequently comparison has been made between the two types. Digital image processing was performed on the elements of the inclusion body using tilting, tomography, and IMOD program to generate and reconstruct three-dimensional images on the cellular level. In Sedum plastids, the inclusion bodies consisted of tubular elements exhibiting about 20 nm distance between elements. However, in Salsola, plastid inclusion bodies demonstrated quite different element structure, displaying pattern, and origin relative to those of the Sedum. The inclusion bodies had an integrative relationship with the starch grains in both species.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.590-597
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• 2013

Principle component and emission localization of volatile compounds were investigated according to scent intensity of rose flower. Scent intensity in cultivars and bred-line of Rosa hybrida was divided into three levels; light ('Feel Lip', 'Venus Berry'), medium ('GR07-135'), strong ('Honey Blue'). The major volatile compounds were different depending on the cultivars and selected line; 3,5-dimethoxytoluene (DMT), benzene, 1,3,5-trimethoxy ('Feel Lip'), megastigma-4,6(Z),8(E)-triene ('Venus Berry'), DMT, benzene,1-ethenyl-4-methoxyand, phenylethylalcohol ('GR07-135') and germacrene-D, DMT ('Honey Blue'). The adaxial epidermal cells were conical papillate shape, whereas the abaxial epidermal cells were flat shape. The adaxial epidermal cells of 3 cultivars and 1 selected line were surrounded by thick cell wall and covered by waxy cuticle of 2 cultivars and 1 selected line (except 'Honey Blue'). The adaxial epidermal cells contained starches in 'Feel Lip', osmiophlic droplets in 'Venus Berry', starchs, plastids, vacuoles in 'GR07-135' and plastoglobules, plastids, vacuoles in 'Honey Blue'. Based on these results, it appears that plastids and vacuoles in adaxial epidermal cells with conical papillate shape are associated production and emission of volatile compounds in scent R. hybrida.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1999

The production of soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, including female formation and fecundity was much higher in SCN race 14 (R14) than in race 3 (R3) in susceptible soybean cultivars Bragg (intolerant), Lee74 (moderately tolerant), and PI 97100 (highly tolerant). The nematode body was also significantly larger in R14 than in R3 at 20 days after inoculation, but the further nematode growth appeared to be slower in R14 than in R3, resulting in no significant difference between the two races at 30 days after inoculation. Within each race, no significant difference was observed in the growth and reproduction among the soybean cultivars tested. Syncytial areas near the nematode lip regions (infection sites) were measured for each soybean cultivar-SCN race combination. R14 induced significantly larger syncytia than R3. Bragg had relatively larger syncytia than Lee74 and PI 97100, but the difference among the soybean cultivars was minimal or not significantly different. Syncytium occupation in the stelar region differed only between PI 97100 and the other two cultivars, which may be somewhat, but not exactly, related to tolerance levels. Syncytial cytomplasm was degenerated more with R14 and in Bragg than with R3 and in Lee74 and PI 97100, respectively. In light microscopy, degenerated syncytia were characterized by depleted and loose cytoplasm with less plastids than normal-looking (intact) syncytia which had dense syncytial cytoplasm. Electron microscopy revealed that degenerated syncytia contained highly vacuolated cytoplasm with degenerated plastids. The above results suggest that structural characteristics of syncytia may match the nematode growth and reproduction.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 1992

Nectar secretion from extrafloral nectary cells of Prunus yedoensis was examined by light and electron microscopy. Nectaries were composed of two or three layers of secretory cells and one layer of subsectretory cells. Vascular bundles in the petioles were connected to those of the subsectretory cell layer. Secretory cells had a number of mitochondria with poorly developed cristae. Plastids had little thylakoids and small vesicles, about 0.2 to 0.3 mm in diameter; however, no plastids had starch grains. Calcium oxalate crystals and plasmodesmata were frequently observed in the subsectretory and secretory cells, respectively. And nectar substances were observed in phloem of petiole, subsectretory, and secretory cells of the secretory gland. These results suggested that the nectar moved by symplastic transport through the plasmodesmata. On the other hand, the nectar droplets were observed in the secretory cell walls. in the cuticular layer just beyond of the former, and on the outer surface of the cuticular layer: such observations indicated that a apoplastic movement was involved in the final step of the nectar secretion. Cellular components related to the nectar transport, such as plasma membrane, cell wall and cuticle were not destroyed but intact: it was interpreted as a eccrine secretion.retion.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.51-56
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• 1999

Plastids, which are organelles unique to plant cells, bear their own genome that is organized into DNA-protein complexes (nucleoids). Regulation of gene expression in the plastid has been extensively investigated because this organelle plays an important role in photosynthesis. Few attempts, however, have been made to characterize the regulation of plastid gene expression at the chromosomal structure, using plastid nucleoids. In this report, we summarize the recent progress in the characterization of DNA-binding proteins in plastids, with special emphasis on CND41, a DNA binding protein, which we recently identified in the choloroplast nucleoids from photomixotrophically cultured tobacco cells. CND41 is a protein of 502 amino acids which consisted of a transit peptide of 120 amino acids and a mature protein of 382 amino acids. The N-terminal of the 'mature' protein has lysine-rich region which is essential for DNA-binding. CNA41 also showed significant identities to some aspartyl proteases. Protease activity of purified CND41 has been recently confirmed and characterized. On the other hand, characterization of accumulation of CND41 both in wild type and transgenic tobacco with reduced amount of CND41 suggests that CND41 is a negative regulator in chloroplast gene expression. Further investigation indicated that gene expression of CND41 is cell-specifically and developmentally regulated as well as sugar-induced expression. The reduction of CND41 expression in transgenic tobacco also brought the stunted plant growth due to the reduced cell length in stem. GA3 treatment on apical meristem reversed the dwarf phenotype in the transformants. Effects of CND41 expression on GA biosynthesis will be discussed.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.201-213
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• 1991

This study has been carried out to investigate the ultrastructural changes, formation of storage materials in endosperm cells with electron microscope during the seed formation of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer. In the early stage of seed formation with green seed coat, the endosperm was cellular type. Cell plate was largely composed of dictyosome vesicles in early stage of wall formation after mitosis. Central vacuole was gradually subdivided into several small-sized vacuoles. During the differentiation of plastids, some proplastid was replaced by amyloplast with starch grains and lamellar structure. A number of mitochondria with well developed cristae were distributed in cytoplasm. Rough endoplasmc reticulum, dictyosome, microbody, free ribosomes and polysomes were evenly distributed in cytoplasm. Spherical spherosomes were formed from dictyosome containing the lipid materials of even electron density. Protein bodies were formed by interfusing between vacuoles and vesicles derived from rough endoplasmic reticulum which contained the amorphous protein of high electron density.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.161-168
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• 1987

The elongated filamentous haustorial cells, hyphae, of Cuscuta australis R. Brown penetrated into the vascular tissues of the host plant Trifolium repens L. were studied by the light and electron microscopes. The hyphae reached the host xylem were invaded into the host vessels and then they grew within the host vessels. Finally these hyphae were differentiated into the water conducting elements, xylary hyphae, by thickening of the secondary walls. The hyphae reached the host phloem were branched at the apical regions. These hyphae possessed thin-layered cytoplasm involving the typical features of sieve elements such as the parallel arrays of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, plastids with the clusters of fine starch granules, and mitochondria with the dilated cristae. It was indicated that these hyphae were differentiated into the nutrients conducting elements, phloic hyphae. The structures described were compared with those of other parasitic plants and were discussed in view of the translocation of materials from host to parasite.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.71-82
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• 1995

The ultrastructure and storage reserves of the Capsicum annuum seeds were studied in order to identify structure and to localize storage components in the endosperm using light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The seed coat was composed of one cell layer which contained a large number of lipid bodies, while most of the endosperm cells did not showed many lipid bodies. During seed maturation, the endosperm cells were continuously degenerated by the autophagy. Various types of plastids were also distinguished in the endosperm cells. They contained starch grains surrounded by electron-dense tiny particles, plastoglobuli, and vasicular bodies.