Abstract
Specific cDNA fragments corresponding to putative cellulose synthase genes (CesA) were inserted into potato virus X vectors for functional analysis in Nicotiana benthamiana by using virus-induced gene silencing. Plants infected with one group of cDNAs had much shorter internode lengths, small leaves, and a "dwarf" phenotype. Consistent with a loss of cell wall cellulose, abnormally large and in many cases spherical cells ballooned from the undersurfaces of leaves, particularly in regions adjacent to vascular tissues. Linkage analyses of wall polysaccharides prepared from infected leaves revealed a 25% decrease in cellulose content. Transcript levels for at least one member of the CesA cellulose synthase gene family were lower in infected plants. The decrease in cellulose content in cell walls was offset by an increase in homogalacturonan, in which the degree of esterification of carboxyl groups decreased from approximately 50 to approximately 33%. The results suggest that feedback loops interconnect the cellular machinery controlling cellulose and pectin biosynthesis. On the basis of the phenotypic features of the infected plants, changes in wall composition, and the reduced abundance of CesA mRNA, we concluded that the cDNA fragments silenced one or more cellulose synthase genes.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Infected plants had shorter internodes, smaller leaves, and dwarf phenotype.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamiana
Nicotiana benthamianae7 - Treatment
- one group of cDNAse0
- Outcome
- shorter internode lengths, small leaves, and a "dwarf" phenotypee0
- Direction
- shortere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Plants infected with one group of cDNAs had much shorter internode lengths, small leaves, and a "dwarf" phenotype.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Large spherical cells protruded from leaf undersides near vascular tissues.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Organ / stage
- leavese0
- Outcome
- spherical cells balloonede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“abnormally large and in many cases spherical cells ballooned from the undersurfaces of leaves, particularly in regions adjacent to vascular tissues.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Cellulose content fell by 25% in infected leaves.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Treatment
- infected leavese0
- Outcome
- cellulose contente0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Value
- 25%e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Linkage analyses of wall polysaccharides prepared from infected leaves revealed a 25% decrease in cellulose content.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
At least one CesA family member had lower transcript levels in infected plants.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Treatment
- infected plantse0
- Gene
- CesAe0
- Outcome
- Transcript levelse0
- Direction
- lowere0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Transcript levels for at least one member of the CesA cellulose synthase gene family were lower in infected plants.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Homogalacturonan increased as cellulose decreased.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Outcome
- homogalacturonane0
- Direction
- increasee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The decrease in cellulose content in cell walls was offset by an increase in homogalacturonan”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Homogalacturonan carboxyl esterification fell from about 50 to about 33%.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Outcome
- degree of esterification of carboxyl groupse0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Value
- approximately 33%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the degree of esterification of carboxyl groups decreased from approximately 50 to approximately 33%.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors infer feedback linking cellulose and pectin biosynthesis.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Outcome
- cellulose and pectin biosynthesise0
- Qualifier
- feedback loopse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“feedback loops interconnect the cellular machinery controlling cellulose and pectin biosynthesis.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors conclude cDNA fragments silenced cellulose synthase genes.
- Taxon
- Nicotiana benthamianaNicotiana benthamianae7
- Treatment
- cDNA fragmentse0
- Gene
- cellulose synthase genese0
- Outcome
- silenced one or more cellulose synthase genese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the cDNA fragments silenced one or more cellulose synthase genes.”
e7“Nicotiana benthamiana”
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See all 10 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.