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. 1978 Mar;61(3):420–424. doi: 10.1104/pp.61.3.420

Cytoplasm-specific Effects of Helminthosporium maydis Race T Toxin on Survival of Corn Mesophyll Protoplasts 1

Elizabeth D Earle 1, Vernon E Gracen 1, Olen C Yoder 1, Karen P Gemmill 1
PMCID: PMC1091881  PMID: 16660306

Abstract

High yields of mesophyll protoplasts were obtained from leaves of corn (Zea mays L., inbred W64A). Many protoplasts survived a week in the dark in a simple osmoticum. Culture filtrate from Helminthosporium maydis race T at dilutions of 1:10,000 to 1:20,000 destroyed protoplasts with Texas male-sterile (T) cytoplasm. Substantial damage to protoplasts with nonmale-sterile (N) cytoplasm occurred only at a 1:20 dilution. High concentrations of partially purified H. maydis race T (HMT) toxin (32.5-130 μg dry weight/ml) did not reduce survival of protoplasts with N cytoplasm or C or S male-sterile cytoplasms after 6 days of exposure. Protoplasts with T or TRf (fertility restored) cytoplasm collapsed within 1 to 3 days after treatment with 0.13 μg of HMT toxin/ml, which was one-fifth the level causing 50% inhibition of T cytoplasm seedling root growth. Protoplasts with T cytoplasm which were washed after 30 minutes or more of exposure to HMT toxin also collapsed within a few days. Cultured W64A T protoplasts and freshly isolated protoplasts from inbreds C103 and Mo17 with T cytoplasm were less sensitive to HMT toxin than freshly isolated W64A T protoplasts. Toxin-treated protoplasts survived longer in the light than in the dark. The sensitivity and specificity of the system described will facilitate physiological, ultrastructural, and genetic studies of toxin action.

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Selected References

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