Publications

specific binding of the regulatory protein expg to promoter regions of the galactoglucan biosynthesis gene cluster of sinorhizobium meliloti--a combined molecular biology and force spectroscopy investigation.	specific protein-dna interaction is fundamental for all aspects of gene transcription. we focus on a regulatory dna-binding protein in the gram-negative soil bacterium sinorhizobium meliloti 2011, which is capable of fixing molecular nitrogen in a symbiotic interaction with alfalfa plants. the expg protein plays a central role in regulation of the biosynthesis of the exopolysaccharide galactoglucan, which promotes the establishment of symbiosis. expg is a transcriptional activator of exp gene ex ...	2003	12972351
growth dynamics of salmonella enterica strains on alfalfa sprouts and in waste seed irrigation water.	alfalfa sprouts and other seed sprouts have been implicated in numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis. the source of these epidemics appears to have been low-level contamination of seeds by salmonella bacteria that developed into clinically significant populations during the seed germination process. to test the possibility that salmonella enterica strains carry host range determinants that allow them to grow on alfalfa, strains isolated from alfalfa or other sources were surveyed for their ability ...	2003	12514040
serum thyroid hormones and reproductive characteristics of rambouillet ewe lambs treated with propylthiouracil before puberty.	twenty-four rambouillet ewe lambs (average weight=43.7+/-1.2 kg, approximately 6 months of age) were used to examine the effect of thyroid suppression before the onset of puberty on serum thyroid hormones, body weights (bw), and reproductive performance. beginning in early september, ewe lambs were randomly assigned to three treatments (n=8 lambs/treatment). all animals remained in a single pen (4 x 12 m) with access to salt, water, shade and alfalfa hay (2.5 kg per animal per day) throughout th ...	2003	12527086
alfalfa sprouts and salmonella kottbus infection: a multistate outbreak following inadequate seed disinfection with heat and chlorine.	raw sprouts have been implicated in a number of foodborne disease outbreaks. because contaminated seeds are usually responsible, many sprout producers attempt to disinfect seeds before germination and detect sprout contamination during production. in march 2001, we detected an increased number of salmonella serotype kottbus isolates in california. overall, we identified 31 cases from three western states. to identify the cause, we conducted a case-control study with the first 10 identified case- ...	2003	12540175
efficacy of ozone in killing listeria monocytogenes on alfalfa seeds and sprouts and effects on sensory quality of sprouts.	a study was done to determine the efficacy of aqueous ozone treatment in killing listeria monocytogenes on inoculated alfalfa seeds and sprouts. reductions in populations of naturally occurring aerobic microorganisms on sprouts and changes in the sensory quality of sprouts were also determined. the treatment (10 or 20 min) of seeds in water (4 degrees c) containing an initial concentration of 21.8 +/- 0.1 microg/ml of ozone failed to cause a significant (p < or = 0.05) reduction in populations o ...	2003	12540180
the importance of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein dimers in the initiation of replication.	deletion and substitution mutations affecting the oligomerization of alfalfa mosaic virus (amv) coat protein (cp) were studied in protoplasts to determine their effect on genome activation, an early step in amv replication. the cp mutants that formed dimers, cpdeltac9 and cpc-a(r)f, were highly active in initiating replication with 63-84% of wild-type (wt) cp activity. however, all mutants that did not form dimers, cpdeltac18, cpdeltac19, cpc-wfp, and cpc-w, were much less active with 19-33% of ...	2003	12504539
diversity of group ii introns in the genome of sinorhizobium meliloti strain 1021: splicing and mobility of rmint1.	the number and diversity of known group ii introns in eubacteria are continually increasing with the addition of new data from sequencing projects, but the significance of these introns in the evolution of bacterial genomes is unknown. we analyzed the main features of the group ii introns present in the genome of the soil microorganism sinorhizobium meliloti (strain 1021), the nitrogen-fixing symbiont of alfalfa, the dna sequence of which was recently determined. strain 1021 harbors three differ ...	2003	12589437
isolation of salmonella from alfalfa seed and demonstration of impaired growth of heat-injured cells in seed homogenates.	three major foodborne outbreaks of salmonellosis in 1998 and 1999 were linked to the consumption of raw alfalfa sprouts. in this report, an improved method is described for isolation of salmonella from alfalfa seed lots, which had been implicated in these outbreaks. from each seed lot, eight samples each containing 25 g of seed were tested for the presence of salmonella by the us fda bacteriological analytical manual (bam) procedure and by a modified method applying two successive pre-enrichment ...	2003	12593927
large round bale feeder design affects hay utilization and beef cow behavior.	one hundred sixty beef cows (631 +/- 78 kg) were used to evaluate the quantity of hay loss and feeding behaviors from different round bale feeders. twenty cows were allotted by weight and body condition score to one of eight pens with four feeder designs: cone, ring, trailer, or cradle. all feeder types provided approximately 37 cm of linear feeder space per animal. alfalfa and orchardgrass round bales were weighed and sampled before feeding. hay that fell onto the concrete surrounding the feede ...	2003	12597379
inactivation of escherichia coli o157:h7 and salmonella by gamma irradiation of alfalfa seed intended for production of food sprouts.	inonizing irradiation was determined to be a suitable method for the inactivation of salmonella and escherichia coli o157:h7 on alfalfa seed to be used in the production of food sprouts. the radiation d (dose resulting in a 90% reduction of viable cfu) values for the inactivation of salmonella and e. coli o157:h7 on alfalfa seeds were higher than the d-values for their inactivation on meat or poultry. the average d-value for the inactivation of salmonella on alfalfa seeds was 0.97 +/- 0.03 kgy; ...	2003	12597473
survey of retail alfalfa sprouts and mushrooms for the presence of escherichia coil o157:h7, salmonella, and listeria with bax, and evaluation of this polymerase chain reaction-based system with experimentally contaminated samples.	bax, a polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based pathogen detection system, was used to survey retail sprouts and mushrooms for contamination with escherichia coli o157:h7, salmonella, listeria spp., and listeria monocytogenes. no salmonella or e. coli o157:h7 was detected in the 202 mushroom and 206 alfalfa sprout samples screened. l. monocytogenes was detected in one sprout sample, and seven additional sprout samples tested positive for the genus listeria. bax also detected listeria species in 17 ...	2003	12597474
efficacy of electrolyzed oxidizing water in inactivating salmonella on alfalfa seeds and sprouts.	studies have demonstrated that electrolyzed oxidizing (eo) water is effective in reducing foodborne pathogens on fresh produce. this study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of eo water and two different forms of chlorinated water (chlorine water from cl2 and ca(ocl)2 as sources of chlorine) in inactivating salmonella on alfalfa seeds and sprouts. tengram sets of alfalfa seeds inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of salmonella (6.3 x 10(4) cfu/g) were subjected to 90 ml of deionized wate ...	2003	12597478
sinorhizobium meliloti acpxl mutant lacks the c28 hydroxylated fatty acid moiety of lipid a and does not express a slow migrating form of lipopolysaccharide.	lipid a is the hydrophobic anchor of lipopolysaccharide (lps) in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. lipid a of all rhizobiaceae is acylated with a long fatty acid chain, 27-hydroxyoctacosanoic acid. biosynthesis of this long acyl substitution requires a special acyl carrier protein, acpxl, which serves as a donor of c28 (omega-1)-hydroxylated fatty acid for acylation of rhizobial lipid a (brozek, k.a., carlson, r.w., and raetz, c. r. (1996) j. biol. chem. 271, 32126-32136). to determi ...	2003	12566460
quorum sensing controls exopolysaccharide production in sinorhizobium meliloti.	sinorhizobium meliloti is a soil bacterium capable of invading and establishing a symbiotic relationship with alfalfa plants. this invasion process requires the synthesis, by s. meliloti, of at least one of the two symbiotically important exopolysaccharides, succinoglycan and eps ii. we have previously shown that the sinri locus of s. meliloti encodes a quorum-sensing system that plays a role in the symbiotic process. here we show that the sinri locus exerts one level of control through regulati ...	2003	12486070
effects of enzyme supplementation of a total mixed ration on microbial fermentation in continuous culture, maintained at high and low ph.	a dual-flow continuous culture system was used to investigate the effects of ph and addition of an enzyme mixture to a total mixed ration (tmr) on fermentation, nutrient digestion, and microbial protein synthesis. a 4 x 4 latin square design with a factorial arrangement of treatments was used, with four 9-d periods consisting of 6 d for adaptation and 3 d for measurements. treatments were as follows: 1) high ph with control tmr, 2) high ph with tmr treated with enzyme, 3) low ph with control tmr ...	2003	14552391
functional analysis of ras in colletotrichum trifolii.	ras is a small monomeric gtp binding protein that transduces signals for growth and differentiation of eukaryotic organisms. previously, a unique ras gene, designated ct-ras, was cloned from the alfalfa fungal phytopathogen, colletotrichum trifolii. expression of ct-ras in mouse fibroblast cells (nih3t3) demonstrated that ct-ras is functionally similar to the mammalian ras genes since activating mutations of ct-ras caused oncogenic phenotypes in nu/nu mice, including tumors. in c. trifolii, acti ...	2003	14553928
within-field manipulation of potato leafhopper (homoptera: cicadellidae) and insect predator populations using an uncut alfalfa strip.	the effects of a 3-m wide uncut alfalfa strip on the within field distribution of empoasca fabae (harris) (homoptera: cicadellidae) and several species of insect predators were examined for 3 yr (1998-2000). the objectives were to determine whether this uncut strip would serve as a trap crop for e. fabae and a refuge for insect predators at first harvest. empoasca fabae and insect predators in the families coccinellidae, nabidae, anthocoridae, chrysopidae, and hemerobiidae were collected weekly ...	2003	14503590
fatty acid composition of mixed-rumen bacteria: effect of concentration and type of forage.	the effects of concentration and type of forage in the diet on lipid content and fatty acid (fa) composition of rumen bacteria were studied in 14 goats fitted with duodenal cannulas. the goats were fed a complete maintenance diet containing 40, 70, or 100% chopped forage (dry matter basis) in two equal meals. forage was either corn stover or alfalfa hay. microbial cell matter (mcm) was isolated by differential centrifugation of duodenal contents. the fa content of the mcm varied from 5 to 11% of ...	2003	14507030
the nutrition of the chinchilla as a companion animal--basic data, influences and dependences.	this contribution is meant to obtain basic data for feeding chinchillas (ingestion behaviour, feed and water intake) kept as companion animals. the chinchillas ingested more than 70% of their total feed intake during the dark phase (highest level of activity between 9:00 pm and 7:00 am). daily amounts of feed intake varied between 2.5 (fresh grass) or 2.6 (hay) and 5.5 (pelleted complete diet) g of dry matter per 100 g of body weight. an offered mixed feed based on native components led to a sel ...	2003	14511138
functional characterization and expression of a cytosolic iron-superoxide dismutase from cowpea root nodules.	an iron-superoxide dismutase (fesod) with an unusual subcellular localization, vufesod, has been purified from cowpea (vigna unguiculata) nodules and leaves. the enzyme has two identical subunits of 27 kd that are not covalently bound. comparison of its n-terminal sequence (nvaginll) with the cdna-derived amino acid sequence showed that vufesod is synthesized as a precursor with seven additional amino acids. the mature protein was overexpressed in escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme was ...	2003	14512518
coordinate replication of alfalfa mosaic virus rnas 1 and 2 involves cis- and trans-acting functions of the encoded helicase-like and polymerase-like domains.	rnas 1 and 2 of the tripartite genome of alfalfa mosaic virus encode the replicase proteins p1 and p2, respectively, whereas rna 3 encodes the movement protein and coat protein. transient expression of wild-type (wt) and mutant viral rnas and proteins by agroinfiltration of plant leaves was used to study cis- and trans-acting functions of the helicase-like domain in p1 and the polymerase-like domain in p2. three mutations in conserved motifs of the helicase-like domain of p1 affected one or more ...	2003	14512529
the 5' untranslated region of alfalfa mosaic virus rna 1 is involved in negative-strand rna synthesis.	the three genomic rnas of alfalfa mosaic virus each contain a unique 5' untranslated region (5' utr). replacement of the 5' utr of rna 1 by that of rna 2 or 3 yielded infectious replicons. the sequence of a putative 5' stem-loop structure in rna 1 was found to be required for negative-strand rna synthesis. a similar putative 5' stem-loop structure is present in rna 2 but not in rna 3.	2003	14512577
efficacy of chlorine and calcinated calcium treatment of alfalfa seeds and sprouts to eliminate salmonella.	the efficacy of a 20,000 ppm calcium hypochlorite treatment of alfalfa seeds artificially contaminated with salmonella was studied. salmonella populations reached >7.0 log on sprouts grown from seeds artificially contaminated with salmonella and then treated with 20,000 ppm ca(ocl)(2). the efficacy of spray application of chlorine (100 ppm) to eliminate salmonella during germination and growth of alfalfa was assessed. alfalfa seed artificially contaminated with salmonella was treated at germinat ...	2003	14527803
effects of the dietary inclusion of vegetable fat and dehydrated alfalfa meal on the technological properties of rabbit meat.		2003	14535487
prevention of patulin toxicity on rumen microbial fermentation by sh-containing reducing agents.	patulin, a toxic fungal metabolite, negatively affects rumen fermentation. this mycotoxin has also been associated with intoxication cases in cattle. this study investigates the use of sh-containing reducing compounds to prevent patulin's negative effects on the rumen microbial ecosystem. the effect of 50 microg/ml patulin on the fermentation of alfalfa hay was measured in batch cultures with and without reducing agents. sulfhydryl-containing cysteine and glutathione prevented the negative effec ...	2003	14582994
utilization of phosphorus in lactating cows fed varying amounts of phosphorus and forage.	the objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary forage proportion and p content on fecal p excretion. four dietary treatments were formed in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. the p content was 0.33 or 0.42%, and the forage proportion was 48 or 58% on a dry matter (dm) basis. the neutral detergent fiber content was 27 and 30% for the low and high forage diets, respectively. the p amount was varied by using monosodium phosphate, and the forage amount by changing the proportions of ...	2003	14594248
influence of steam-peeled potato-processing waste inclusion level in beef finishing diets: effects on digestion, feedlot performance, and meat quality.	inclusion of potato-processing waste (pw) from the frozen potato products industry in high-grain beef cattle finishing diets was evaluated in two studies. in a randomized complete block design, 125 crossbred yearling heifers (365 +/- 0.3 kg initial bw; five pens per treatment; five heifers per pen) were used to evaluate pw level on feedlot performance and meat quality. heifers were fed for 85 (two blocks) or 104 d (three blocks). in a digestion study, four ruminally, duodenally, and ileally cann ...	2003	14601870
estimates of genetic parameters and selection strategies to improve the economic efficiency of postweaning growth in lambs.	the objectives of this study were to estimate (co)variance components for growth and feed efficiency measures, and to compare selection strategies to improve economic efficiency of gain. variance components for pre- and postweaning growth, body weight, and measures of feed efficiency were estimated from data collected on 1,047 targhee lambs over 7 yr. approximately 21 d after weaning, lambs were group-fed for 4 wk, with ad libitum access to a diet of 37% whole barley grain and 63% pelleted alfal ...	2003	14601873
effects of moderate hyperthyroidism and time relative to feeding on tissue responsiveness to insulin in sheep.	the effects of moderate hyperthyroidism and time relative to feeding on tissue responsiveness to insulin were determined in four sheep using a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp procedure, because thyroid hormones have glucoregulatory function in ruminants and non-ruminant animals. the sheep were fed alfalfa hay cubes and corn-based concentrates. they were intravenously injected in turn with saline (control treatment) and then with triiodothyronine (1.5 nmol d(-1); t3 treatment) once daily for 23 ...	2003	14602159
regiospecific hydroxylation of isoflavones by cytochrome p450 81e enzymes from medicago truncatula.	mining of medicago truncatula est databases and screening of a root cdna library led to the identification of three cytochrome p450 81e subfamily members. two were functionally characterized by expression in yeast. the recombinant enzymes in yeast microsomes utilized the same isoflavone substrates, but produced different products hydroxylated at the 2' and/or 3' positions of the b-ring. when transiently expressed in alfalfa leaves, green fluorescent protein (gfp) fusions of the isoflavone 2'- an ...	2003	14617078
towards sustainable production of protein-rich foods: appraisal of eight crops for western europe. part ii: analysis of the technological aspects of the production chain.	increased production of plant protein is required to support the production of protein-rich foods which can replace meat in the human diet to reduce the strain that intensive animal husbandry poses on the environment. the suitability of lupin (lupinus spp.), pea (pisum sativum), quinoa (chenopodium quinoa willd.), triticale (x triticosecale), lucerne (medicago sativa), grasses (lolium and festuca spp.), rapeseed/canola (brassica napus) and potato (solanum tuberosum) for protein production in wes ...	2003	14653492
phylogenetic analysis of fiber-associated rumen bacterial community and pcr detection of uncultured bacteria.	the fiber-associated rumen bacterial community was phylogenetically examined by analysis of 16s rrna gene (16s rdna) sequences. hay stems of orchardgrass and alfalfa were incubated for 6 and 20 h, respectively in the rumen of two different sheep, and total dna was extracted from the incubated stems to clone bacterial 16s rdnas using polymerase chain reaction (pcr). of 91 such clones, 21 showed more than 97% sequence similarity with known isolates, 32 clones had 90-97% similarity with known seque ...	2003	14659538
facultative symbionts are associated with host plant specialization in pea aphid populations.	the pea aphid, acyrthosiphon pisum, shows significant reproductive isolation and host plant specialization between populations on alfalfa and clover in new york. we examine whether specialization is seen in pea aphids in california, and whether fitness on alternative host plants is associated with the presence of bacterial symbionts. we measured the fitness of alfalfa- and clover-derived aphids on both types of plants and found no evidence for specialization when all aphid lineages were consider ...	2003	14667385
pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn: 1. effects on feed intake, chewing behavior, and milk production of lactating dairy cows.	the effects of increasing concentrations of dried, pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn on intake, milk production, and chewing behavior were evaluated using eight ruminally and duodenally cannulated multiparous holstein cows in a duplicated 4 x 4 latin square design with 21-d periods. cows were 79 +/- 17 (mean +/- sd) d in milk at the beginning of the experiment. experimental diets with 40% forage (corn silage and alfalfa silage) and 60% concentrate contained 0, 6.1, 12.1, or 2 ...	2003	14672184
pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn: 2. effects on digestion and ruminal digestion kinetics in lactating dairy cows.	the effects of increasing concentrations of dried, pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn on digestion and ruminal digestion kinetics were evaluated using eight ruminally and duodenally cannulated multiparous holstein cows in a duplicated 4 x 4 latin square design with 21-d periods. cows were 79 +/- 17 (mean +/- sd) d in milk at the beginning of the experiment. experimental diets with 40% forage (corn silage and alfalfa silage) and 60% concentrate contained 0, 6.1, 12.1, or 24.3% ...	2003	14672185
pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn: 3. effects on ruminal fermentation, ph, and microbial protein efficiency in lactating dairy cows.	the effects of increasing concentrations of dried, pelleted beet pulp substituted for high-moisture corn on ruminal fermentation, ph, and microbial efficiency were evaluated using eight ruminally and duodenally cannulated multiparous holstein cows in a duplicated 4 x 4 latin square design with 21-d periods. cows were 79 +/- 17 (mean +/- sd) dim at the beginning of the experiment. experimental diets with 40% forage (corn silage and alfalfa silage) and 60% concentrate contained 0, 6.1, 12.1, or 24 ...	2003	14672186
effects of replacing chopped alfalfa hay with alfalfa silage in a total mixed ration on production and rumen conditions of lactating dairy cows.	the effects of replacing chopped alfalfa hay with alfalfa silage in a total mixed ration containing barley grain and corn silage on production and rumen conditions were investigated. cows received three diets that all contained (dry matter basis) 38.5% barley grain-based energy supplement, 30.5% corn silage, 17.0% protein supplement, and 4.2% sunflower seeds. one diet contained (dry matter basis) 9.8% of chopped alfalfa hay and no alfalfa silage. one diet contained (dry matter basis) 4.9% choppe ...	2003	14672192
conjugated linoleic acid and vaccenic acid in rumen, plasma, and milk of cows fed fish oil and fats differing in saturation of 18 carbon fatty acids.	the objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding fish oil (fo) along with fat sources that varied in saturation of 18 carbon fatty acids (high stearic, high oleic, high linoleic, or high linolenic acids) on rumen, plasma, and milk fatty acid profiles. four primiparous holstein cows at 85 d in milk (+/- 40) were assigned to 4 x 4 latin squares with 4-wk periods. treatment diets were 1) 1% fo plus 2% commercial fat high in stearic acid (hs); 2) 1% fo plus 2% fat from high oleic aci ...	2003	14672195
wet corn gluten feed and alfalfa hay combinations in steam-flaked corn finishing cattle diets.	one finishing trial and one digestibility trial were used to evaluate wet corn gluten feed (wcgf) and alfalfa hay (ah) combinations in steam-flaked corn (sfc) finishing diets. in exp. 1, 631 crossbred heifers (initial bw = 284 +/- 7.9 kg) were fed sfc-based diets containing combinations of wcgf (25, 35, or 45% of diet dm) and ah (2 or 6% of dietary dm) in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. no interactions existed between wcgf and ah for heifer performance. increasing dietary wcgf linea ...	2003	14677868
[the biological activity of the sinorhizobium meliloti glucan].	the study of the effect of the periplasmic glucan isolated from the root-nodule bacterium s. meliloti cxm1-188 on the symbiosis of another strain (441) of the same root-nodule bacterium with alfalfa plants showed that this effect depends on the treatment procedure. the pretreatment of alfalfa seedlings with the glucan followed by their bacterization with s. meliloti 441 insignificantly influenced the nodulation parameters of symbiosis (the number of root nodules and their nitrogen-fixing activit ...	2003	14679901
[use of three-hybrid system to detect rna-binding activity of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein].	we used yeast three-hybrid system, for studying interaction of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein amvcp (amvcp) with rna4, which codes this protein. we have shown that amvcp with high affinity is bound to plus-chain of rna4 in vivo. the mutational analysis has shown, that the n-terminal part of amvcp (aa 1 to 85) contains rna-binding domain. c-terminal part of this protein (aa 86 to 221) does not participate in direct interaction with rna4. however activity of the reporter-gene lacz, which codes ...	2003	14681978
willet m. hays, great benefactor to plant breeding and the founder of our association.	willet m. hays was a great benefactor to plant breeding and the founder of the american genetic association (aga). we commemorate the aga's centennial. we mined university archives, u.s. department of agriculture (usda) yearbooks, plant breeding textbooks, scientific periodicals, and descendants for information. willet hays first recognized the individual plant as the unit of selection and started systematic pure-line selection and progeny tests in 1888. he developed useful plant breeding method ...	2003	14691309
purification and characterization of a barley aleurone abscisic acid-binding protein.	a protein designated abap1 and encoded by a novel gene (genbank accession number af127388) was purified and shown to specifically bind abscisic acid (aba). abap1 protein is a 472-amino acid polypeptide containing a ww protein interaction domain and is induced by aba in barley aleurone layers. polyclonal antiidiotypic antibodies (ab2) cross-reacted with purified abap1 and with a corresponding 52-kda protein associated with membrane fractions of aba-treated barley aleurones. abap1 genes were detec ...	2004	14699092
detection of salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium by using a rapid, array-based immunosensor.	the multianalyte array biosensor (maab) is a rapid analysis instrument capable of detecting multiple analytes simultaneously. rapid (15-min), single-analyte sandwich immunoassays were developed for the detection of salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium, with a detection limit of 8 x 10(4) cfu/ml; the limit of detection was improved 10-fold by lengthening the assay protocol to 1 h. s. enterica serovar typhimurium was also detected in the following spiked foodstuffs, with minimal sample preparat ...	2004	14711637
expression of mslec1 transgenes in alfalfa plants causes symbiotic abnormalities.	legume lectins have been proposed to have important symbiotic roles during rhizobium-legume symbioses. to test this hypothesis, the symbiotic responses of transgenic alfalfa plants that express a portion of the putative alfalfa lectin gene mslec1 or mslec2 in either the antisense or sense orientation were analyzed following inoculation with wild-type sinorhizobium meliloti 1021. mslec1-antisense (lec1as) plants were stunted, exhibited hypernodulation, and developed not only abnormally large nodu ...	2004	14714864
simultaneous detection of escherichia coli o157:h7, salmonella, and shigella in apple cider and produce by a multiplex pcr.	with three pairs of primers, a multiplex pcr assay was established for the simultaneous detection of escherichia coli 0157:h7, salmonella, and shigella. under the optimized conditions, the assay yielded a 252-bp product from e. coli o157:h7, a 429-bp product from salmonella typhimurium, and a 620-bp product from shigella flexneri, respectively. when the dna extraction of multiple target organisms was included in the same reaction, two or three corresponding amplicons of different sizes were obse ...	2004	14717347
a rapid and automated fiber optic-based biosensor assay for the detection of salmonella in spent irrigation water used in the sprouting of sprout seeds.	recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have been linked to the consumption of contaminated sprouts. the spent irrigation water used to irrigate sprouts can carry many microorganisms, including pathogenic strains of escherichia coli and salmonella enterica. these pathogens are believed to originate from the seeds. the u.s. food and drug administration recommends that sprout producers conduct microbiological testing of spent irrigation water from each production lot at least 48 h after seeds have g ...	2004	14717350
efficient translation of alfamovirus rnas requires the binding of coat protein dimers to the 3' termini of the viral rnas.	the coat protein (cp) of alfalfa mosaic virus (amv) is required to initiate infection by the viral tripartite rna genome whereas infection by the tripartite brome mosaic virus (bmv) genome is independent of cp. amv cp stimulates translation of amv rna in vivo 50- to 100-fold. the 3' untranslated region (utr) of the amv subgenomic cp messenger rna 4 contains at least two cp binding sites. a cp binding site in the 3'-terminal 112 nucleotides of rna 4 was found to be required for efficient translat ...	2004	14718638
extractable copper, arsenic and antimony by edta solution from agricultural chilean soils and its transfer to alfalfa plants (medicago sativa l.).	following our research on copper, arsenic and antimony in chilean ecosystems, a study to understand the mobility and transport of these elements from soil to plants was carried out. so, the aim of this study, which follows on from the previous work, was to demonstrate if the total concentrations of these elements or their fractions extracted by 0.05 m edta ph 7 from different chilean soils correlate with the respective total concentrations in the edible tissue of alfalfa plants collected simulta ...	2004	14737469
nadh-dependent metabolism of nitric oxide in alfalfa root cultures expressing barley hemoglobin.	transgenic alfalfa ( medicago sativa l.) root cultures expressing sense and antisense barley ( hordeum vulgare l.) hemoglobin were examined for their ability to metabolize no. extracts from lines overexpressing hemoglobin had approximately twice the no conversion rate of either control or antisense lines under normoxic conditions. only the control line showed a significant increase in the rate of no degradation when placed under anaerobic conditions. the decline in no was dependent on the presen ...	2004	14740214
environmental effects on pig performance, meat quality, and muscle characteristics.	the objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of diverse production systems on pig performance, muscle characteristics, and their relation to pork quality measures. birth and rearing conditions were evaluated using 48 barrows during the fall/winter months. pigs were farrowed in either indoor crates or outdoor huts. at weaning, indoor- and outdoor-born pigs were allotted randomly to treatments arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial design with two birth (indoor vs. outdoor) and rearing (ind ...	2004	14753363
effect of low level monensin supplementation on the production of dairy cows fed alfalfa silage.	effectiveness of low level monensin supplementation on n utilization in lactating dairy cows fed alfalfa silage was assessed using 48 multiparous holsteins. cows were fed a covariate diet [% of dry matter (dm): 56% alfalfa silage, 39% ground high moisture corn, 3% soybean meal, 1% ground corn, 1% vitamin-mineral supplements] for 2 wk, then grouped by days in milk into blocks of 4. cows were randomly assigned within blocks to 1 of 4 diets that were fed for 10 wk: 1) control (covariate diet), 2) c ...	2004	14762079
effects of silage species and supplemental vitamin e on the oxidative stability of milk.	two experiments were conducted to study the effects of feeding legume silages and providing supplemental vitamin e in concentrates on the oxidative stability of milk. in experiment 1, six multiparous holstein-friesian cows were offered 1 of 6 silage treatments in a cyclical changeover-design experiment, with four 4-wk periods. the silages were grass, red clover, white clover, alfalfa, grass and red clover mixture (50:50 on a dm basis), and grass and white clover mixture (50:50 on a dm basis). in ...	2004	14762084
portal drained visceral flux, hepatic metabolism, and mammary uptake of free and peptide-bound amino acids and milk amino acid output in dairy cows fed diets containing corn grain steam flaked at 360 or steam rolled at 490 g/l.	objectives were to measure net fluxes of free (faa) and peptide bound amino acids (aa) (pbaa) across portal-drained viscera (pdv), liver, splanchnic, and mammary tissues, and of milk aa output of lactating holstein cows (n = 6, 109 +/- 9 d in milk) as influenced by flaking density of corn grain. cows were fed alfalfa-based total mixed ration (tmr) containing 40% steam-flaked (sfc) or steam-rolled corn (src) grain. the tmr were offered at 12-h intervals in a crossover design. six sets of blood sa ...	2004	14762085
methane production by mixed ruminal cultures incubated in dual-flow fermentors.	this study evaluated the effects of dilution rate and forage-to-concentrate ratio on gas production by rumen microbes. continuous cultures were used to monitor methane production at three liquid dilution rates (3.2, 6.3, or 12.5%/h) and three forage-to-concentrate ratios (70:30, 50:50, or 30:70). filtered ruminal contents were allowed 6 d of adaptation to diets followed by 7 d of data collection. forage consisted of pelleted alfalfa and the concentrate mix included ground corn, soybean meal, and ...	2004	14765817
comparison of conventional linted cottonseed and mechanically delinted cottonseed in diets for dairy cows.	performance of lactating dairy cows fed diets containing either mechanically delinted whole cottonseed (dwcs; 3.7% lint) or linted whole cottonseed (lwcs; 11.7% lint) was measured. forty primiparous (86 +/- 39 d in milk) and 40 multiparous (88 +/- 30 d in milk) cows were fed a total mixed ration containing 13% (dry matter basis) dwcs or lwcs in two blocks of 112 d (n = 53 and 27, respectively). other total mixed ration ingredients (dry matter basis) were corn silage (28.1%), alfalfa silage (23%) ...	2004	14765819
the key sinorhizobium meliloti succinoglycan biosynthesis gene exoy is expressed from two promoters.	bacterial exopolysaccharide, succinoglycan, plays an important role in eliciting infection thread formation, which is a key step in the establishment of sinorhizobium meliloti-alfalfa (medicago sativa) nitrogen fixing symbiosis. to understand the regulatory mechanisms that control production of succinoglycan, the expression of the key succinoglycan biosynthesis gene, exoy, was analyzed by constructing a set of nested deletions of the exoy promoter region. two exoy promoters were identified based ...	2004	14769477
spatial determinants of the alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein binding site.	the biological functions of rna-protein complexes are, for the most part, poorly defined. here, we describe experiments that are aimed at understanding the functional significance of alfalfa mosaic virus rna-coat protein binding, an interaction that parallels the initiation of viral rna replication. peptides representing the rna-binding domain of the viral coat protein are biologically active in initiating replication and bind to a 39-nt 3'-terminal rna with a stoichiometry of two peptides: 1 rn ...	2004	14681584
a medicago sativa haem oxygenase gene is preferentially expressed in root nodules.	haem oxygenases (ho) are ubiquitous enzymes catalysing the oxidative degradation of haem into biliverdin, iron and carbon monoxide. whereas animal hos participate in multiple cellular functions including haemoglobin catabolism, antioxidant defence and iron homeostasis, to date, plant hos have so far only been involved in phytochrome metabolism. the expression of the ho1 gene was studied in medicago sativa, especially during the interaction with its symbiotic partner, sinorhizobium meliloti. tran ...	2004	14623903
new recombination methods for sinorhizobium meliloti genetics.	the availability of bacterial genome sequences has created a need for improved methods for sequence-based functional analysis to facilitate moving from annotated dna sequence to genetic materials for analyzing the roles that postulated genes play in bacterial phenotypes. a powerful cloning method that uses lambda integrase recombination to clone and manipulate dna sequences has been adapted for use with the gram-negative alpha-proteobacterium sinorhizobium meliloti in two ways that increase the ...	2004	15128536
cholesterol levels and sensory characteristics of meat from broilers consuming moderate to high levels of alfalfa.	there is an urgent need in industrialized societies to develop novel products that can lower human dietary cholesterol intake. dehydrated alfalfa is a good source of hypocholesterolemic compounds such as saponins. whether consumption of alfalfa by chickens would decrease the cholesterol content of broiler meat remains, however, to be established. we determined meat quality characteristics, lipid and cholesterol contents, and consumer preference of broiler meat derived from production systems bas ...	2004	15141840
a novel family of carbohydrate-binding modules identified with ruminococcus albus proteins.	we recently showed that some of the enzymes underpinning cellulose solubilization by ruminococcus albus 8 lack the conventional type of dockerin module characteristic of cellulosomal proteins and instead, bear an "x" domain of unknown function at their c-termini. we have now subcloned and expressed six x domains and showed that five of them bind to xylan, chitin, microcrystalline and phosphoric-acid swollen cellulose, as well as more heterogenous substrates such as alfalfa cell walls, banana ste ...	2004	15147860
the sinorhizobium meliloti fur gene regulates, with dependence on mn(ii), transcription of the sitabcd operon, encoding a metal-type transporter.	sinorhizobium meliloti is an alpha-proteobacterium able to induce nitrogen-fixing nodules on roots of specific legumes. in order to propagate in the soil and for successful symbiotic interaction the bacterium needs to sequester metals like iron and manganese from its environment. the metal uptake has to be in turn tightly regulated to avoid toxic effects. in this report we describe the characterization of a chromosomal region of s. meliloti encoding the sitabcd operon and the putative regulatory ...	2004	15150249
isolation, identification, and selection of lactic acid bacteria from alfalfa sprouts for competitive inhibition of foodborne pathogens.	several studies have investigated the control of pathogens on alfalfa sprouts, and some treatments have been shown to be effective in reducing pathogen populations. however, control methods investigated thus far only provide pathogen control at a given point in the sprouting process and can affect germination. competitive inhibition of pathogens with lactic acid bacteria might provide pathogen control throughout the sprouting process and up to consumption. the purpose of this study was to isolat ...	2004	15151232
characterization of an e2-type colicin and its application to treat alfalfa seeds to reduce escherichia coli o157:h7.	several outbreaks of escherichia coli o157:h7 infections have been associated with contaminated alfalfa seeds. a recently isolated e. coli strain hu194 was capable of inhibiting 22 strains of e. coli o157:h7 and this inhibition was mediated by the production of a colicin named hu194. the objectives of this study were to test the efficacy of treating alfalfa seeds with colicin hu194 against e. coli o157:h7 strains, and to characterize this antimicrobial protein. significant reductions (approximat ...	2004	15163583
[instability of a cryptic plasmid in sinorhizobium meliloti p108 during symbiosis of it with alfalfa medicago sativa].	instability of cryptic plasmids in sinorhizobium meliloti laboratory strains skhm1-188, dm7-r, and p108 as well as in their clones isolated from nodules of alfalfa grown during a long-term microvegetation experiment (120 days) was studied. the isolated clones of strains skhm1-188 and dm7-r manifested stable inheritance of plasmids, whereas 12.7-14.0% of clones with changed plasmid profile were detected in a population of clones from strain p108. these segregants were designated as p108c. segrega ...	2004	15174277
use of sinorhizobium meliloti as an indicator for specific detection of long-chain n-acyl homoserine lactones.	population-density-dependent gene expression in gram-negative bacteria involves the production of signal molecules characterized as n-acyl homoserine lactones (ahls). the synthesis of ahls by numerous microorganisms has been identified by using biosensor strains based on the agrobacterium tumefaciens and chromobacterium violaceum quorum-sensing systems. the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacterium sinorhizobium meliloti is rapidly becoming a model organism for the study of quorum sensing. this organi ...	2004	15184178
infection and invasion of roots by symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing rhizobia during nodulation of temperate legumes.	bacteria belonging to the genera rhizobium, mesorhizobium, sinorhizobium, bradyrhizobium, and azorhizobium (collectively referred to as rhizobia) grow in the soil as free-living organisms but can also live as nitrogen-fixing symbionts inside root nodule cells of legume plants. the interactions between several rhizobial species and their host plants have become models for this type of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. temperate legumes such as alfalfa, pea, and vetch form indeterminate nodules that aris ...	2004	15187185
dietary risk factors and colonic ph and mineral concentrations in horses with enterolithiasis.	a prospective, unmatched case control study was performed to identify dietary and environmental risk factors for enterolithiasis in horses in california and to determine whether colonic ingesta analyses differed between horses with and without enteroliths. forty-three horses with enterolithiasis were compared with 19 horses with surgical colic attributable to nonstrangulating obstruction of the colon without enteroliths. colonic ingesta samples were collected at surgery from horses with enteroli ...	2004	15188822
comparison of brown midrib-6 and -18 forage sorghum with conventional sorghum and corn silage in diets of lactating dairy cows.	total mixed rations containing conventional forage sorghum, brown midrib (bmr)-6 forage sorghum, bmr-18 forage sorghum, or corn silage were fed to holstein dairy cows to determine the effect on lactation, ruminal fermentation, and total tract nutrient digestion. sixteen multiparous cows (4 ruminally fistulated; 124 d in milk) were assigned to 1 of 4 diets in a replicated latin square design with 4-wk periods (21-d adaptation and 7 d of collection). diets consisted of 40% test silage, 10% alfalfa ...	2004	15202648
effect of alfalfa forage preservation method and particle length on performance of dairy cows fed corn silage-based diets and tallow.	a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of including alfalfa preserved either as silage or long-stem or chopped hay on dmi and milk fat production of dairy cows fed corn silage-based diets with supplemental tallow (t). fifteen holstein cows that averaged 117 dim were used in a replicated 5 x 5 latin square design with 21-d periods. treatments (dm basis) were: 1) 50% corn silage:50% concentrate without t (cs); 2) 50% corn silage:50% concentrate with 2% t (cst); 3) 25% corn silage:25% short-c ...	2004	15202650
sinorhizobium meliloti sulfotransferase that modifies lipopolysaccharide.	sinorhizobium meliloti is a gram-negative soil bacterium found either in free-living form or as a nitrogen-fixing endosymbiont of a plant structure called the nodule. symbiosis between s. meliloti and its plant host alfalfa is dependent on bacterial transcription of nod genes, which encode the enzymes responsible for synthesis of nod factor. s. meliloti nod factor is a lipochitooligosaccharide that undergoes a sulfate modification essential for its biological activity. sulfate also modifies the ...	2004	15205418
xylella fastidiosa subspecies: x. fastidiosa subsp. [correction] fastidiosa [correction] subsp. nov., x. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex subsp. nov., and x. fastidiosa subsp. pauca subsp. nov.	xylella fastidiosa, a fastidious bacterium causing disease in over 100 plant species, is classified as a single species, although genetic studies support multiple taxons. to determine the taxonomic relatedness among strains of x. fastidiosa, we conducted dna-dna relatedness assays and sequenced the 16s-23s intergenic spacer (its) region using 26 strains from 10 hosts. under stringent conditions (tm -15 degrees c), the dna relatedness for most x. fastidiosa strains was *70%. however, at high stri ...	2004	15214634
soybean hulls as an alternative feed for horses.	soybean hulls have been successfully fed to ruminant animals as an economical substitute for hay. this feedstuff is a source of highly digestible fiber that does not contain starch. the purpose of this trial was to evaluate soybean hulls as a replacement fiber in horse diets. four cecally cannulated quarter horse geldings, aged 6 to 10 yr and averaging 502 kg, were used in a 4 x 4 latin square design with 21-d periods. diets consisted of alfalfa/bromegrass hay (14.4% cp, 58.1% ndf, 39.1% adf; dm ...	2004	15216992
metabolic and microbial responses in western crossbred and meishan growing pigs fed a high-fiber diet.	four duroc x white composite crossbred (21.8 +/- 1.0 kg bw) and four 12-wk-old meishan purebred (20.7 +/- 1.6 kg bw) growing barrows were used to determine the relative breed differences in metabolic and microbial responses to a high-fiber diet. the pigs were trained to consume 700 g of a diet containing 35% (as-fed basis) dehydrated alfalfa meal once daily. the pigs' daily intakes of dm, n, ge, ndf, and adf were 610 g, 16.6 g, 2.64 mcal, 150 g, and 88 g, respectively. on d 12 after surgical cat ...	2004	15217002
pancreatic exocrine secretion and plasma concentration of some gastrointestinal hormones in response to abomasal infusion of starch hydrolyzate and/or casein.	eight angus steers (290 +/- 8 kg), surgically prepared with pancreatic pouch-duodenal reentrant cannulas and abomasal infusion catheters were used in a replicated 4 x 4 latin square experiment to investigate the effects of abomasal infusion of starch hydrolyzate (sh) and/or casein on pancreatic exocrine secretion and plasma concentration of hormones. steers were fed a basal diet of alfalfa (1.2 x nem) in 12 equal portions daily. abomasal infusion treatments (6-l total volume infused per day) wer ...	2004	15217006
protective lactogenic immunity conferred by an edible peptide vaccine to bovine rotavirus produced in transgenic plants.	vaccines produced in transgenic plants constitute a promising alternative to conventional immunogens, presenting the possibility of stimulating secretory and systemic immunity against enteric pathogens when administered orally. protection against enteric pathogens affecting newborn animals requires, in most cases, the stimulation of lactogenic immunity. here, the group presents the development of an experimental immunogen based on expression of an immunorelevant peptide, ebrv4, of the vp4 protei ...	2004	15218166
a rab-related small gtp binding protein is predominantly expressed in root nodules of medicago sativa.	rab-related small gtp-binding proteins are known to be involved in the regulation of the vesicular transport system in eucaryotic cells. in this paper we report the isolation of the cdna clone ms- rab11f from medicago sativa (alfalfa) root nodules using a combination of rt-pcr and sscp analysis. ms- rab11f shows high homology to the rab-related cdna clone lj- rab11f from lotus japonicus root nodules. the ms-rab11f protein expressed in escherichia coli was found to bind gtp, confirming that the i ...	2004	15221459
preliminary ecotoxicological characterization of a new energetic substance, cl-20.	a new energetic substance hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (or cl-20) was tested for its toxicities to various ecological receptors. cl-20 (epsilon-polymorph) was amended to soil or deionized water to construct concentration gradients. results of microtox (15-min contact) and 96-h algae growth inhibition tests indicate that cl-20 showed no adverse effects on the bioluminescence of marine bacteria vibrio fischeri and the cell density of freshwater green algae selenastrum capricornutum respectively, ...	2004	15234161
effect of alkaline-stabilized biosolids on alfalfa molybdenum and copper content.	agricultural utilization of biosolids poses a potential risk to ruminant animals due to transfer of mo from biosolids to forage to the animal in amounts large enough to suppress cu uptake by the animal. alkaline-stabilized biosolids (asb) must be given particular consideration in assessment of mo risk because the high ph of these biosolids could increase mo and decrease cu uptake by forage legumes. in this 3-yr field experiment, asb and ground agricultural limestone (al) were applied based on th ...	2004	14964367
effect of forage quality on digestion and performance responses of cattle to supplementation with cooked molasses blocks.	we evaluated the effect of forage quality on response of cattle to supplementation with cooked molasses blocks. in exp. 1, 175 heifers had ad libitum access to prairie hay (5.2% cp, dm basis). treatments were a 2 x 3 factorial: supplementation with 0 or 1.96 kg/d of alfalfa dm, and supplementation with no cooked molasses block or with a low-protein or a high-protein cooked molasses block (14.4 and 27.5% cp, respectively, dm basis). there were no significant interactions between alfalfa and cooke ...	2004	14974547
evaluation of estrogenic activity in diets for experimental animals using in vitro assay.	we used a modified yeast-based human estrogen receptor alpha (er alpha) bioassay to determine the estrogenic activity in 22 kinds of diets for experimental animals. the estrogenic activity of each diet was reevaluated by comparison with a calibration curve of 17 beta-estradiol. almost all of the diets had estrogenic activity. the diets for rabbits and guinea pigs had the highest estrogenic activity compared to any other diets, including those for rats and mice. estrogenic activity was found in d ...	2004	14995154
sinorhizobium meliloti rpoh1 is required for effective nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with alfalfa.	sinorhizobium meliloti is a root-nodulating, nitrogen-fixing bacterium. an s. meliloti strain that is mutant for the rpoh(1) gene, which encodes a sigma(32)-like protein, elicits the formation of ineffective nodules on the host plant alfalfa. we characterized the rpoh(1) mutant for phenotypes related to symbiosis. alfalfa nodules formed by the rpoh(1) mutant exhibited greatly reduced levels of acetylene reduction activity compared to the wild-type nodules. whereas intracellular colonization by r ...	2004	15007732
optimization of diagnostic microarray for application in analysing landfill methanotroph communities under different plant covers.	landfill sites are responsible for 6-12% of global methane emission. methanotrophs play a very important role in decreasing landfill site methane emissions. we investigated the methane oxidation capacity and methanotroph diversity in lysimeters simulating landfill sites with different plant vegetations. methane oxidation rates were 35 g methane m-2 day-1 or higher for planted lysimeters and 18 g methane m-2 day-1 or less for bare soil controls. best methane oxidation, as displayed by gas depth p ...	2004	15008813
effects of dl-malate on in vitro forage fiber digestion by mixed ruminal microorganisms.	the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 0, 4, 8, and 12 mm dl-malate on the in vitro mixed ruminal microorganism fermentation of alfalfa hay and coastal bermudagrass hay. when alfalfa hay was the substrate, 4 and 8 mm dl-malate numerically increased propionate concentration, and 12 mm dl-malate increased (p < 0.10) propionate. all three concentrations of dl-malate decreased (p < 0.05) the acetate:propionate ratio. in coastal bermudagrass hay fermentations, all three dl-malate ...	2004	15018099
isolation and characterization of the early nodule-specific protein homologue (hev b 13), an allergenic lipolytic esterase from hevea brasiliensis latex.	recurring reports of a highly allergenic 42-46-kda protein in hevea brasiliensis latex appeared to have been resolved with the discovery of a 43-kda allergenic latex protein that was a homologue to patatin. however, the low to moderate prevalence of sensitization to the protein, designated hev b 7, among latex-allergic patients could not adequately explain the frequent observations of the 42-46-kda allergen. this led to the hypothesis that another, more allergenic protein of a similar molecular ...	2004	15024009
altered susceptibility to infection by sinorhizobium meliloti and nectria haematococca in alfalfa roots with altered cell cycle.	most infections of plant roots are initiated in the region of elongation; the mechanism for this tissue-specific localization pattern is unknown. in alfalfa expressing psugt1 antisense mrna under the control of the cauliflower mosaic virus (camv) 35s promoter, the cell cycle in roots is completed in 48 h instead of 24 h, and border cell number is decreased by more than 99%. these plants were found to exhibit increased root-tip infection by a fungal pathogen and reduced nodule formation by a bact ...	2004	15042410
similarities and differences between the subgenomic and minus-strand promoters of an rna plant virus.	promoter regions required for minus-strand and subgenomic rna synthesis have been mapped for several plus-strand rna viruses. in general, the two types of promoters do not share structural features even though they are recognized by the same viral polymerase. the minus-strand promoter of alfalfa mosaic virus (amv), a plant virus of the family bromoviridae, consists of a triloop hairpin (hpe) which is attached to a 3' trna-like structure (tls). in contrast, the amv subgenomic promoter consists of ...	2004	15047821
effect of different fibre types on the digestibility of nutrients in cats.	in this study the effect of different fibre types was investigated on the acceptance of foods (in a short-term study) and on the nutrients' digestibility by using 10 adult, castrated cats. peanut hull (ph, source of lignin), dried sugar beet pulp (sbp, source of hemicelluloses and pectin) and alfalfa meal (alf, source of cellulose) were mixed to a poultry meat based cat food in 10% on dry matter (dm) basis. the average dm intake did only slightly differ according to the type of fibre added. supp ...	2004	15059238
cel6b of thermobifidus fusca and a cel5-cbm6 of ruminococcus albus containing a cellulose binding site show synergistic effect on hydrolysis of native plant cellulose.	hydrolysis of cellulose requires two different types of cellulases: exo- and endocellulase. here, we investigated for the hydrolysis of cellulose by two types of cellulases, an endoglucanase (cel5) from ruminococcus albus fused with the xylanase a cellulose binding domain ii (cbm6) of clostridium stercorarium and thermobifidus fusca e3, an exoglucanase (cel6b). cel5-cbm6 or cel6b showed a linear relationship between the production of soluble sugars and the incubation time when native alfalfa cel ...	2004	15063503
balance and serum concentration of biotin in sheep fed alfalfa meal-based diets with increasing level of concentrate.	the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that serum biotin concentration and biotin balance (consumed - [urinary output + fecal output]) measured as total avidin-binding substances (biotin + biotin metabolites) are responsive to changes in the proportions of dietary alfalfa meal and concentrate fed to sheep. eight sheep (initial bw = 40 kg) consumed a pelleted alfalfa meal-based diet that had 95:5, 48:52, 23:77, or 9:91% alfalfa meal:concentrate ratios (dm basis) in a replicated 4 ...	2004	15080339
o-methylation of benzaldehyde derivatives by "lignin specific" caffeic acid 3-o-methyltransferase.	although s-adenosyl-l-methionine (sam) dependent caffeic acid/5-hydroxyferulic acid 3/5-o-methyltransferase (comt) is one of the key enzymes in lignin biosynthesis, the present work demonstrates that alfalfa comt methylates benzaldehyde derivatives more efficiently than lignin pathway intermediates. 3,4-dihydroxy, 5-methoxybenzaldehyde and protocatechuic aldehyde were the best in vitro substrates for omt activity in extracts from developing alfalfa stems, and these compounds were preferred over ...	2004	15081283
effect of alfalfa seed washing on the organic carbon concentration in chlorinated and ozonated water.	the bioassays assimilable organic carbon (aoc) and coliform growth response are better indexes than biological oxygen demand to determine water quality and water's ability to support the growth of bacteria. ozonated (5 mg/liter) and chlorinated tap water were used to wash alfalfa seeds for 30 min. after washing in the ozonated tap water, the aoc concentration increased 25-fold, whereas the dissolved ozone decreased to undetectable levels. the aoc levels for the chlorinated water after washing th ...	2004	15083737
biochemical and molecular characterization of transgenic lotus japonicus plants constitutively over-expressing a cytosolic glutamine synthetase gene.	higher plants assimilate nitrogen in the form of ammonia through the concerted activity of glutamine synthetase (gs) and glutamate synthase (gogat). the gs enzyme is either located in the cytoplasm (gs1) or in the chloroplast (gs2). to understand how modulation of gs activity affects plant performance, lotus japonicus l. plants were transformed with an alfalfa gs1 gene driven by the camv 35s promoter. the transformants showed increased gs activity and an increase in gs1 polypeptide level in all ...	2004	15197594
proline betaine accumulation and metabolism in alfalfa plants under sodium chloride stress. exploring its compartmentalization in nodules.	the osmoprotectant pro betaine is the main betaine identified in alfalfa (medicago sativa). we have investigated the long-term responses of nodulated alfalfa plants to salt stress, with a particular interest for pro betaine accumulation, compartmentalization, and metabolism. exposure of 3-week-old nodulated alfalfa plants to 0.2 m nacl for 4 weeks was followed by a 10-, 4-, and 8-fold increase in pro betaine in shoots, roots, and nodules, respectively. isotope-labeling studies in alfalfa shoots ...	2004	15235114
do organic amendments enhance the nematode-trapping fungi dactylellina haptotyla and arthrobotrys oligospora?	soil cages (polyvinyl chloride pipe with mesh-covered ends) were used to determine how the quantity of two organic amendments affected the nematode-trapping fungi dactylellina haptotyla and arthrobotrys oligospora, which were studied independently in two different vineyards. each cage contained 80 cm(3) of field soil (120 g dry weight equivalent), fungal inoculum (two alginate pellets, each weighing 1.9 mg and containing assimilative hyphae of one fungus), and dried grape or alfalfa leaves (0, 3 ...	2004	19262815
ovarian development and ovipositional preference of the western corn rootworm (coleoptera: chrysomelidae) variant in east central illinois.	the rotation of maize, zea mays l., and soybean, glycine max (l.) merr., has been the traditional cultural tactic to manage the western corn rootworm, diabrotica virgifera virgifera leconte, in the corn belt. the reduced effectiveness of this rotation as a pest management tool in east central illinois, northern indiana, and southern michigan can be explained by the shift in the ovipositional behavior of the new variant of western corn rootworm. the objective of this study was to evaluate the inf ...	2004	15154460
selenium biotransformations in an insect ecosystem: effects of insects on phytoremediation.	phytoremediation of selenium-contaminated soils may be influenced by higher trophic levels including insects. we examined how selenium affects the behavior, survival, and development of the wasp parasitoid cotesia marginiventris, parasitizing its natural host, the beet armyworm spodoptera exigua, feeding on alfalfa, medicago sativa, irrigated with water containing selenate. x-ray absorption spectroscopy was used to quantify the selenium chemical forms in each trophic level. alfalfa partially tra ...	2004	15296308
calcium/calmodulin up-regulates a cytoplasmic receptor-like kinase in plants.	calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases play an important role in protein phosphorylation in eukaryotes. however, not much is known about calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation and its role in signal transduction in plants. by using a protein-protein interaction-based approach, we have isolated a novel plant-specific calmodulin-binding receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase (crck1) from arabidopsis thaliana, as well as its ortholog from medicago sativa (alfalfa). crck1 does not show high ho ...	2004	15292241
lipids stimulate spore germination in the entomopathogenic ascomycete ascosphaera aggregata.	the alfalfa leafcutting bee (megachile rotundata) is solitary and managed on a large scale for pollination of alfalfa seed crops. the bees nest in holes drilled in wood or polystyrene blocks, and their larvae are highly prone to a fungal disease called chalkbrood. the most prevalent form of chalkbrood is caused by ascosphaera aggregata, but this ascomycete is difficult to culture. hyphae will grow on standard fungal media, but spore germination is difficult to achieve and highly variable. we fou ...	2004	15645171