Thirty-five fungal strains which isolated from vegetable wastes, were screened for the use of polygalacturonic acid as the sole carbon source. Twenty-five isolates were positive for polygalacturonase activity in cup-plate assay, as evidenced by clear hydrolysation zones. The most productive strain was determined by measuring clear zones formed around colonies stained with ruthenium red.</em...

Aerial parts of the plant (250 g) were collected during flowering in April 2000 from Tehran province in Iran. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation of air-dried aerial parts in an all-glass apparatus. The sample oil that was light yellow in color was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and stored under nitrogen in a sealed vial until required. The essential oil was examined by GC...

Background: Pectinases are pectin degrading class of enzymes including polygalacturonase (PG), polymethyl galacturonase (PMG), pectate lyase (PEL), and pectin esterase (PE) that are commonly used in processes involving the degradation of plant materials, such as speeding up the extraction of fruit juices. Objectives: A highly methylated pectin degrading bacterium from soil covered with fruit wa...

From the marine sponge Halichondria panicea a lectin was isolated and characterized. The homogeneous lectin (composed of protein to 80.7% and of neutral carbohydrates to 14.1%) had a molecular weight of 78,000 (determined by gel filtration) and consisted of four subunits with a molecular weight of 21,000 each (determined by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate). The hem...

Aerial parts of the plant (250 g) were collected during flowering in April 2000 from Tehran province in Iran. The essential oil was obtained by steam distillation of air-dried aerial parts in an all-glass apparatus. The sample oil that was light yellow in color was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and stored under nitrogen in a sealed vial until required. The essential oil was examined by GC...

Recent work showed that polygalacturonate (pectate) chemistry controlled the growth rate of the large-celled alga Chara corallina when turgor pressure (P) was normal (about 0.5 MPa). The mechanism involved calcium withdrawal from the wall by newly supplied pectate acting as a chelator. But P itself can affect growth rate. Therefore, pectate chemistry was investigated at various P. A pressure pr...

As the result of recent researches our knowledge of the pectic substances of plants has become more systematic, and it is proposed in the present paper to adhere to the nomenclature adopted by the American Pectin Symposium of 1925. Thus we are now acquainted with protopectin, the naturally occurring pectic substance; pectin, the substance extracted from the plant by chemical or other means with...

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most aluminum (Al)-resistant crop species among the small-grain cereals, but the mechanisms responsible for this trait are still unclear. Using two rice cultivars differing in Al resistance, rice sp. japonica 'Nipponbare' (an Al-resistant cultivar) and rice sp. indica 'Zhefu802' (an Al-sensitive cultivar), it was found that Al content in the root apex (0-10 mm) was si...