The starch properties of the storage root (SR) affect the quality of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.). Although numerous studies have analyzed the accumulation and properties of starch in sweet potato SRs, the transcriptomic variation associated with starch properties in SR has not been quantified. In this study, we measured the starch and sugar contents and analyzed the transcriptome p...

Dr K COWCHER, Mr E McELLIGOTT, and Dr G W HANKS (Royal Marsden Hospital, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PT) write: Recent experience with a patient with advanced cancer and insulin dependent diabetes has brought to our attention the sugar content of Oramorph, a recently introduced formulation of oral morphine sulphate solution. Oramorph is manufactured in two strengths, 10 mg in 5 ml and 100 mg in 5 ml, a...

Sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in plant leaves have hitherto been investigated mainly in temperate plants, and rarely conducted in tandem with gene expression and sugar analysis. Here, we investigated the sugar content, gene expression, and the activity of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in the leaves of Hevea brasiliensis, a tropical tree widely cultivated for natural rubber. Sucrose, fructose and ...

Carbohydrate sources such as plant exudates, nectar and honeydew represent the main source of energy for many ant species and contribute towards maintaining their mutualistic relationships with plants or aphid colonies. Here we characterise the sensitivity, feeding response curve and food intake efficiency of the aphid tending ant, Lasius niger for major sugars found in nectar, honeydew and ins...

Soluble sugars not only serve as nutrients, but also act as signals for plant growth and development, but how sugar signals are perceived and translated into physiological responses in plants remains unclear. We manipulated sugar levels in transgenic plants by overexpressing sucrose synthase (SuSy), which is a key enzyme believed to have reversible sucrose synthesis and sucrose degradation func...

Fifty normal-weight college females tasted and rated 15 stimuli resembling cake frostings and composed of sucrose (20-77% weight/weight), butter (15-35% weight/weight), polydextrose and distilled water. Sweetness intensity ratings rose as a function of sucrose levels. In contrast, ratings of fat content were only poorly related to stimulus fat. Rather, the perception of fat depended on stimulus...

The changes in respiration rate and soluble sugar content of detached rice (Oryza sativa) leaves were followed during methyl jasmonate (MJ)-promoted senescence. Increase in the respiration of detached rice leaves was observed as a consequence of methyl jasmonate (MJ) treatment for 48 h. However, MJ had no effect on photosynthetic rate in rice leaves. Sucrose and glucose contents, but not fructo...

The carbohydrate contents of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is an important industrial factor for crystal sugar or bioethanol production. In this study the relationship between growth analysis and carbohydrate contents were studied to recognize the best growth stages for sweet sorghum harvesting. Five sweet sorghum cultivars and four sweet sorghum lines were evaluated for leaf area i...