The formation of abnormal amino acid residues is a major source of spontaneous age-related protein damage in cells. The protein l-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) combats protein misfolding resulting from l-isoaspartyl formation by catalyzing the conversion of abnormal l-isoaspartyl residues to their normal l-aspartyl forms. In this way, the PIMT repair enzyme system contributes to longevit...

Seed vigor is a complex property that determines the seed's potential for rapid uniform emergence and subsequent growth. However, the mechanism for change in seed vigor is poorly understood. The seeds of poplar (Populus × Canadensis Moench), which are short-lived, were stored at 30 °C and 75 ± 5% relative humidity for different periods of time (0-90 days) to obtain different vigor seeds (from 9...

Ageing induces seed deterioration expressed as the loss of seed vigor and/or viability. Priming treatment, which consists in soaking of seeds in a solution of low water potential, has been shown to reinvigorate aged seeds. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of naturally and accelerated aging on seed germination traits and enzyme activities (proxidase, catalase and superoxid dis...

Soybean seeds which had aged in long-term storage ("natural aging") or by exposure to high temperature and humidity ("accelerated aging") were analyzed for their tocopherol and organic free radical contents. Tocopherol levels remained unchanged during both types of aging. Three principal tocopherol homologues (alpha, gamma, delta) were present in fairly constant proportions throughout. Organic ...

The traditional Indian medicine-Ayurveda, describes various herbs, fats, oils and minerals with anti-aging as well as wound healing properties. With aging, numerous changes occur in skin, including decrease in tissue cell regeneration, decrease in collagen content, loss of skin elasticity and mechanical strength. We prepared five topical anti-aging formulations using cow ghee, flax seed oil, Ph...

Mitochondria are the source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells and play a central role in the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycles; however, ROS production and regulation for seed germination, seedling growth, as well as mitochondrial responses to abiotic stress, are not clear. This study was conducted to obtain basic information on...

Changes in seeds of soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr. var. Wayne) which occur during accelerated aging (41 C, 100% relative humidity) showed subsequent loss of vigor, a decline in early respiratory activity, increased leakage of electrolytes, losses of as much as 10% dry weight from imbibing cotyledons, and a decrease in the swelling response of the imbibing system (seed plus H(2)O). Each of the...