Selenium (Se) hyperaccumulator plants can concentrate the toxic element Se up to 1% of shoot (DW) which is known to protect hyperaccumulator plants from generalist herbivores. There is evidence for Se-resistant insect herbivores capable of feeding upon hyperaccumulators. In this study, resistance to Se was investigated in seed chalcids and seed beetles found consuming seeds inside pods of Se-hy...

Selenium is an essential micronutrient, although ingestion in excess in pigs can cause disease conditions including neurological dysfunction and chronic skin and hoof lesions. Controlled feeding trials in growing swine, using the same Se content in feed sources, resulted in higher concentrations (p < or = 0.05) of Se in blood and organs of pigs fed seleno-DL-methionine compared with those recei...

Sulfate and selenate uptake were investigated in both selenium (Se) hyperaccumulators (Astragalus racemosus and Astragalus bisulcatus) and closely related nonaccumulator species (Astragalus glycyphyllos and Astragalus drummondii). Sulfur (S) starvation increased Se accumulation, whereas increased selenate supply increased sulfate accumulation in both root and shoot tissues. cDNAs for homologs o...

Selenium fed to open cycling ewes in the form of sodium selenate or Astragalus bisulcatus (a selenium accumulator plant) at 24 or 29 ppm selenium, respectively, in alfalfa hay pellets did not alter the estrous cycle length, estrus behavior, progesterone or estrogen profiles, pregnancy rate or outcome of parturition (P > 0.05). There was wool loss in some ewes fed seleniferous pellets and the me...

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF STUDY A survey of the root-nodule symbiosis in Astragalus and its interaction with selenium (Se) has not been conducted before. Such studies can provide insight into how edaphic conditions modify symbiotic interactions and influence partner coevolution. In this paper plant-organ Se concentration ([Se]) was investigated to assess potential Se exposure to endophytes. • ...

A procedure has been developed for the isolation of transfer RNA from the selenium accumulator plant Astragalus bisulcatus. This material appears free of interfering phenolic compounds, has a high guanosine to cytidine ratio, shows a major and modified nucleoside composition characteristic of plant transfer RNAs, and exhibits chromatographic and electrophoretic properties similar to transfer RN...

• This study investigated how selenium (Se) affects relationships between Se hyperaccumulator and nonaccumulator species, particularly how plants influence their neighbors' Se accumulation and growth. • Hyperaccumulators Astragalus bisulcatus and Stanleya pinnata and nonaccumulators Astragalus drummondii and Stanleya elata were cocultivated on seleniferous or nonseleniferous soil, or on gravel ...

1. ATP sulphurylases were partially purified (20-40-fold) from leaf tissue of Astragalus bisulcatus, Astragalus racemosus (selenium-accumulator species) and Astragalus hamosus and Astragalus sinicus (non-accumulator species). Activity was measured by sulphate-dependent PP(i)-ATP exchange. The enzymes were separated from pyrophosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase activities. The properties of ...

Several plant species can tolerate high concentrations of selenium in the environment, and they accumulate organoselenium compounds. One of these compounds is Se-methylselenocysteine, synthesized by a number of species from the genus Astragalus (Fabaceae), like A. bisulcatus. An enzyme has been previously isolated from this organism that catalyzes methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine to se...