The complete nucleotide sequence of the cassava (Manihot esculenta) chloroplast genome and the evolution of atpF in Malpighiales: RNA editing and multiple losses of a group II intron.
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Cassava genetic resources and their utilization for breeding of the crop.
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Wild cassava relatives are perennials and vary in growth pattern from nearly acaulescent subshrubs to small trees. They have been used as a source of useful characters such as high protein content, apomixis, resistance to mealybug and mosaic disease, and tolerance to drought. Indigenous clones are a potential source of beta-carotene and lycopene. Apomixis genes have been transferred to the crop successfully through interspeci fi c hybridization, and apomictic clones arising from these hybrids are now being grown at the Universidade de Brasilia. Interspeci fi c hybrids produced earlier were polyploidized and had their fertility restored. Different useful types of chimera were also produced. (+info)
Wild Manihot species: botanical aspects, geographic distribution and economic value.
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A total of 98 Manihot species have been recognized in the genus. All of them are native to the tropics of the New World, particularly Brazil and Mexico. The cultigen, Manihot esculenta Crantz (cassava), grows throughout the lowland tropics. Wild species vary in growth habit from acaulescent or short shrubs to tree-like. Because of their adaptations to different conditions, they are gene reservoirs for tackling many abiotic and biotic stresses such as improving root quality and resistance to diseases. They have been used successfully by the first author for improving protein content, seed-fertility, apomixis, resistance to mealy bug, and tolerance to drought. A table of the most important species from an economic viewpoint is presented. (+info)
Expression of hydroxynitrile lyase from Manihot esculenta in yeast and its application in (S)-mandelonitrile production using an immobilized enzyme reactor.
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Hydroxynitrile lyase from cassava, Manihot esculenta (MeHNL), catalyzes the formation of (S)-cyanohydrins from HCN and aldehydes or ketones. (S)-Mandelonitrile was produced on a bench scale with immobilized MeHNL, after optimizing the enzyme expression system using recombinant technology. MeHNL was cloned from a cDNA library prepared from a leaf of Manihot esculenta, and then expressed in a multi-auxotrophic mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. The maximum yield of active MeHNL was obtained by integrating transformation 4 times with a tandemly repeated expression cassette. Silica gel was the most suitable support for immobilization of the prepared enzyme from the recombinant yeast. Using this immobilized enzyme, 22 batches of (S)-mandelonitrile synthesis were performed in a 20 liters bioreactor (1 M benzaldehyde and 1.5 M HCN). During this operation, about 29 kg of (S)-mandelonitrile was produced from 23.3 kg of benzaldehyde, giving 98 mol % yield and a mean enantio excess of 98.9% ee. (+info)
Anatomical alterations due to polyploidy in cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz.
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Information on anatomical structure is needed by breeders working on improvement for drought tolerance. For studying the effect of polyploidy on cassava anatomy and its significance to tolerance to drought, we induced a polyploidy type of a selected clone (UnB 530) by applying an aqueous solution of 0.2% colchicine on lateral buds for a period of 12 h. The stem identified as tetraploid was propagated to produce the whole plant. Free-hand cross-sections of the median portion between stem internodes were made. They were clarified using 50% sodium hypochlorite solution, stained with 1% safranin-alcian blue, passed through an ethanol series and butyl acetate and mounted in synthetic resin. The tetraploid type showed more prismatic and druse crystals in the cortical parenchyma, and its pericycle fibers had thicker walls. The secondary xylem of tetraploid types was wider than diploid ones, having thinner walls and less starch. (+info)
Diversity of begomoviruses associated with mosaic disease of cultivated cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and its wild relative (Manihot glaziovii Mull. Arg.) in Uganda.
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