The tobacco genome contains duplicated QPT genes; QPT1 is expressed at a constitutive basal level, whereas QPT2 is regulated coordinately with other structural genes involved in nicotine biosynthesis, in terms of tissue specificity, jasmonate induction, and regulation by ERF189. The binding-site specificity of ERF189 was defined as 5′-(A/C) GC(A/C)(A/C) NCC-3′ by using a characterized tobacco putrescine N-methyltransferase promoter, and was then used to search for potential binding sites in the QPT promoters. Assays

involving in vitro DNA binding, transient transactivation, and transgenic hairy GDC-0068 price roots revealed that the QPT2 promoter contains three functional ERF189-binding sites, which individually confer incremental ERF189-mediated activation to the promoter. The QPT1 promoter is

not bound and regulated by ERF189. These results indicate that one copy of the duplicated QPT genes was recruited to a tobacco alkaloid regulon by evolving multiple target cis-regulatory elements of ERF189 in its promoter, to cope with an increased metabolic demand for pyridine AG 14699 precursors during active alkaloid biosynthesis.”
“To increase wetland acreage and biodiversity, Delaware agencies constructed >220 depressional wetlands. During construction, agencies included amendments thought to increase biodiversity. Because the efficacy of amendments is unknown, we investigated their effects on macroinvertebrate and vegetative communities. We selected 20 standardized wetlands (five contained

coarse woody debris (CWD) and microtopography amendments (land surface ridges and furrows), five had neither, five had CWD only, and five had microtopography only). Additionally, 12 wetlands had received organic matter amendments (i.e., straw). Insect richness (P = 0.010; r(2) = 0.16), insect biomass (P = 0.023; r(2) = 0.13), intolerant insect biomass (P = 0.033, r(2) = 0.03), Ephemeroptera biomass (P SYN-117 = 0.027; r(2) = 0.12), and Odonata biomass (P = 0.046; r(2) = 0.10) increased with CWD volume. Obligate plant percent cover increased with microtopographic variation (P = 0.029; r(2) = 0.120). Although organic matter amendments did not increase percent soil organic matter (t(13.7) = -1.16, P = 0.264), total (P = 0.027; r(2) = 0.12), native (P = 0.036; r(2) = 0.11), and facultative (P = 0.001; r(2) = 0.24) plant richness increased with percent soil organic matter. To enhance biodiversity, constructed wetlands should contain CWD, but additional research is needed to understand the benefits of microtopography and organic matter amendments. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.