Sheila R. Alcantara' and Saturnina C. Halos'*

'National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Science, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101
²Biology Department, College of Science, De La Salle University, Taft Avenue,
Manila, Philippines

(Received 19 May 19981 Accepted 2 July 1998)

Abstract.
The allele frequency distribution of the D1S80 locus of a Filipino (Davao) population was generated using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AMP FLP) analysis. Forty two (42) genotypes and 18 alleles ranging from <14 to >>41 repeat units were observed. The most common alleles were 18, 24, 30 and 31 repeats. Three rare alleles were found of which two (<14, >>41) were not previously reported in a Filipino population. This population was in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium with respect to this locus. The locus has an observed heterozygosity of 0.76, gene diversity of 0.86 and a power of discrimination of 0.95, making it a very useful marker for human identification and paternity testing. Using the DISSO allele frequency data, the genetic relationships of the Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Caucasians, Hispanics and African Americans were deduced by cluster analysis based on similarities. As expected, Filipinos and the 3 Asian populations Clustered together vis a vis a separate cluster of the Caucasians and Hispanics whereas the African Americans were well separated from these clusters. The analysis also indicated that the Chinese were more similar to the Japanese and the Koreans than they were to the Filipinos.

Keywords: allele frequency, VNTR, d1s80, Filipinos, genetic relationship

O.M. EI Sanousi¹, C.A. Ong², K Yusoff¹, S. Napis³ and N. Abdul Sarnad^1*

¹Dept. of Biochemistry and Microbiology, 3Dept. of Biotechnology,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
²MARDI Serdang, G.P. 0. Box 12301, 50 774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(Received 30 April 1998 / Accepted 31 October 1998)

Abstract.
Four cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) isolates from different hosts and localities were differentiated on the basis of biological and serological properties, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The first two isolates (CMV-3 and CMV-7) were isolated from tobacco in Telong, Kelantan; the third (CMV-4) was from chilli in MARDI Jalan Kebun, Klang; and the fourth isolate (CMV-6 ) was from purple cleome in Sri Kembangan, Selangor. These isolates could be distinguished from one another by the symptoms produced in several plant species. Aphid transmission tests revealed that all the isolates could be transmitted by Aphis gossypii Glover with higher efficiency than A. craccivora Koch. Immunodiffusion tests revealed that all the isolates were closely related since all the heterologous titres were within the same two fold dilution of each other. Double antibody sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (DAS-ELISA), revealed that the isolates CMV 3, 6, 7 had a closer relationship to each other than to CMV-4. All the isolates were closely related to D strain (DTL serogroup) but not to Q strain (ToRS serogroup), A single band of about 487 bp was successfully amplified from the coat protein gene of each of the CMV isolates. The PCR product could be digested by Msp I to produce two bands of approximately 337 and 151 bp but could not be digested by EcoR 1. Result of analysis of the biological and serological properties as well as PCR confirmed that all the isolates belonged to subgroup I of CMV.

Keywords: cucumovirus, host range, serology, PCR

M. A. Syed*, M. Marziah and A.M. Puad

Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor D.E

(Received 24 September 1998 / Accepted 2 November 1998)

Abstract.
Plant cell suspension culture was used to select and isolate for A1 tolerance cell lines in peanut. Selected Altolerant cells were then studied for cell growth and nitrogen metabolising enzyme activities in the presence and absence of A1. Under A1 stress, nitrate reductase (NR) activity of Al tolerant cells was higher compared to normal cells. Glutamine synthase (GS) activities also increased probably due to the increase in NH⁴⁺ uptake. However, glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH) activity in A1 tolerant cells grown in the presence of Al was lower compared to Al tolerant cells grown in the absence of A1. Glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT) activities on the other hand show little changes when Al tolerant cells were grown in the presence and absence of Al indicating that Al does not affect the enzyme activity in the Al tolerant cells. This condition was different in Al sensitive cells (normal cells) in which the presence of A1 resulted in the reduction of enzyme activity.

Keywords: aluminum, cell suspension cultures, tolerant, nitrogen metabolism

Garcia, R., Pimentel, E., Somonte, D., Mena, J., Zaldua, Z., Lopez, A., Moran, R., and Garcia*, M.

Centro de lngenieria Genetica y Biotecnologia. P.O. Box 387, C.P. 70100. Camaguey, CUBA

(Received 2 February 1998 / Accepted 16 July 1998)

Abstract.
Isolation of sweet potato protoplasts from different organs has been very difficult to develop, due to the recalcitrant behavior of this crop when it is manipulated in-vitro. An efficient protocol for protoplast isolation from leaf and stem tissues was established. Different enzyme combinations and concentrations were tested, as well as several digestion conditions. A hard enzymatic treatment, combined with mechanical separation of the cells from the digested tissue, led to a high protoplast yield. Other factors, such as the osmotic solution used in the different washing steps, and the starch concentration in the medium, were evaluated for their influence on the final protoplast recovery and viability. The transformation of isolated protoplasts was mediated by polyethylene glycol (PEG). The plasmid transient expression was detected by a spectrophotometrical P glucoronidase (GUS) assay.

Keywords: sweet potato, protoplast isolation, PEG mediated transformation