Centre for Bioprocess Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston,
Birmingham, B 15 2TT, UK.
¹Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty ofEngineering,
Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
²Lonza Biologic Plc, 228, Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 4DY, UK

Received 28 February 2001 /Accepted 15 March 2001

Abstract.
The importance of programmed cell death or apoptosis during the cultivation of animal cell lines is becoming increasingly apparent. Because apoptosis contributes to a diverse variety of adverse and undesirable processes, understanding its regulatory control might provide insight into the mechanism of these conditions and suggest novel strategies to improve cell viability and productivity. In this review we describe the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the two distinct forms of cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) and the common techniques used to identify them. The mechanisms involved in apoptosis and its regulation at the molecular level aswell as the involvement and role of factors that appear to participate in the apoptotic process are also described. We also discuss progress on the development of novel solutions to improve culture productivity through the apoptotic route with illustrations of practical applications from the authors' own research.

Keywords: Apoptosis, programmed cell death, cell culture, biotechnology, bioreactor, survival gene

¹Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, Universiti Putra Malaysia; ²Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran; ³Department of Genetic and Plant Physiology, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands Tehran, Iran; ⁴Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

(Received 31 October 2000 / Accepted 20 February 2001)

Abstract.
An assessment on the infection status and viability of endophytic fungi in Iranian tall fescue would aid in identifying potentially desirable endophyte strains for use in genetic improvement of pasture and turf species. Nineteen tall fescue accessions collected from various regions were screened for Neotyphodium infection. Fifty seeds per accession were evaluated by microscopic staining methods to detect the presence of endophyte(s), and also to determine the infection rate in the collected tall fescue accessions. Out of the 19 accessions evaluated, 16 (84.2%) were found to be infected with endophyte(s) at infection rates of between 20 to 95%. Out of those infected, five accessions recorded infection rates of more than 90% while 3 accessions were free of endophytes. The occurrence of endophytic fungi were also determined in seedlings as an indication of fungal viability. Fifty tillers per accession were microscopically examined; and out of the 16 infected seed accessions analysed, 14 had viable endophytes in the seedlings. The incidence of endophytic fungi infection, based on the percentages of infection in seedlings, varied from 15% to 100%. The average rate of infection marginally decreased from seeds to seedlings suggesting the reduction in fungal viability upon seed storage. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of endophytic fungi in Iranian tall fescue germplasm c61lection and consequently the germplasm collection can provide a greater diversity of plant and fungus genotypes for introduction into future plant breeding programs.

Keywords: Endophytic fungi, Neotyphodium sp., Acremonium sp., tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea, symbiosis

¹Jabatan Kimia, 2Jabatan Biokimia dan Mikrobiologi, Fakulti Sains & Pengajian Alam Sekitar Universiti
Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Malaysia.

(Received 12 December 2000 / Accepted 10 April 2001)

Abstract.
Enzymatic synthesis of medium chain glycerides (MCG) from caprylic acid and glycerol was studied using lipase from Candida rugosa. The effects of various reaction parameters such as time course, type of organic solvents, molar ratio of substrates (mmol glycerol/mmol capric acid), amount of enzyme, and initial water activity (aw) were studied. The best condition tested for MCG synthesis at 37oC were respectively, at time, 24 h: molar ratio of substrates, 0.4 and amount of enzyme, 100.0 mg. Generally, the activity of lipase was high in non polar solvents with log P values from 3.60 to 5.60. The enzymatic synthesis of MCG was preferably carried out at an initial aw of 0.328, which resulted in maximum yield. Analysis of the products of reaction using gas chromatography showed that lipase from Candida rugosa seemed to produce only dicaprylin and tricaprylin.

Keywords: medium chain glycerides, lipase, esterification, solvents, water activity

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak,94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.

(Received 12 June 1998 / Accepted 12 December 2000)

Abstract.
Genomic DNA from sago palm was isolated using the cetyltrimethlammoniurn bromide (CTAB) method with some modifications. The RAPD technique, employing ten base synthetic oligonucleotides, was used to generate molecular markers for this tropical palm. Successful amplification of the sago genomic DNA was also obtained using a microsatellite sequence (GATA)4, These molecular markers will be potentially useful for genetic fingerprinting of sago palm for future breeding programmes.

Keywords: Sago palm, Molecular Markers, RAPD