title: Suspensions of plant cells in microgravity.
abstract: Electrofusion of evacuolated with vacuolated mesophyll protoplasts of Nicotiana spec. was performed as part of the German Sounding Rocket Program (TEXUS). The results indicate a significant increase not only in the yield of 1:1 fusion products, but also in homo- and multifusion products. Heterokaryons obtained under microgravity have been shown to be viable to a higher degree with respect to their ability for light-dependent oxygen evolution (independent of other substrates than bicarbonate). Furthermore we were able to regenerate hybrid plants from suspensions of vacuolated and evacuolated protoplasts which were pulse-treated under microgravity. These expressed characteristics intermediate to those of the parental plants (Nicotiana tabacum (cv. Samsun), evacuolated; N. rustica, vacuolated).
authors.affiliation: Universitat Tubingen, Botanisches Institut, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hampp
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Naton
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mehrle
mesh_terms: D002459:Cell Fusion; D004560:Electricity; D004867:Equipment Design; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D011523:Protoplasts / Q000502:physiology*; D011845:Radio; D012038:Regeneration; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000502:physiology; D014893:Weightlessness