N-terminal acetyltransferase (Nats) complex is responsible for protein N-terminal acetylation (Nα-acetylation), which is one of the most common covalent modifications of eukaryotic proteins. Although genome-wide investigation and characterization of Nat catalytic subunits (CS) and auxiliary subunits (AS) have been conducted in yeast and humans they remain unexplored in plants. Here we report on...

In 1999, 275 poplar trees were planted on a field site near a car factory in order to install a bioscreen. The aim was to combine the biodegradation activities of poplar and its associated rhizosphere and endophytic microorganisms for containing a BTEX contaminated groundwater plume. This BTEX plume occurred as the result of leaking solvents and fuel storage tanks. Monitoring, conducted overa 6...

The efficient aquisition of nutrients from leaves by insect herbivores increases their nutrient assimilation rates and overall fitness. Caterpillars of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) have high protein assimilation efficiencies (PAE) from the immature leaves of trees such as red oak (Quercus rubra) and sugar maple (Acer saccharum) (71–81%) but significantly lower PAE from their mature leav...

Background and Purpose: Conservation efforts across Europe and a substantial lack of information regarding the present status of black poplar (Populus nigra L.) in Slovenia led us to conduct this research. The objectives were to determine the presence of preserved native black poplar in Slovenia, to evaluate the variation within and between two selected populations, and to evaluate the conditio...

The potential for soil carbon (C) sequestration under short-rotation woody crops, like hybrid poplar (Populus spp.), is a significant uncertainty in our understanding of how managed tree plantations might be used to partially offset increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Through development of amulti-compartmentmodel,we reviewed information fromstudies on hybrid poplar and analyzed the pote...

Lignocellulose, which includes mainly cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, is a potential resource for the production of chemicals and for other applications. For effective production of materials derived from biomass, it is important to characterize the metabolites and polymeric components of the biomass. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been used to identify biomass componen...

BACKGROUND Lipoxygenases (LOXs) are important dioxygenases in cellular organisms. LOXs contribute to plant developmental processes and environmental responses. However, a systematic and comprehensive analysis has not been focused on the LOX gene family in poplar. Therefore, in the present study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the LOX gene family in poplar. RESULTS Using bioinformati...

Nacrtak Despite technological advancements in machinery for timber harvesting, chainsaws are fre­ quently used in forest operations. In Austria 85% of the wood volume harvested (15 million m3) are cut by chainsaws. The two most frequently documented ergonomic threats during motor manual felling include exposure to noise and vibration. This paper presents the results of exposure to hand-arm vibr...

Hybrid poplar trees (Populus deltoides x nigra DN34) were grown in a green-house using hydrocarbon-contaminated soil from a phytoremediation demonstration site in Health, Ohio. Two independent experiments investigated the effect of nutrient addition on poplar growth and the importance of oxygen addition to root development and plant growth. Biomass measurements, poplar height, and leaf color we...

The biological conversion of cellulosic biomass to biofuel is hindered by cell wall recalcitrance, which can limit the ability of cellulases to access and break down cellulose. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether hydroxyproline-rich cell wall proteins (extensins) are present in poplar stem biomass, and whether these proteins may contribute to recalcitrance. Three classical exte...