Maize Endosperm Tissue Grown in Vitro I. Culture Requirements

Abstract

IN RECENT YEARS the number of plant tissue cultures grown in vitro has been greatly increased. Other than the usual callus cultures derived from dicotyledonous plants (Gautheret, 1947a), tissues derived from monocotyledonous plants as well as from the Pinaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Filicinae, and the Lycopodinae have been established in culture. Curtis and Nichol (1947), obtained cultures of overgrowths produced by orchid embryos grown in vitro. Morel and Wetmore (1951a) were successful in growing callus tissues derived from the tubers of several tropical members of the Araceae. Ball (1950, 1953) has described the regeneration of new plants from Sequoia callus as well as the absorption of radioactive isotopes by these same cultures. Lowenberg and Skoog (1952) reported on their success in growing the callus produced by two species of Pinus embryos.Reports of several tissues derived from unusual morphological sources have also appeared recently in the literature. Thus, the endosperm of maize was first isolated by LaRue as a continuous culture in 1949. Morel and Wetmore (1951b) have grown Osmunda gametophyte callus in vitro. have established tissue cultures derived from the gametophyte of Lycopodium and the female gametophyte of Selaginella. The endosperm of Asimina triloba has been isolated by Lampton (1952) as a continuous tissue culture. Tulecke (1953) reported on the growth of a tissue which arose in in vitro cultures of Ginkgo pollen. This tissue appears to be the most unusual of all plant tissue cultures as it may represent an extended growth of the greatly reduced male gametophyte since the tissue appears to have arisen from the tube cell. Recently LaRue (unpublished) and his students have grown endosperm of Lolium perenne and stem tissues of Cryptomeria japonica, Cupressus [unebris, Theobroma cacao and Citrus aurantium as well as tobacco-root tumor tissue.None of the tissues mentioned in the above paragraph except for Osmunda gametophyte callus and newly cultured maize endosperm have been reported to differentiate any vascular elements or the more

Anthocyanin Synthesis in Corn Endosperm Tissue Cultures. I. Identity of the Pigments and General Factors.

“…As can be seen from the data in table I, the opposite growth effects are attributed to glucose and sucrose for these endosperm cultures. The same relative effectiveness of these sugars in the support of growth for endosperm cultures of a different variety of maize holds true (15). Increases in concentration of sucrose in the medium from 0.05 M to 0.2 M result in slight increases in pigment content.…”

“…The endosperm tissue cultures were isolated from the maize variety, 'Black Mexican Sweet', according to the methods described by Straus and LaRue (15). The nutrient medium contained White's major elements, Nitsch's trace elements (6), 0.5 % Seitzfiltered yeast extract, 2 % sucrose, and 0.9 % agar unless otherwise noted.…”

“…It would seem desirable to have a tissue devoid of chlorophyll and which synthesizes anthocyanin under ordinary circumstanices as an experimental tool with which to investigate anthocyanin synthesis. Therefore, when an anthocyanin-bearing strain of corn endosperm had been isolated as a continuing tissue culture (13,15), it was thought that this tissue might provide the i(leal experimental system for these studies.…”

Anthocyanin Synthesis in Corn Endosperm Tissue Cultures. II. Effect of Certain Inhibitory and Stimulatory Agents

“…It was found that asparagine at a concentration of 1.5 X 10-2 M added to the basal mineral-sugarvitamin medium supported better growth than either yeast extract or casein hydrolyzate. Details of the development of this synthetic medium are being published elsewhere (8).…”

Sorbitol as the Primary Carbon Source for the Growth of Embryogenic Callus of Maize

“…However, one area of investigation that has received little attention is carbohydrate utilization in vitro. Straus and LaRue (1954) first investigated the effects of various carbohydrates on the growth of maize endosperm cultures and determined that Suc was most effective in supporting growth of maize endosperm cultures. Since this early study, very little has been reported relative to altemative carbon sources in the culture of monocots, with the distinct exception of severa1 reports on carbon utilization in cultures of sugarcane.…”