普通烟草与毛曼陀罗族间体细胞杂交的研究

采用PEG／DMSO融合法，从普通烟草(Nicotiana tabacum L.cv.Xanthi nc)叶肉和毛曼陀罗(Datura innoxia Mill.)茎或叶愈伤组织原生质体融合获得I5株花盆中健康生长的族间体细胞杂种植株;其中11株是在没有选择压力的条件下获得，4株则是在有IOA和R6G选择系统存在下获得。同时获得一株试管开花且形态异常的植株和一株花盆中生长的嵌合植株。lOmM IOA和I5μ g／ml R6G均能分别有效地抑制烟草叶肉和毛曼陀罗愈伤组织原生质体的分裂;10% DMSO能显著提高原生质体融合率;PEG种类并不重要，但浓度则很重要;BAP较ZT，KT对植株分化有更好的诱导效果。杂种的形态、细胞、同工酶、Southern杂交，花粉育性分析结果如下：1、l5株杂种较双亲普遍株型矮小，生长缓慢，形态接近烟草但不很正常，根据形态特征可分为两种类型：(1)共有8株，其叶片大小、形状、颜色、开花习惯、花类型（单花）等均与毛曼陀罗接近，但子房败育;(2)共有7株，其株型、叶片形状、颜色、光滑度、花形状、类型（圆锥状花序）、颜色更接近烟草，但少数杂种开单花或先单花后圆锥状花序或先单花后两种花并存，且开花时间不一，部分子房败育。2、杂种染色体数目大都在60～90之间，个别者较少(48条)或较多(125条)，没有一株为双二倍体(2n=96)，并全部为混倍体。3、15株杂种植株均有双亲的细胞色素氧化酶同工酶特征谱带;大部分都有双亲的过氧化物酶同工酶特征谱带，少都仅具烟草的谱带。4、Hae Ⅲ／水稻rDNA的Southern杂交分析表明杂种1较双亲多一条谱带，杂种2较双亲也多一条弱带，其它杂种尚待定。5、花粉活力测定表明毛曼陀罗（种子再生而来）的为99%，烟草（原生质体再生而来）为80～90%，而杂种的为24～61%，育性普遍低于双亲。

通过体细胞杂交由大黍向水稻转移无融合生殖基因的研究

本论文以无融合生殖的大黍(Panicum maximum Jacp.)作为无融合生殖基因的供体，试图通过体细胞杂交方法向水稻(Oryza sativa L．)导入无融合生殖基因。结果如下：采用PEG融合法，诱导水稻原生质体与大黍原生质体融合，经过融合体筛选、培养，成功地获得了再生水稻植株。在融合前，水稻原生质体经过2.5 mM碘乙酰胺(IOA)在室温(22～25℃)条件下处理15分钟，大黍原生质体经过60Kr软x射线照射或不做任何处理。经双亲处理选择系统获得移栽成活的25株再生植株;经水稻单亲处理选择系统获得移栽成活再生植株3株。这两类融合再生植株（经双亲处理选择系统获得的25株和经单亲处理选择系统的3株）在花器官形态、结构及生殖特性上与对照亲本水稻植株有显著的差异，出现多花药（一朵颖花具7至11枚，甚至13枚花药）、多胚珠（一个子房内2～3个胚珠）及多胚囊（一个胚珠中2个以上胚囊）等现象;雌、雄性育性显著降低或完全消失，仅有5株能够少量结实，I-KI溶液着色的花粉从0至68%不等;胚胎学检查表明不能结实的植株雌性均不育，即不能分化出正常的胚囊结构。进一步的检查正在进行中。

猕猴桃属两个种的原生质体培养与体细胞杂交

猕猴桃是重要的栽培果树，但目前栽培品种过于单一，不能满足生产和消费的需求。由于猕猴桃的雌雄异株特性、种间杂交亲合性差、遗传上高度杂合以及育种周期长等特点，常规杂交育种困难很大。现代生物技术，如原生质体培养和体细胞杂交等，为培育新品种提供了新途径。 毛花猕猴桃(Actinidia eriantha)和软枣猕猴桃(A.arguta)是猕猴桃属中具有重要利用价值的两个种。毛花猕猴桃果实大小在猕猴桃属中次于中华猕猴桃(A.chinensis)和美味猕猴桃(A.deliciosa)列第三位，果实维生素C含量达1014 mg/l00 g FW。软枣猕猴桃极耐寒，在-40℃下可安全越冬，其果实表面光滑无毛。这两个种是品种改良的重要种质资源。 作为生物技术基础的组织培养与植株再生系统，在毛花猕猴桃上尚未见报道。软枣猕猴桃的组织培养仅有一例报道，且芽分化率和分化系数都很低。这两个种的原生质体培养及与美味猕猴桃的原生质体融合也未见报道。针对这种情况，本试验对毛花猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃的组织培养、原生质体培养及其与美味猕猴桃品种“Hayward”的原生质体融合进行研究，结果建立了较理想的毛花猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃组织培养系统;首次从毛花猕猴桃原生质体得到再生植株和从软枣猕猴桃原生质体培养再生愈伤组织;通过改进融合方法，建立了毛花猕猴桃+美味猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃+美味猕猴桃的原生质体融合体系，并将异核体培养分裂得到细胞团。这些结果有利于今后毛花猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃资源的开发利用。主要试验结果如下： 以毛花猕猴桃试管实生苗叶片和茎段为外植体，培养在附加一定浓度Zea或CPPU的MS培养基上，产生的愈伤组织不经转代就可分化芽。试管苗茎段在附加0.0025 mg/L CPPU和0.1 mg/LIAA的MS培养基上愈伤组织产生、芽分化和苗生长都较理想;试管苗叶片则以附加0.025 mg/L CPPU和0.l mg/LIAA或0.5 mg/L Zea和0.1 mg/LIAA的MS培养基较好。当苗生长至1.0 cm时经诱导生根形成完整植株。 在软枣猕猴桃组织培养中，外植体种类、诱导培养基的激素种类和诱导分化时细胞分裂素种类都有重要影响。无菌苗茎段容易愈伤组织化，但分化困难;叶片外植体产生愈伤组织较难，但分化容易。在含Zea的MS培养基上，两种外植体产生的愈伤组织不经转代即能分化芽。分化培养基中添加Zea能有效地诱导芽分化，其中以2.0 mg/L Zea芽的分化最好，而Kin和BAP在0.5- 2.0 mg/L浓度范围内愈伤组织不分化。 以毛花猕猴桃或软枣猕猴桃试管苗叶片为分离原生质体的材料。试管苗的培养条件对原生质体分离效果及其培养反应有显著影响。弱光培养条件对两个种试管苗的原生质体分离及其培养都有好处，试管苗培养基也有重要影响。毛花猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃试管苗合适培养基分别为MS基本培养基（大量元素减半）和MS+0.00025 mg/L CPPU+ 0.1 mg/LIAA。在此条件下培养的两个种的试管苗叶片，经酶解后原生质体产量分别为0.7-1.8×l06和3.0-3.5×l06/1 g FW，其原生质体在合适培养基上能够分裂。 毛花猕猴桃原生质体培养在MS培养基（去除NH4N03）附加l.0mg/L2，4-D液体培养基中，约10天时发生第一次分裂，分裂能持续下去并在培养3个月时形成约2mm大小愈伤组织。直接将其转入固体培养基中使其增殖和分化。在附加Zea 0.5 mg/L+ O.l mg/L IAA的MS培养基上继代2次，愈伤组织开始分化芽。芽伸长后切下诱导生根，形成完整植株。软枣猕猴桃原生质体培养基中，MS培养基附加2，4-D配合Zea或Kin对启动分裂是必须的，其中以MS＋2，4-D 0.5 mg/L+ Zea 0.5 mg/L最好，在此培养基上原生质体第一次分裂发生在4-6天时，培养12-14天时见到第三次分裂，培养三周的分裂频率为23%。培养45天后形成许多小愈伤组织块。软枣猕猴桃原生质体再生的愈伤组织从液体培养基转入固体培养基后未见进一步分裂。 对18株毛花猕猴桃原生质体再生植株的体细胞染色体数目作了观察，其中12株为整倍体，二倍体和四倍体各六株;另外六株为混倍体，其染色体数目变化在59-203之间。还发现原生质体再生植株有丝分裂间期细胞存在多核现象，有多核细胞的共10株，细胞内多核数目以双核和三核较常见，最多的有七个核。原生质体供体植株为2n=2x=58，未发现多核细胞。原生质体再生植株体细胞多核现象未见报道。 利用毛花猕猴桃或软枣猕猴桃叶片原生质体分别与愈伤组织来源的美味猕猴桃原生质体进行融合，融合方法为高Ca++高pH值PEG法。对Kao等(1975)报道的融合步骤作了修改。影响融合效率的因素主要有PEG种类、融合作用时间和融合液中DMSO浓度。最佳的融合条件为40%PEG (Sigma，MW3350)+10%DMSO，作用40 min。毛花猕猴桃+美味猕猴桃和软枣猕猴桃+美味猕猴桃的融合频率分别可达14.5%和13.6%。异核体经培养可分裂并形成细胞团。

Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Between Cloned and Zygote-Developing Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryos at the Dome Stage Using Suppression Subtractive Hybridization

Comparative analyses of differentially expressed genes between somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos and zygote-developing (ZD) embryos are important for understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the reprogramming processes. Herein, we used the suppression subtractive hybridization approach and from more than 2900 clones identified 96 differentially expressed genes between the SCNT and ZD embryos at the dome stage in zebrafish. We report the first database of differentially expressed genes in zebrafish SCNT embryos. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that zebrafish SCNT embryos undergo significant reprogramming processes during the dome stage. However, most differentially expressed genes are down-regulated in SCNT embryos, indicating failure of reprogramming. Based on Ensembl description and Gene Ontology Consortium annotation, the problems of reprogramming at the dome stage may occur during nuclear remodeling, translation initiation, and regulation of the cell cycle. The importance of regulation from recipient oocytes in cloning should not be underestimated in zebrafish.

Transfer of amiprophosmethyl resistance from a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia mutant by somatic hybridisation

Transfer of resistance to the phosphorothioamidate herbicide, amiprophosmethyl (APM), from the P-tubulin mutant of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia to the interspecific N, plumbaginifolia (+) N, sylvestris is and to the intertribal N, plumbaginifolia (+) Atropa belladonna somatic hybrids has been demonstrated. Transfer to the recipient species was accomplished by: (1) symmetric hybridisation and (2) asymmetric hybridisation using gamma-irradiation of donor protoplasts. Cytogenetic analysis confirmed the hybrid origin of the hybrids obtained. It was established that most of them typically inherited no more than three donor chromosomes, although it was possible to obtain symmetric hybrids in the case of symmetric fusion. Immunofluorescent microscopy analysis has shown that protoplasts of the mutant, and of the N. plumbagini-folia (+) N. sylvestris and N. plumbaginifolia (+) A. belladonna hybrids, retained the normal structure of interphase microtubule (MT) arrays and mitotic figures after treatment with 5 mu M APM, whereas MTs of protoplasts of the recipients were destroyed under these conditions. It was also shown that hybrid clones contained an altered beta-tubulin isoform originating from the N. plumbaginifolia mutant. The selected hybrid clones were characterised by cross-resistance to trifluralin, a dinitroaniline herbicide with the same mode of anti-MT action. Some of the somatic hybrids which could flower were fertile. It was established that seeds of some fertile hybrids were able to germinate in the presence of 5 mu M APM. The results obtained thus support the conclusion that the technique of somatic hybridisation, especially asymmetric fusion, can be used to transfer APM resistance from the N. plumbaginifolia mutant to different (related and remote) plant species of the Solanaceae, including important crops.

Regeneration and characterization of somatic hybrids combining sweet orange and mandarin/mandarin hybrid cultivars for citrus scion improvement

Protoplast fusion between sweet orange and mandarin/mandarin hybrids scion cultivars was performed following the model "diploid embryogenic callus protoplast + diploid mesophyll-derived protoplast". Protoplasts were isolated from embryogenic calli of 'Pera' and 'Westin' sweet orange cultivars (Citrus sinensis) and from young leaves of 'Fremont', Nules', and 'Thomas' mandarins (C. reticulata), and 'Nova' tangelo [C. reticulata x (C. paradisi x C. reticulata)]. The regenerated plants were characterized based on their leaf morphology (thickness), ploidy level, and simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers. Plants were successfully generated only when 'Pera' sweet orange was used as the embryogenic parent. Fifteen plants were regenerated being 7 tetraploid and 8 diploid. Based on SSR molecular markers analyses all 7 tetraploid regenerated plants revealed to be allotetraploids (somatic hybrids), including 2 from the combination of 'Pera' sweet orange + 'Fremont' mandarin, 3 'Pera' sweet orange + 'Nules' mandarin, and 2 'Pera' sweet orange + 'Nova' tangelo, and all the diploid regenerated plants showed the 'Pera' sweet orange marker profile. Somatic hybrids were inoculated with Alternaria alternata and no disease symptoms were detected 96 h post-inoculation. This hybrid material has the potential to be used as a tetraploid parent in interploid crosses for citrus scion breeding.

A gymnosperm homolog of SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE-1 (SERK1) is expressed during somatic embryogenesis

The physiological and molecular processes controlling zygotic and somatic embryo development in angiosperms are mediated by a hierarchically organized program of gene expression. Despite the overwhelming information available about the molecular control of the embryogenic processes in angiosperms, little is known about these processes in gymnosperms. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of the expression pattern of the Araucaria angustifolia putative homolog of a SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (SERK) gene family member, designated as AaSERK1. The Araucaria AaSERK1 gene encodes a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase showing significant similarity to angiosperm homologs of SERK1, known to be involved in early somatic and zygotic embryogenesis. Accordingly, RT-PCR results showed that AaSERK1 is preferentially expressed in Araucaria embryogenic cell cultures. Additionally, in situ hybridization results showed that AaSERK1 transcripts initially accumulate in groups of cells at the periphery of the embryogenic calli and then are restricted to the developing embryo proper. Our results indicate that AaSERK1 might have a role during somatic embryogenesis in Araucaria, suggesting a potentially conserved mechanism, involving SERK-related leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases, in the embryogenic processes among all seed plants.

WUSCHEL-related genes are expressed during somatic embryogenesis of the basal angiosperm Ocotea catharinensis Mez. (Lauraceae)

Ocotea catharinensis is a basal angiosperm and an endangered tree species from the Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest. Despite its economical and ecological importance, mass-propagation of this species is hampered by seldom-produced short-lived seeds, and in vitro propagation is challenged by frequently malformed somatic embryos. Therefore, O. catharinensis somatic embryos are also a good experimental material to study the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying in vitro morphogenesis. In an ongoing effort to characterize genes expressed during somatic embryogenesis of O. catharinensis we have cloned two Ocotea WUSCHEL-related genes. According to our RT-PCR data, both genes were preferentially expressed in embryogenic cell aggregates. One of them, OcWUS, is a possible ortholog of the Arabidopsis WUSCHEL (WUS) gene, which codes for a homeodomain-containing protein involved in the specification and maintenance of the shoot apical meristem. We analyzed the expression patterns of OcWUS and OcWOX4 by RT-PCR, and OcWUS expression was also assessed by in situ hybridization. The expression patterns of OcWUS were very similar to those described for the Arabidopsis WUS. OcWUS transcripts were generally restricted to a small group of cells in the center of the putative shoot apical meristem of O. catharinensis somatic embryos. Perturbed expression of OcWUS might be related to abnormally formed somatic embryos of O. catharinensis obtained through tissue culture.

The NF-{kappa}B negative regulator TNFAIP3 (A20) is inactivated by somatic mutations and genomic deletions in marginal zone lymphomas

Unique and shared cytogenetic abnormalities have been documented for marginal zone lymphomas (MZLs) arising at different sites. Recently, homozygous deletions of the chromosomal band 6q23, involving the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, A20) gene, a negative regulator of NF-kappaB, were described in ocular adnexal MZL, suggesting a role for A20 as a tumor suppressor in this disease. Here, we investigated inactivation of A20 by DNA mutations or deletions in a panel of extranodal MZL (EMZL), nodal MZL (NMZL), and splenic MZL (SMZL). Inactivating mutations encoding truncated A20 proteins were identified in 6 (19%) of 32 MZLs, including 2 (18%) of 11 EMZLs, 3 (33%) of 9 NMZLs, and 1 (8%) of 12 SMZLs. Two additional unmutated nonsplenic MZLs also showed monoallelic or biallelic A20 deletions by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and/or SNP-arrays. Thus, A20 inactivation by either somatic mutation and/or deletion represents a common genetic aberration across all MZL subtypes, which may contribute to lymphomagenesis by inducing constitutive NF-kappaB activation.

Mapping and cloning of genes from portions of the human genome using somatic cell hybrids

Human x rodent somatic cell hybrids have played an important role in human genetics research. They have been especially useful for assigning genes to chromosomes and isolating DNA markers from specific regions of the human genome.^ By employing a combination of somatic cell genetic, recombinant DNA, and cytogenetic techniques, human DNA excision repair gene ERCC4 was mapped regionally to human 16p13.13-13.2, even though the gene has not been cloned. Human x Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell hybrids selected for human ERCC4 activity and containing 16p13.1-p13.3 as the only human genetic material were identified. These hybrids were used to order DNA markers located in 16p13.1-p13.3. New DNA markers physically close to ERCC4 were isolated from such hybrids. Using amplified human DNA from the hybrids as probe in fluorescent in situ hybridization, the short arm breakpoint in the chromosome 16 inversion associated with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML) was found to be physically close to the ERCC4 gene. The physical mapping and eventually, the cloning of the ERCC4 gene, will benefit the understanding of the DNA repair system and the study of other important biomedical problems such as tumorigenesis.^ To facilitate the cloning of ERCC4 gene and, in general, the cloning of genes from any defined regions of the human genome, a method was developed for the direct isolation of human transcribed genes ffom somatic cell hybrids. cDNA was prepared from human x rodent hybrid by using consensus 5$\sp\prime$ splice site sequences as primers. These primers were designed to select immature, unspliced messenger RNA (still retaining species specific repeat sequences) as templates. Screening of a derived cDNA library for human repeat sequences resulted in the isolation of human clones at the anticipated frequency with characteristics expected of exons of transcribed human genes. The usefulness of the splice site specific primers was analyzed and the cDNA synthesis conditions with these primers were optimized. The procedure was shown to be sensitive enough to clone weakly expressed genes. Studying the expression of the represented genes with the isolated clones was shown to be feasible. Such regional specific human gene fragments will be very valuable for many human genetic studies such as the search of inherited disease genes and the construction of a cDNA map of the human genome. ^

CHROMOSOMAL MAPPING, LINKAGE RELATIONSHIPS, AND EVOLUTIONARY STUDIES OF THE HUMAN ANONYMOUS DNA CLONE D1S1 (IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION, PRIMATES, GENE MAPPING, AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA, GENE DUPLICATION)

D1S1, an anonymous human DNA clone originally called (lamda)Ch4-H3 or (lamda)H3, was the first single copy mapped to a human chromosome (1p36) by in situ hybridization. The chromosomal assignment has been confirmed in other laboratories by repeating the in situ hybridization but not by another method. In the present study, hybridization to a panel of hamster-human somatic cell hybrids revealed copies of D1S1 on both chromosomes 1 and 3. Subcloning D1S1 showed that the D1S1 clone itself is from chromosome 3, and the sequence detected by in situ hybridization is at least two copies of part of the chromosome 3 copy. This finding demonstrates the importance of verifying gene mapping with two methods and questions the accuracy of in situ hybridization mapping.^ Non-human mammals have only one copy of D1S1, and the non-human primate D1S1 map closely resembles the human chromosome 3 copy. Thus, the human chromosome 1 copies appear to be part of a very recent duplication that occurred after the divergence between humans and the other great apes.^ A moderately informative HindIII D1S1 RFLP was mapped to chromosome 3. This marker and 12 protein markers were applied to a linkage study of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP). None of the markers proved linkage, but adding the three families examined to previously published data raises the ADRP:Rh lod score to 1.92 at (THETA) = 0.30. ^

Carcinogen-induced loss of heterozygosity at the Aprt locus in somatic cells of the mouse

Genetic events leading to the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) have been shown to play a crucial role in the development of cancer. However, LOH events do not occur only in genetically unstable cancer cells but also have been detected in normal somatic cells of mouse and man. Mice, in which one of the alleles for adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Aprt) has been disrupted by gene targeting, were used to investigate the potency of carcinogens to induce LOH in vivo. After 7,12-dimethyl-1,2-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) exposure, a 3-fold stronger mutagenic response was detected at the autosomal Aprt gene than at the X chromosomal hypoxantine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Hprt) gene in splenic T-lymphocytes. Allele-specific PCR analysis showed that the normal, nontargeted Aprt allele was lost in 70% of the DMBA-induced Aprt mutants. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that the targeted allele had become duplicated in almost all DMBA-induced mutants that displayed LOH at Aprt. These results indicate that the main mechanisms by which DMBA caused LOH were mitotic recombination or chromosome loss and duplication but not deletion. However, after treatment with the alkylating agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, Aprt had a similar mutagenic response to Hprt while the majority (90%) of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced Aprt mutants had retained both alleles. Unexpectedly, irradiation with x-rays, which induce primarily large deletions, resulted in a significant increase of the mutant frequency at Hprt but not at Aprt. This in vivo study clearly indicates that, in normal somatic cells, carcinogen exposure can result in the induction of LOH events that are compatible with cell survival and may represent an initiating event in tumorigenesis.

Somatic mosaicism in Fanconi anemia: Evidence of genotypic reversion in lymphohematopoietic stem cells

Somatic mosaicism has been observed previously in the lymphocyte population of patients with Fanconi anemia (FA). To identify the cellular origin of the genotypic reversion, we examined each lymphohematopoietic and stromal cell lineage in an FA patient with a 2815–2816ins19 mutation in FANCA and known lymphocyte somatic mosaicism. DNA extracted from individually plucked peripheral blood T cell colonies and marrow colony-forming unit granulocyte–macrophage and burst-forming unit erythroid cells revealed absence of the maternal FANCA exon 29 mutation in 74.0%, 80.3%, and 86.2% of colonies, respectively. These data, together with the absence of the FANCA exon 29 mutation in Epstein–Barr virus-transformed B cells and its presence in fibroblasts, indicate that genotypic reversion, most likely because of back mutation, originated in a lymphohematopoietic stem cell and not solely in a lymphocyte population. Contrary to a predicted increase in marrow cellularity resulting from reversion in a hematopoietic stem cell, pancytopenia was progressive. Additional evaluations revealed a partial deletion of 11q in 3 of 20 bone marrow metaphase cells. By using interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization with an MLL gene probe mapped to band 11q23 to identify colony-forming unit granulocyte–macrophage and burst-forming unit erythroid cells with the 11q deletion, the abnormal clone was exclusive to colonies with the FANCA exon 29 mutation. Thus, we demonstrate the spontaneous genotypic reversion in a lymphohematopoietic stem cell. The subsequent development of a clonal cytogenetic abnormality in nonrevertant cells suggests that ex vivo correction of hematopoietic stem cells by gene transfer may not be sufficient for providing life-long stable hematopoiesis in patients with FA.

Comparative genomic hybridization analysis of craniopharyngiomas

Object. Craniopharyngioma is the most common childhood brain tumor and is thought to arise from embryonic remnants of the Rathke pouch. Some craniopharyngiomas are monoclonal in origin and hence presumably harbor somatic genetic alterations, although the precise molecular mechanisms involved in craniopharyngioma development are unknown. The goal of this study was to identify genetic alterations in craniopharyngiomas. Methods. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in development of these tumors, the authors analyzed nine adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas by using comparative genomic hybridization. Six tumors (67%) displayed at least one genomic alteration, and three had six or more alterations. Only two tumors displayed a decrease in DNA copy number, and in all others an increase in DNA copy number was noted. Conclusions. The authors conclude that a subset of craniopharyngiomas consists of monoclonal tumors arising from activation of oncogenes located at specific chromosomal loci.

Somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis and plant regeneration in taro (Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta)

Callus was initiated in three different ‘‘esculenta’’ taro cultivars by culturing corm slices in the dark on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for 20 days followed by subculture of all corm slices to half-strength MS medium containing 1.0 mg/l thidiazuron (TDZ). Depending on the cultivar, 20–30% of corm slices produced compact, yellow, nodular callus on media containing TDZ. Histological studies revealed the presence of typical embryogenic cells which were small, isodiametric with dense cytoplasms. Somatic embryos formed when callus was transferred to hormone-free medium and *72% of the embryos germinated into plantlets on this medium. Simultaneous formation of roots and shoots during germination, and the presence of shoot and root poles revealed by histology, confirmed that these structures were true somatic embryos. Plants derived from somatic embryos appeared phenotypically normal following 2 months growth in a glasshouse. This method is a significant advance on those previously reported for the esculenta cultivars of taro due to its efficiency and reproducibility.