Cloning and starch degradation profile of maltotriose-producing amylases from Streptomyces species
The end products from starch hydrolysis by amylases have important applications in various industries. Here, two amylases derived from two Streptomyces species that hydrolyze soluble starch from potato produced maltotriose as the primary maltooligosaccharide product. The genes, annotated as putative glycoside hydrolases, were cloned and expressed in Streptomyces lividans. These amylases displayed hydrolysis activity from pH 3 to 9.5 and were not affected by Ca2+. Optimal production of maltotriose was between 20 and 30 °C at pH 6.5. At the optimal temperature, both amylases produced maltotriose-rich end products rather than either maltose or maltotetraose.
Cloning, expression, and nucleotide sequence of the alpha-amylase gene from the haloalkaliphilic archaeon Natronococcus sp. strain Ah-36
The alpha-amylase gene of a Natronococcus sp. (1,512 bp) contained a signal peptide of 43 amino acids. Haloferax volcanii expressed the gene and cleaved the signal peptide accurately. The signal peptide shared an extremely high amino acid sequence identity with that of a protease from the halophilic archaeon 172P1.
The infection process, sporulation and survival of Alternaria helianthi on sunflower
SUMMARY 
 
Electron microscopy was used to study the infection of sunflower leaves by Alternaria helianthi. Conidia germinated by producing one to many germ tubes which grew across the leaf surface before forming appressoria. The fungus directly penetrated its host through the cuticle and epidermis. Entry into the host through wounds and stomates was also observed. Extracellular sheaths were found to be associated with germ tubes and intercellular hyphae of A. helianthi. Conidiophores developed through collapsed stomates, from leaf veins, trichomes and also from mycelium growing across the host leaf surface. Microcylic conidia were produced directly from parent conidia under certain conditions. Studies using a volumetric spore trap showed that the airborne spore concentration followed a distinct periodicity with peaks occurring between 0900 and 1100 h each day. Laboratory studies showed that safflower, noogoora burr and bathurst burr could serve as alternative hosts for A. helianthi. The pathogen was readily isolated from sunflower crop debris from a diseased crop that had been harvested 1 yr earlier.