Plant seeds protect their genetic material against dehydration

Friday, December 2, 2011

Plant seeds represent a special biological system: They remain in a dormant state with a significantly reduced metabolism and are thus able to withstand harsh environmental conditions for extended periods. The water content of maturing seeds is lower than ten percent. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne have now discovered that the genetic material in seeds becomes more compact and the nuclei of the seed cells contract when the seeds begin to mature. The seeds probably protect their genetic material against dehydration in this way.

Plants prepare for changing environmental conditions in the best possible way by developing dormant seeds. Seeds that mature in autumn, for example, have no problem surviving the harsh conditions of winter. And when the seeds encounter more pleasant external conditions in spring, they germinate and reboot their metabolism, which has been running at a low speed. In archaeological excavations, seeds have even been found that had survived for several thousand years and were still able to germinate.

Dry seeds represent a transitional stage between embryonic and seedling stages. During developmental transitions, the genes that control the new state must be activated while the genes for the "old" stage are silenced. The genes in the cell nucleus are surrounded by proteins. This complex ? the chromatin ? can be tightly or loosely packed. The degree of compactness of the chromatin regulates the activity of the genes: the more "open" the chromatin, the better the genes can be read.

It was not known up to now whether the reduced metabolic activity or low water content of seeds was linked with changes in the chromatin. The research team working with Wim Soppe from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research has now shown in studies on the thale cress that the cell nuclei clearly contract during seed maturation and the chromatin compacts as part of this process. Both processes are reversed during germination. "The size of the nucleus is independent of the state of dormancy of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds," says Soppe. Instead, the reduction of the nucleus is an active process, the function of which is to increase resistance to dehydration. Again, the condensation of the chromatin arises independently of the changes in the nucleus.

Thanks to the discoveries of the Cologne-based researchers it may be possible to protect other organisms against dehydration, as the mechanisms that regulate the organisation of the chromatin have undergone little or no change over the course of evolution.

###

Martijn van Zanten, Maria A. Koini, Regina Geyer, Yongxiu Liu, Vittoria Brambilla, Dorothea Bartels, Maarten Koornneef, Paul Fransz, and Wim J. J. Soppe
Seed maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana is characterized by nuclear size reduction and increased chromatin condensation
Advance online publication 28 November 2011, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1117726108 PNAS

Max-Planck-Gesellschaft: http://www.mpg.de

Thanks to Max-Planck-Gesellschaft for this article.

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Zach Johnson takes 1-shot lead over Woods

Tiger Woods lines up a shot from the rough to the fifth fairway during the third round of the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Tiger Woods lines up a shot from the rough to the fifth fairway during the third round of the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Tiger Woods hits from the fourth tee during the third round of the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Tiger Woods hits from the gallery to the third hole green during the third round of the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

Matt Kuchar putts on the third green during the third round of the Chevron World Challenge golf tournament at Sherwood Country Club, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) ? Tiger Woods lost his three-shot margin with every shot that looked good until the wind decided otherwise. He lost his lead Saturday in the Chevron World Challenge because of something that was really out of his control.

Zach Johnson was 163 yards away in the 18th fairway, one shot behind and hopeful of getting his 7-iron onto the top shelf to make par as easy as possible. Imagine his surprise when it landed near the hole and hopped back into the cup for an eagle that put him atop the leaderboard.

"I would have been happy with a 4, let alone a 3," Johnson said. "A 2 is a steal."

That eagle gave him a 4-under 68, allowing him to make up a four-shot deficit on Woods and take a one-shot lead into the final round of the final official event this year in America.

Woods had three bogeys on the par 5s and didn't feel as though he did much wrong. On two of them, he hit wedges that looked good until the cool, gusting wind shifted directions and sent the ball much farther than he imagined. On the other par 5, his fairway metal hit a gust and dropped into a hazard.

The result was a 1-over 73. The prognosis wasn't nearly as bad.

"Even though I made three bogeys on par 5s, I had two three-putts, but I played well," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots that ended up in bad spots because I had bad gusts. So be it. That's the way it goes.

"I'm right there with a chance going into tomorrow."

Johnson was at 8-under 208 and will be in the final group with Woods, one shot behind. K.J. Choi overcame a double bogey on the par-5 second hole for a 72 and was three shots out of the lead. No one else was closer than five.

Woods had the 36-hole lead for the second straight tournament, and for the second straight time failed to break par in the third round. He felt differently Saturday than he did at the Australian Open in Sydney, where he opened with three straight bogeys and finished the day six shots out of the lead.

"Most of the time today, it wasn't me," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good shots today."

The wind was strong and chilly from the start, and rarely stayed the same direction very long. With a wedge in his hand, Woods went some 40 feet long on the second hole that led to a three-putt bogey. Another wedge on the par-5 13th sailed over the green and left a pitch he had no chance to get close.

Both players ran into trouble on the par-5 16th.

Johnson was playing in the group ahead of Woods, felt the breeze in his face and tried to hammer a driver that went left of the grass and into the gallery. He tried to clear a creek and went into the trees to the right before pitching out and taking a bogey.

Woods was in the fairway, but says a gust took his fairway metal too far right and into a hazard. He thought about trying to hit out behind a pair of rocks before choosing to take a penalty drop, and he also made bogey.

The difference was how they finished.

Johnson three-putted the 17th for another bogey, then drilled his 7-iron at the flag on the 18th for the most unlikely finish to his round. Woods had to settle for pars.

Johnson didn't realize his eagle on the final hole was for the lead. And even though he has a one-shot advantage, he doesn't think he's in contention until the final hour of any tournament.

Being in the last group with Woods, who has gone 26 starts since his last win?

"He's never going to shock me on the golf course because he's certainly the best player I've ever played with," Johnson said. "I'm glad I'm playing this week and I have the opportunity to go into Sunday with at least a chance."

Johnson, a former Masters champion, saw his streak end this year of four straight seasons winning on the PGA Tour. The Chevron World Challenge counts toward the world ranking, but is not official for the tour. He still wouldn't mind using it as a springboard for the next season, much like Tom Lehman did in the early days of this event, and Jim Furyk did in 2009.

For Woods, going from a three-shot lead to a one-shot deficit was not the end of the world.

He felt as though he played as well as he had the first two days, without having much luck with the wind. And for a guy who has gone two years without winning, the hardest part of hoisting a trophy is getting a chance.

Woods still had his three-shot lead when he chipped in from behind the fourth green for birdie. The wind was at its worst on the sixth hole, gusting hard with leaves scattered about the fairway. Woods felt it at his back and to the right, yet as the ball was in the air, it came against him from the left. He came up well short, chipped 7 feet by the hole and lipped out.

Hunter Mahan was the first player to make a run at Woods, going out in 33 and tying for the lead briefly after Woods had a three-putt bogey on the par-3 eighth.

Woods seemed to steady himself with a beautiful flop shot on the 10th that ran up the bank and trickled back 4 feet from the cup, and a solid approach to 18 feet for a two-putt birdie on the 11th.

But he went long of the 13th, turning a birdie hole into a bogey. He made a mess of the 16th with his penalty shot. And he had nothing to match an eagle from the fairway by Johnson on the final hole.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-03-Chevron%20Challenge/id-dc92bd94bd6c418fb60f0ebf0d7d625a

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EVDrive offers first batch of e-Moto-CRF250R bikes for $13,700

Motocross riders, go electric and the wildlife will love you for it. In fact, equip yourselves with second-generation e-Moto-CRF250R from EVDrive and human onlookers will love you too, because the 80 horsepower Honda electric motor is plenty sufficient for catching high altitudes and hurtling between trees at 70MPH. It should run for up to 110 minutes on a charge and perform much like its fossil-fueled equivalent, while also being less expensive to run and a heck of a lot quieter. How much quieter? Click past the break for a video of the previous e-Moto in action -- and honestly, there's no need to adjust your volume dial.

Continue reading EVDrive offers first batch of e-Moto-CRF250R bikes for $13,700

EVDrive offers first batch of e-Moto-CRF250R bikes for $13,700 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VP Biden, Iraqi leaders praise troops' sacrifices (AP)

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq ? Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday thanked U.S. and Iraqi troops for sacrifices that he said allowed for the end of the nearly nine-year-long war, even as attacks around the country killed 20 people, underscoring the security challenges Iraq still faces.

Biden's comments came during a special ceremony at Camp Victory, one of the last American bases in this country where the U.S. military footprint is swiftly shrinking. The ceremony was hosted by the Iraqi government as a way to commemorate the sacrifices of U.S., Iraqi and coalition forces during the nearly nine-year-long war.

"Because of you and the work that those of you in uniform have done, we are now able to end this war," Biden told the hundreds of American and Iraqi service members assembled at Al Faw palace, which was built by Saddam Hussein.

Joined by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani, Biden said the United States takes "immense" pride in what American troops have done in Iraq. He said they are leaving with their heads held high.

By the symbolism at Al Faw, which has served as the U.S. military's headquarters almost since the first U.S. troops battled their way through here in 2003, it was apparent who was on the way in and who was on the way out.

Iraqi flags and tinsel, a favorite Iraqi decoration for festive occasions, replaced the American flags that used to line the driveway to the palace. Iraqi flags hung from the palace walls. After the ceremony was over, the Iraqi band members took out their packs and started smoking ? almost unheard of in U.S. military facilities.

Talabani, referring at times to "our friends, the Americans," praised the troops for their sacrifices and said that based on the "joint efforts" of the coalition and Iraqi forces, stability in the country has been restored.

Biden's eighth visit to Iraq since being elected started on Tuesday and was meant to chart a path for a new U.S. relationship with a country that is home to billions of barrels of oil reserves and more closely aligned with neighboring Iran than the U.S. would like.

But even as the remaining American troops prepare to leave by the end of the year, violence and instability are still a constant in Iraq, albeit dramatically less so than at the height of the conflict.

Two separate attacks on Thursday in Iraq's northeast killed 20 people and wounded 32.

A parked car bomb exploded at an open marketplace in the town of Khalis as morning shoppers were starting to arrive, killing 13 and wounding 28 people, according to the police and Faris al-Azawi, the spokesman of Diyala's health directorate.

Khalis, a Shiite enclave 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Baghdad, lies in the largely Sunni province of Diyala that was a hotbed of al-Qaida in Iraq during the height of the country's violence in 2004-2007.

Earlier at dawn ? also in Diyala ? gunmen stormed the home of an anti-al-Qaida Sunni fighter in the town of Buhris, killing him and six of his family members, said al-Azawi. Buhriz is located about 35 miles (60 kilometers) north of Baghdad.

Iraqi security officials maintain that they are fully prepared for the American withdrawal, which is required under a 2008 security pact between the U.S. and Iraq. About 13,000 U.S. troops are still in the country, down from a one-time high of about 170,000. All of those troops will be out of the country by the end of December.

But many Iraqis are concerned that insurgents may use the transition period to launch more attacks in a bid to regain their former prominence and destabilize the country.

Thursday's deaths bring to at least 56 the number of Iraqis killed in separate attacks across the country in the past eight days, a warning that even more violence may be in the offing ahead of the American withdrawal.

Biden did not address the day's violence directly, but emphasized that Iraqi security forces would be able to protect the country without their one-time American military backers.

"It doesn't mean that the threats are over. Far from it. Violent extremists continue to launch appalling attacks against innocent civilians, fire deadly rockets at diplomats merely trying to do their jobs and threaten Iraqi troops and police," Biden said.

"But Iraqi security forces have been well-trained, prepared and you are fully capable of meeting the challenges," he said.

The vice president also alluded to the threat of neighboring Iran, which U.S. officials have repeatedly accused of financing Shiite militias who then attack American troops and diplomats. In what appeared to be a warning to Iran ? perhaps Iraq as well ? Biden described the Iraqi spirit as "independent."

"The Iraqi people will not, have not, and will not again yield to any external domination, and they would never abide another nation violating their sovereignty by funding and directing militias that use Iraqi terrain for proxy battles that kill innocent Iraqi civilians," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report from Baghdad.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iraq/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq

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Volt is drivers' favorite, topping even Porsche

By Dan Carney

A Chevrolet Volt electric is shown at GM's Flint, Mich., plant. The car is wildly popular among owners.

The Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car is the most popular among owners, topping a perennial favorite that costs twice as much,?the Porsche 911,?and a recent addition, the Dodge Challenger, according to an annual survey published Thursday by Consumer Reports.

The magazine was?careful to specify that?only the Challenger equipped with the ?That thang got a Hemi innit?? V8 engine was named to the list, and not the girly-man fuel-sipping V6 version.

But I digress.? The Volt is the overall winner of the owner?satisfaction survey, with the announcement coming at a time when the Volt is in the news for a less-good reason: fires in crash-tested vehicles days or weeks after the crash.? Ninety-three percent of owners surveyed said they would buy the Volt again, compared with 91 percent of 911 and Challenger buyers.

The Volt has a starting list price of $41,000, compared with $82,100 for the Porsche and about $30,000 for the Challenger.

Porsche via AP

The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera is due out in February. The current edition of the car, which came in second in Consumer Reports' annual owner satisfaction survey, sells for $82,000 and up.

Chevy also grabbed the last spot on the list with the Aveo minicar, which would only retain 37 percent of its owners.? The Aveo has since been replaced by the Sonic (see review here), ensuring, at least, that the Aveo will not be last again next year. (See the full list here. Subscription required.)

Volt drivers are happy with their cars for a couple reasons.? Firstly, they are electric vehicle?zealots, and they would be happy with an EZ-Go golf cart as long as it was fully charged.? EV zealotry even tops sports car zealotry, as seen by the Volt?s defeat of the 911, which is popular among sports car zealots despite its high price, useless back seat and thirst for fuel.

?These models reflect a larger trend we?ve seen in recent years: sporty cars and fuel-efficient cars with alternative drivetrains tend to generate more enthusiasm and loyalty than most other types of vehicles,? said Rik Paul, Consumer Reports automotive editor.

The second reason for Volt owners? satisfaction is the dedicated manservant Volt adviser issued by Chevrolet who talks with owners daily about the Volt?s awesomeness.?? ?From the very beginning we?ve tried to provide an extraordinary customer experience to go with the technology,? said GM spokesman Greg Martin.

The combination of engaged owners and continuous discussion between GM and Volt owners has stemmed any rush to the exits even since the reports?of?post-crash-test fires.? For the record, these fires took place days or weeks after extreme crash testing in which the Volt successfully protected occupants and earned the highest possible safety scores.

Following the tests, the cars? batteries were left fully charged, and because the car were also rolled over and because the battery coolant system was damaged in the tests, coolant leaked onto the charged batteries and eventually sparked fires.

The lesson here is to get out of a crashed car within a few days, and be sure to turn off the lights when exiting.? A gasoline car might not be as obliging in providing an opportunity to climb out before combusting.

Despite recent safety concerns about the Chevy Volt's battery, the popularity of electric cars is picking up traction, with CNBC's Phil LeBeau.

In the real world, ?five or six? Volts have been totaled in severe crashes, with no fires resulting, Martin said.

To mollify any potential concerns while GM undertakes its investigation into how best to prevent post-crash fires, the company is offering a free loaner car to Volt owners who prefer to park their electric car for now. GM CEO Daniel Akerson even has offered to?buy back the Volts of anyone who is concerned about the fire hazard, according to The Associated Press.

The number of drivers asking for a loaner car is ?a handful,? according to Martin.? Hmm, that?s suspiciously similar to the number who have already crashed their cars.? Is anyone checking to see if the people asking for loaners have already totaled their Volt?

{"contentId":"9142147","totalVotes":"7045"}

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House passes bill to end public election funding (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The House on Thursday passed a bill to end the public financing of presidential campaigns. It would dismantle a system set up after the Watergate scandal of the 1970s that has been overshadowed in recent years by the huge sums of private money pouring into elections.

The bill would remove from income tax forms the check-off box where taxpayers can voluntarily steer $3 into a fund for presidential primaries and general elections. The Republican-backed measure passed 235-190 on a nearly party-line vote.

It now goes to the Senate, where the Democratic majority is unlikely to take it up.

President Barack Obama eschewed public funds when he was running for president, but the White House opposed the bill. A White House statement said the legislation would expand the power of special interests in elections and "force many candidates into an endless cycle of fundraising at the expense of engagement with voters in the issues."

The measure also would eliminate an election oversight agency created after the disputed 2000 presidential vote.

The sponsor of the bill, Republican Gregg Harper of Mississippi, said it was time to terminate a program largely ignored by taxpayers and candidates, as well as the Election Assistance Commission, which he called obsolete. The legislation, he said, "eliminates one government program that virtually no one uses and shuts down an agency that has completed the task it was assigned."

It would transfer any leftover money from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account to the Treasury for deficit reduction. The funds currently hold about $200 million.

Rep. Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, said public financing and the commission were established to "restore accountability to Washington and ensure that people are heard. All this bill will do is weaken further what little faith the American electorate have left."

Public financing, which officially started in 1976, has been on the decline in recent years because of public disinterest and the massive infusion of private money into campaigns. The proportion of taxpayers directing a part of their tax payment into the funds dropped from 20 percent in 1988 to 7.4 percent in 2008, the last presidential election year. The check-off amount was increased from $1 to $3 in 1993.

Obama became the first presidential candidate in a general election to decline public financing; candidates who take it must accept restrictions on raising private money. Obama was able to raise nearly $750 million, multiple times what he would have received from federal assistance. Because of that, the Federal Election Commission says public funding dropped from nearly $240 million in 2000 to $139 million in 2008. This year, no candidate has asked for primary matching funds.

"It was destroyed three years ago by then-candidate Obama," Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said of public financing. "We might as well not spend any more taxpayer funds on it. May it rest in peace."

The Obama administration has argued that the system should be fixed rather than dismantled, but Democratic-led efforts to strengthen public financing have made little headway.

Groups seeking to improve the election system, including Common Cause, Democracy 21, Public Citizen and the League of Women Voters, urged the defeat of the Harper legislation, saying public financing has become even more important after the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision that eased restrictions on corporate spending in political campaigns.

"The presidential public financing system should be repaired, not repealed. The Election Administration Commission should be strengthened, not terminated," the groups wrote to lawmakers.

Harper argues that the commission has outlived its usefulness, having completed its primary mission of overseeing the distribution of some $3 billion to states to update voting equipment and voter registration systems. He says the commission spends more than half its budget on administrative costs, and its remaining duties can be shifted to the FEC.

The election commission says it continues to test and certify voting equipment, reducing duplication and saving local election officials time and money. It also provides training and data to election officials.

The legislation would also end federal assistance for the two parties' presidential conventions. The FEC says both parties have already received initial payments of almost $18 million from the Treasury for planning and conducting their 2012 nominating conventions.

The House last January passed a bill that would have eliminated public financing for presidential elections, but it died in the Senate. The House in June took up a Harper bill aimed specifically at getting rid of the EAC, but it fell short of getting the two-thirds majority under a special procedure.

___

The bill is H.R. 3463.

___

Online:

Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_go_co/us_house_elections

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