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The 14-3-3 protein is one of the best candidates for coordinating all plant metabolic pathways. To verify this suggestion transgenic potato plants with repression of one (J4 and J5 plants), two (G1 plants), and six (G3 plants) constitutive 14-3-3 protein isoforms as well as plants overexpressing the 14-3-3 protein were studied. Reduction in the 14-3-3 protein level in the J4 and J5 transformants, the G1 transformants, and the G3 transformants was close to 29, 41.5, 38, and 55%, respectively. In the case of the 14-3-3 overexpressing plants (J2), a 30% increase in protein content was detected. Changes in nitrate reductase (NR), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), and starch synthase (SS) activities in the transgenic plants perfectly reflect the overall 14-3-3 protein level. The highest increase in enzyme activities was observed for the G3 plants and the lowest for the J4 transformants. The same was detected for the measured metabolites. The highest increase in the protein, starch, and sucrose levels was detected in the tubers from the G3 transgenic plants. Because there was almost no change in the isoform ratio in the transgenic plants when compared to the control, it is suggested that it is the overall content of the 14-3-3 protein, rather than the content of particular isoforms, which plays a crucial role in the regulation of enzyme activities and thus in metabolite synthesis. The properties of the 14-3-3 overexpressing plants are very similar to those of the control ones, suggesting that the protein is in excess in the nontransformants and a further increase in its content is not recognized by cell metabolism. A considerable influence of the 14-3-3 protein level on potato plant metabolism was demonstrated. This effect was observed in key metabolic enzyme activities and metabolite content as well. A high variability between mean values, representing individual transgenes, with respect to nitrate reductase, sucrose phosphate synthase, and starch synthase activities in the examined genotypes was noted. These changes were closely correlated with metabolite levels, among them protein, starch, reducing sugars, and sucrose. The results obtained for the five types of transgenic potato plants in comparison with the control were statistically assessed using discriminate function and cluster analyses.

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From January to April 2012 we studied the occurrence of air-borne fungi in the Lubin mining site, property of KGHM Polska Miedź SA. The research was conducted in three copper-mining shafts: Bolesław, Lubin Zachodni (Lubin West shaft), and Lubin Głó wny (Lubin Main shaft) at about 610 to 850 meters below ground level. Air samples were collected between 6 and 9 a.m. using the impact method (Air Ideal 3P Sampler) onto Potato Dextrose Agar. The volume of air sampled for each agar plate was 50 liters. We found twenty-seven fungal species, the most numerous being Penicillium notatum, P. urticae, and Aspergillus flavus. As the application of log-linear and correspondence analyses have shown, the population of fungi varied considerably among the copper mine shafts or shaft parts. P. notatum and P. urticae were found to be the best adapted to grow in copper-mine conditions. The significant interaction among the shafts and the sample collection sites suggests a substantial microclimate influence on the population-size variations of studied fungal species in each shaft. The fungal-spore concentration in the majority of the shafts of this copper mine does not present a health risk to the mine workers. But it is enhanced in some portions of the mine, so it may constitute a health hazard locally.

In the years 2001 - 2003, there were analyzed relations between the number of Fusarium culmorum and F. avenaceum, fungi found on culm base parts of stalks of seven winter wheat cultivars, and preceding crop type as well as the cultivation system. The research was carried out in Poland, on light soil plots of a Lower Silesia-based experimental station subordinate to the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation (IUNG). The loglinear and correspondence analyses proved varying immunity of particular wheat cultivars to F. culmorum and F. avenaceum fungi. There were also observed significant differences in Fusarium diseases of wheat as dependent on precipitation and temperature in the growing season. The Kobra cultivar was highly resistant to F. avenaceum. The lowest amounts of F. culmorum fungi were detected in the culm base parts of the Izolda cultivar. The cultivation of corn, as a preceding crop for oats and for spring wheat, did significantly differentiate varieties of fungi in the cultivation systems examined. In the plough cultivation system, wheat was mainly infected by Fusarium culmorum, whereas in direct sowing, particular cultivars of wheat were mostly infected by F. avenaceum

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