光强对砂仁叶片光合作用光抑制及热耗散的影响

通过测定不同光照条件下砂仁 (AmomumvillosumLour.)叶片气体交换和叶绿素荧光参数 ,探讨了光对其光合机构及其光破坏防御的影响。试验期间 ,上午 11:0 0之前有雾 ,光强较弱。上午砂仁阳生叶净光合速率 (Pn)与下午 (6 .5 3μmol·m-2 ·s-1)相似 ,高于阴生叶 (5 .94μmol·m-2 ·s-1) ,下午阴生叶Pn 高于上午 ,与阳生叶相似。下午砂仁叶片表观量子效率低于上午。其初始荧光 (Fo)、最大荧光 (Fm)、光系统Ⅱ (PSⅡ )最大光能转换效率 (Fv/Fm)、Fm/Fo 及PSⅡ的潜在效率 (Fv/Fo)随日光增强而降低 ,15 :0 0降至最低 ,表明光抑制逐渐加剧。之后随光强减弱这些叶绿素荧光参数升高 ,光抑制得到缓解。与此相反 ,非光化学猝灭系数 (qN)随光强的增加而升高 ,并一直维持在较高水平 ,表明依赖叶黄素循环的保护性反应逐渐增强。阳生叶的光抑制比阴生叶强烈 ,当日遮荫处理使光抑制缓解 ,但各处理间qN 差异不大 ,表明热耗散未受显著影响。结论 :弱光下砂仁叶片即发生光抑制 ,在不同光照下其光抑制的普遍发生 ,是依赖叶黄素循环的保护性反应 ,而非光破坏的结果 ;砂仁叶片叶黄素循环的启动不需过剩光能 ,不同光处理对其影响不大 ;砂仁对光的适应能力较强。     

刺栲（Castanopsis hystrix）的气体交换和叶绿素a荧光特征

用LI-6400便携式光合测定系统和PAM-2100便携式植物荧光分析仪分别在初夏和秋季测定了广州龙眼洞林场刺栲(Castanopsishystrix)幼树叶片的气体交换和叶绿素a荧光参数。结果表明:1)刺栲冠层阳生叶的光饱和点为400μmolphotonsm-2s-1,最大光合速率在4-6μmolm-2s-1之间,说明刺栲幼树保持阳生植物的特征。阴生叶与阳生叶的叶绿素a/b值相似,均约为2.4,而阴生叶叶绿素b含量高于阳生叶,表明阴生叶具有潜在利用弱光的能力;2)刺栲幼树冠层叶片的PSⅡ的最大光化学效率Fv/Fm和光化学量子产额(Yield)的日动态变化在中午略有下降,说明其在强光下能发生可逆性的光抑制。刺栲冠层阳生叶的最大光合能力比较低,整个冠层叶能高效而稳定地利用散射和透射光,这些特征使得常绿的刺栲幼树能在林边或林下良好生长,较好地适应不同的光环境并成功渡过幼苗期,最终成为群落中的上层优势种。     

基于叶绿素荧光成像及荧光参数分布特征的叶片光合异质性定量分析

植物叶片光合作用具有高度的空间异质性,叶绿素荧光成像技术为叶片光合异质性的研究提供了便利,但叶片光合异质性的定量分析并没有得到广泛应用。本文利用ImagingPAM叶绿素荧光成像系统,获得 中亚热带地区越冬期小叶榕（Ficus microcarpa）阳生叶和阴生叶的叶绿素荧光参数图像,并利用仪器的分析软件对其进行分析,定量比较了阳生叶和阴生叶的光合异质性特征。研究发现：越冬期小叶榕阳生叶的光合异质性和光抑制程度明显高于阴生叶,变异系数可作为光合异质性的定量指标。低温强光导致阳生叶坏死率（P_LN）达4.30%,并有53.30%的区域处于严重光抑制（0<F_v/F_m<0.627）,但仍有42.27%的区域仅为轻度光抑制（0.627≤ F_v/F_m<0.800）。而低温弱光并未造成阴生叶坏死和严重光抑制。通过对光系统Ⅱ（PSⅡ）的实际光合效率 （Y（Ⅱ））、调节性能量耗散的量子产额（Y（NPQ））和非调节性能量耗散的量子产额（Y（NO））荧光参数异质性的定量分析表明,阳生叶具有相对较高的光化学能力,阴生叶则具有相对较高的热耗散能力;冬季强光虽然会导致小叶榕阳生叶PSⅡ严重激发压积累,存在严重光抑制的潜在风险,但其致死面积并不大,叶片中仍存在一定面积低激发压的低风险区,而低温弱光下的阴生叶则主要以低风险区域为主。     

铀在小麦幼苗中的积累分布及其对叶片光系统活性的影响

分别采用不同浓度的铀[0、5、20、50、100mg.L-1 UO2(NO3)2.6H2O]对五叶期的‘西科麦3号’小麦幼苗于水培条件下处理7d,分析小麦对铀的吸收积累情况,并通过快速叶绿素荧光诱导动力学OJIP曲线及820nm光吸收曲线,分析铀对叶片光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)和光系统Ⅰ(PSⅠ)活性的影响。结果表明:(1)小麦对铀的富集系数和转移系数较小,吸收的铀主要集中在根部。(2)铀胁迫显著降低了小麦叶片捕光色素叶绿素b的含量,并显著影响小麦叶片两个光系统的活性;铀显著抑制PSⅡ反应中心的活性,但是对PSⅡ的电子供体侧和受体侧电子传递活性及PSⅠ的活性则表现为促进作用。(3)低浓度的铀处理会影响小麦叶片中两个光合系统之间的平衡,对PSⅠ性能的促进作用显著大于PSⅡ。     

越冬期广玉兰阳生叶和阴生叶PSⅡ功能及捕光色素分子内禀特性的比较研究

捕光色素分子的内禀特性不仅决定了光能的吸收与传递,也将影响到激发能向光化学反应、热耗散和叶绿素荧光的分配。本文采用叶绿素荧光技术和光合电子流对光响应机理模型,研究了越冬期广玉兰（Magnolia grandiflora）阳生叶和阴生叶两种不同光环境下叶片PSⅡ功能及其捕光色素分子内禀特性的差异,以探索广玉兰越冬的光保护策略。结果表明：越冬期低温导致叶片轻微光抑制的发生,全光照加剧了阳生叶光抑制程度,而弱光环境有利于阴生叶光抑制的恢复。阳生叶可通过降低叶绿素含量和捕光色素分子数量以减少对光能的吸收,并且具有较强的光化学和热耗散能力以保护光合机构免受低温强光伤害。而阴生叶虽然其光化学反应能力相对较弱,但具有较强的热耗散能力,可有效地保护其免受短时曝露在强光下的伤害。     

生长温度对烟草叶片环式电子传递活性的影响

高等植物的光合机构在环境胁迫条件下非常容易产生光抑制,环式电子传递在光合机构的光保护中发挥着重要的作用.但是,生长温度对环式电子传递的影响并不清楚.本研究测定了在24/18℃和32/26℃条件下生长40天的烟草(K326)叶片的气体交换、叶绿素荧光和P700氧化还原态的光响应曲线.结果表明,烟草叶片在两种生长温度下的的光合能力、光化学淬灭、非光化学淬灭和通过光系统Ⅱ的电子传递速率(ETR Ⅱ)均没有差异.但是,在强光条件下,生长在24/18℃的叶片比生长在32/26℃的具有更高的通过光系统Ⅰ的电子传递速率(ETRⅠ)和ETRⅠ/ETR Ⅱ比值.短时间的强光处理后,生长在24/18℃的叶片具有较高的光系统Ⅱ最大量子产额(Fv/Fm),表明环式电子传递活性的上调有助于缓解生长在24/18℃的叶片光系统Ⅱ受到的光损伤.综上所述,环式电子传递活性的增强是植物适应较低生长温度的重要策略.     

NaCl胁迫加重强光胁迫下超大甜椒叶片的光系统Ⅱ和光系统Ⅰ的光抑制

快速叶绿素荧光动力学可以在无损情况下探知叶片光合机构的损伤程度,快速叶绿素荧光测定和分析技术(JIP-test)将测量值转化为多种具有生物学意义的参数,因而被广泛应用于植物光合机构对环境的响应机制研究.该文研究了超大甜椒(Capsicum annuum)幼苗在强光及不同NaCl浓度胁迫下的荧光响应情况.与单纯强光胁迫相比,NaCl胁迫引起了叶绿素荧光诱导曲线的明显改变,光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)光抑制加重,同时PSⅡ反应中心和受体侧受到明显影响,而且高NaCl浓度胁迫下PSⅡ供体侧受伤害明显,同时PSⅠ反应中心活性(P700+)在盐胁迫下明显降低.这些结果表明,NaCl胁迫会增强强光对超大甜椒光系统的光抑制,并且浓度越高抑制越明显,但对PSⅠ的抑制作用低于PSⅡ.高NaCl浓度胁迫易对PSⅡ供体侧造成破坏,且PSⅠ光抑制严重.     

半夏光系统对光照和温度日变化的适应

为探讨半夏(Pinellia ternate)光系统对光照强度和温度日变化的适应机理,该文连续3 d模拟了在同一种变化的光照强度(0～1 600μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1))日变化下低温(10～18℃)、中温(20～28℃)和高温(28～38℃)的环境条件,测定了光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)和光系统I(PSⅠ)的叶绿素荧光参数,通过PSⅡ和PSⅠ光合活性和电子传递能力的变化来研究半夏光合系统对光照强度和温度日变化的适应。结果表明:(1) PSⅡ最小荧光(F_o')和PSⅡ反应中心激发能捕获效率(F_v'/F_m')随光照强度的增加而降低,光照强度的增加是导致光系统的活性降低的主要原因,低温会进一步导致光系统活性的降低;(2)光照强度和温度的增加使PSⅠ受体端热耗散效率[Y(ND)]上升,而PSⅠ供体端热耗散效率[Y(NA)]则降低,光照强度的增加不会导致供体侧较大的激发压,但会使受体侧开始积累较大的激发压,而较低的温度会导致受体侧活性降低,使供体侧积累较高的激发压;(3)高光(光强900μmol·m~(-2)·s~(-1))对半夏的光抑制和光损伤导致了PSⅡ实际光化学量子产量[Y(Ⅱ)]和PSⅠ实际光化学量子产量[Y(I)]的降低,低温进一步加剧了Y(Ⅱ)和Y(I)的降低;(4)在高光下,PSⅠ的电子传递速率ETR(I)的增加启动了环式电子传递(CEF),较高的CEF稳定了高温下的PSⅡ电子传递速率ETR(Ⅱ)的同时也保护PSⅡ免受光的损伤;(5)在3 d的处理中,虽然非光化学猝灭系数(NPQ)随光照强度的增加而上升,但是相对于高温,在低温处理下,半夏较低的NPQ使PSⅡ非调节性能量耗散的量子产量[Y(NO)]一直处于最高水平,表现出明显的光抑制。综上结果表明,低温降低了半夏对高光环境的适应能力,而高温通过增强NPQ,加速CEF的产生,减少光抑制的产生,从而加速光反应的电子传递和维持光反应系统的稳定性。因此,低温胁迫会加剧半夏光系统的损伤,适当提高温度可以增强半夏光反应系统对高光的适应性。     

茄子（Solanum melongena L.）叶上表皮紫色花色素苷对光合机构的保护效应

以茄子同一叶片上紫斑区域和绿斑区域为材料,采用发光二极管LED发出的混合光谱(白光)和单色光谱(红、蓝、绿光)照射后,通过光合仪(CIRAS-2)和叶绿素荧光仪(PEA和Dual-PAM-100)测定了茄子叶上表皮紫色花色素苷(purple anthocyanin,PA)对光合机构的影响.结果表明,分布于茄子叶片上表皮的PA,主要截获约53.2%～73.6%的500～600 nm(黄绿光)可见光.紫斑区域的叶绿素a含量较低以及PA截获27%的400～480 nm(蓝光)和10%的630～700 nm(红光),可能是其最大净光合速率Pnmax降低的原因.随着白光照射强度(0～3000 μmol·m-2·s-1)的增大,茄子叶片的PSⅡ最大光化学效率Fv/Fm、单位面积的光合机构含有的反应中心数目RC/CS0和天线色素能量吸收驱动力DFABS下降,而初始荧光Fo、J相的相对可变荧光VJ和单位反应中心耗散的能量DI0/RC增加,但紫斑区域的上述参数变幅明显较小,表现为光抑制程度减轻.用2000 μmol·m-2·s-1的不同光质照射30 min后,茄子叶片Fv/Fm降低,但只有绿光和白光下紫斑区域的Fv/Fm显著的高于绿斑区域;同时白光照射后,茄子叶片的P700氧化还原动力学曲线降幅明显的大于PSⅡ动力学曲线,但紫斑区域的这两个光系统动力学曲线的下降幅度明显减小.这反映出茄子叶上表皮PA有效的保护了PSⅡ和PSⅠ反应中心,减轻了电子传递链的还原程度和热耗散机构的运转压力,较好地维持了PSⅡ与PSⅠ之间的功能协调性.这种通过PA截获500～600 nm(黄绿光)可见光对光合机构的保护效应属于生物物理水平的防御系统.     

珊瑚树阳生和阴生叶片光合特性和状态转换的比较

珊瑚树阳生和阴生叶片是在不同光照环境中长期生长的,它们的光合特性有一些明显的差异.与阳生叶片相比,阴生叶片单位干重的叶绿素含量较多,类囊体膜垛叠程度较高(即每个基粒的类囊体膜垛叠层数较多,基粒类囊体的直径较大),而叶绿素a/b比值、光合作用的饱和光强和最大净光合速率等较低.用弱红光诱导阳生和阴生叶片向状态2转换时,叶绿素荧光Fm/Fo和F685/F735先迅速下降再逐渐回升,这表明两种叶片都先后通过满溢和LHCⅡ转移调节激发能在PSⅡ和PSⅠ之间的分配,改善光能利用,但阳生叶片Fm/Fo和F685/F735下降的幅度较大.     

At least two regions of the oncoprotein Tre2 are involved in its lack of GAP activity

The product of the human Tre2 oncogene is structurally related to the Ypt/Rab GTPase-activating proteins (Ypt/Rab GAPs). Particularly, the oncoprotein shares with the yeast proteins Msb3p and Msb4p, and with the human protein RN-tre the highly conserved TBC domain, forming the catalytically active domain of Ypt/Rab GAPs. Yet, the Tre2 oncogene seems to encode a nonfunctional Rab GAP. As regions flanking the TBC domain may be crucial for catalytic activity, regions located N- and C-terminally with respect to this domain were explored. For this, chimeric proteins created by sequence exchanges between the Tre2 oncoprotein and RN-tre were tested for their ability to replace functionally the Msb3p and Msb4p proteins in double-mutant yeast cells. These complementation experiments revealed, in addition to the TBC domain, a second Tre2 region involved in the oncoprotein's lack of GAP activity: a 93-aa region flanking the TBC domain on the C-terminal side.     

Alterations of rx1 and pax6 expression levels at neural plate stages differentially affect the production of retinal cell types and maintenance of retinal stem cell qualities

rx1 and pax6 are necessary for the establishment of the vertebrate eye field and for the maintenance of the retinal stem cells that give rise to multiple retinal cell types. They also are differentially expressed in cellular layers in the retina when cell fates are being specified, and their expression levels differentially affect the production of amacrine cell subtypes. To determine whether rx1 and pax6 expression after the eye field is established simply maintains stem cell-like qualities or affects cell type differentiation, we used hormone-inducible constructs to increase or decrease levels/activity of each protein at two different neural plate stages. Our results indicate that rx1 regulates the size of the retinal stem cell pool because it broadly affected all cell types, whereas pax6 regulates more restricted retinal progenitor cells because it selectively affected different cell types in a time-dependent manner. Analysis of rx1 and pax6 effects on proliferation, and expression of stem cell or differentiation markers demonstrates that rx1 maintains cells in a stem cell state by promoting proliferation and delaying expression of neural identity and differentiation markers. Although pax6 also promotes proliferation, it differentially regulates neural identity and differentiation genes. Thus, these two genes work in parallel to regulate different, but overlapping aspects of retinal cell fate determination.     

Co-option of an anteroposterior head axis patterning system for proximodistal patterning of appendages in early bilaterian evolution

The enormous diversity of extant animal forms is a testament to the power of evolution, and much of this diversity has been achieved through the emergence of novel morphological traits. The origin of novel morphological traits is an extremely important issue in biology, and a frequent source of this novelty is co-option of pre-existing genetic systems for new purposes (Carroll et al., 2008). Appendages, such as limbs, fins and antennae, are structures common to many animal body plans which must have arisen at least once, and probably multiple times, in lineages which lacked appendages. We provide evidence that appendage proximodistal patterning genes are expressed in similar registers in the anterior embryonic neurectoderm of Drosophila melanogaster and Saccoglossus kowalevskii (a hemichordate). These results, in concert with existing expression data from a variety of other animals suggest that a pre-existing genetic system for anteroposterior head patterning was co-opted for patterning of the proximodistal axis of appendages of bilaterian animals.     

Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of South Viet Nam

Between 1974 and 1978, 2,842 identifications of plant-parasitic nematodes were made from more than 1,700 soil and plant samples collected in eight provinces of South Viet Nam. Species in nine genera—Helicotylenchus, Criconemoides, Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus, Hoplolaimus, Hirschmanniella, Xiphinema, and Rotylenchulus—comprised 96.1% of the identifications; the remaining 3.9% were species of 11 genera. Fourteen genera were associated with rice which was grown on about 2,500,000 ha in 1970. Of these, Ditylenchus, Hirschmanniella, and Meloidogyne were most important. Ditylenchus angustus caused severe damage to about 50,000 ha of flooded rice in the Mekong Delta in 1976. Hirschmanniella spp. were found in all samples examined from flooded rice fields. Meloidogyne spp. were common in rice seedbeds, upland rice, and rice not kept flooded continuously. Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus spp. were found in roots of 22 of the 32 crop plants sampled. Little or no attempt was made in South Viet Nam to control nematodes.     

Identification of nucleopolyhedrovirus that infect Nymphalid butterflies Agraulis vanillae and Dione juno

Dione juno and Agraulis vanillae are very common butterflies in natural gardens in South America, and also bred worldwide. In addition, larvae of these butterflies are considered as pests in crops of Passiflora spp. For these reasons, it is important to identify and describe pathogens of these species, both for preservation purposes and for use in pest control. Baculoviridae is a family of insect viruses that predominantly infect species of Lepidoptera and are used as bioinsecticides. Larvae of D. juno and A. vanillae exhibiting symptoms of baculovirus infection were examined for the presence of baculoviruses by PCR and transmission electron microscopy. Degenerate primers were designed and used to amplify partial sequences from the baculovirus p74, cathepsin, and chitinase genes, along with previously designed primers for amplification of lef-8, lef-9, and polh. Sequence data from these six loci, along with ultrastructural observations on occlusion bodies isolated from the larvae, confirmed that the larvae were infected with nucleopolyhedroviruses from genus Alphabaculovirus. The NPVs from the two different larval hosts appear to be variants of the same, previously undescribed baculovirus species. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequence data placed these NPVs in Alphabaculovirus group I/clade 1b.     

Analysis of the molecular cascade responsible for mesodermal limb chondrogenesis: Sox genes and BMP signaling

Here, we have studied how Sox genes and BMP signaling are functionally coupled during limb chondrogenesis. Using the experimental model of TGFbeta1-induced interdigital digits, we dissect the sequence of morphological and molecular events during in vivo chondrogenesis. Our results show that Sox8 and Sox9 are the most precocious markers of limb cartilage, and their induction is independent and precedes the activation of BMP signaling. Sox10 appears also to cooperate with Sox9 and Sox8 in the establishment of the digit cartilages. In addition, we show that experimental induction of Sox gene expression in the interdigital mesoderm is accompanied by loss of the apoptotic response to exogenous BMPs. L-Sox5 and Sox6 are respectively induced coincident and after the expression of Bmpr1b in the prechondrogenic aggregate, and their activation correlates with the induction of Type II Collagen and Aggrecan genes in the differentiating cartilages. The expression of Bmpr1b precedes the appearance of morphological changes in the prechondrogenic aggregate and establishes a landmark from which the maintenance of the expression of all Sox genes and the progress of cartilage differentiation becomes dependent on BMPs. Moreover, we show that Ventroptin precedes Noggin in the modulation of BMP activity in the developing cartilages. In summary, our findings suggest that Sox8, Sox9, and Sox10 have a cooperative function conferring chondrogenic competence to limb mesoderm in response to BMP signals. In turn, BMPs in concert with Sox9, Sox6, and L-Sox5 would be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the cartilage differentiation program.