Indole-3-glycerol phosphate, a branchpoint of indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis from the tryptophan biosynthetic pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana

The phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) plays a vital role in plant growth and development as a regulator of numerous biological processes. Its biosynthetic pathways have been studied for decades. Recent genetic and in vitro labeling evidence indicates that IAA in Arabidopsis thaliana and other plants is primarily synthesized from a precursor that is an intermediate in the tryptophan (Trp) biosynthetic pathway. To determine which intermediate(s) acts as the possible branchpoint for the Trp-independent IAA biosynthesis in plants, we took an in vivo approach by generating antisense indole-3-glycerol phosphate synthase (IGS) RNA transgenic plants and using available Arabidopsis Trp biosynthetic pathway mutants trp2-1 and trp3-1. Antisense transgenic plants display some auxin deficient-like phenotypes including small rosettes and reduced fertility. Protein gel blot analysis indicated that IGS expression was greatly reduced in the antisense lines. Quantitative analyses of IAA and Trp content in antisense IGS transgenic plants and Trp biosynthetic mutants revealed striking differences. Compared with wild-type plants, the Trp content in all the transgenic and mutant plants decreased significantly. However, total IAA levels were significantly decreased in antisense IGS transgenic plants, but remarkably increased in trp3-1 and trp2-1 plants. These results suggest that indole-3-glycerol phosphate (IGP) in the Arabidopsis Trp biosynthetic pathway serves as a branchpoint compound in the Trp-independent IAA de novo biosynthetic pathway.     

Evidence for cleft closure in actomyosin upon ADP release

Structural insights into the interaction of smooth muscle myosin with actin have been provided by computer-based fitting of crystal structures into three-dimensional reconstructions obtained by electron cryomicroscopy, and by mapping of structural and dynamic changes in the actomyosin complex. The actomyosin structures determined in the presence and absence of MgADP differ significantly from each other, and from all crystallographic structures of unbound myosin. Coupled to a complex movement ( approximately 34 A) of the light chain binding domain upon MgADP release, we observed a approximately 9 degrees rotation of the myosin motor domain relative to the actin filament, and a closure of the cleft that divides the actin binding region of the myosin head. Cleft closure is achieved by a movement of the upper 50 kDa region, while parts of the lower 50 kDa region are stabilized through strong interactions with actin. This model supports a mechanism in which binding of MgATP at the active site opens the cleft and disrupts the interface, thereby releasing myosin from actin.     

Extractive cultivation of Lactococcus lactis using a polyethylene glycol/MgSO4 · 7H2O aqueous two-phase system to produce nisin

To relieve lactic acid inhibition, an aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) was used to grow Lactococcus lactis. Its composition was 11% (w/v) PEG 20000/3.5% (w/v) MgSO₄ 7H₂O. In this ATPS medium, the cells were completely partitioned in the bottom phase, and lactic acid had the biggest partition coefficient of the eight ATPS media tested. The cell biomass in this medium was 0.64 mg ml^–1, only 60% of that of the control medium, but nisin production (803 IU ml^–1) was enhanced by 33%. The increase in nisin was explained as a result of extraction of lactic acid from the bottom phase to the top one. The changes of tie-line length and phase volume ratio for the identical tie line could affect cell growth and nisin accumulation.     

Plant regeneration through organogenesis from callus induced from mature zygotic embryos of loblolly pine

Mature zygotic embryos from three seed sources of loblolly pine were cultured on callus induction medium containing 10 mg l^–1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid, 4 mg l^–1 benzyladenine (BA), 400 mg l^–1 casein hydrolysate, and 400 mg l^–1 glutamine for 6 weeks. Light-yellow, loose, glossy, globular callus was formed, and the highest frequency was 35.7%. The highest differentiation frequency of callus on adventitious bud induction medium was 62.1%. After culture of calli with adventitious buds on elongation medium for 6 weeks, adventitious shoots more than 1.0 cm in height were selected for rooting. On rooting medium supplemented with 0.1 mg l^–1 indole-3-butyric acid, 1 mg l^–1 BA, and 0.5 mg l^–1 gibberellic acid, the highest rooting frequency of adventitious shoots was 46% in a culture period of 6 weeks. Established plants survived following transfer to soil at a frequency of 71%. Received: 14 May 1997 / Revision received: 25 September 1997 / Accepted: 11 October 1997     

Propagation of potato tubers in a nutrient mist bioreactor

The newly designed nutrient mist bioreactor provided an environment supporting multiple-layer culture. In vitro tubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) were induced and cultured in this bioreactor by using two culture methods. The percentage of the inocula eventually forming tubers in a two-step method was 98% with only 54% being formed in a one-step method. The two-step method improved the efficiency of tuber induction, expedited and synchronized the tuberization. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Metal ion binding to calmodulin: NMR and fluorescence studies

Calmodulin is an important second messenger protein which is involved in a large variety of cellular path-ways.Calmodulin is sensitive to fluctuations in the intracellular Ca levels and is activated by the bindingof four Ca ions. In spite of the important role it plays in signal transduction pathways, it shows a surpris-inglybroad specificity for binding metal ions. Using 15N-Gly biosynthetically-labelled calmodulin, we havestudied the binding of different metal ions to calmodulin, including K+, Na+, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, Sr, La and Lu, by 1H, 15N HMQC NMR experiments. The effects of these ions on the substrate-bindingability of calmodulin have also been studied by fluorescence spectroscopy of the single tryptophan residue in a 22-residue synthetic peptide encompassing the skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase calmod-ulin-binding domain. Most of these metal ions can activate a calmodulin target enzyme to some extent,though they bind to calmodulin in a different manner. Mg, which is of direct physiological interest, has adistinct site-preference for calmodulin, as it shows the highest affinity for site I in the N-terminal domain,while the C-terminal sites III and IV are the high affinity binding sites for Ca (as well as for Cd ). At ahigh concentration of Mg and a low concentration of Ca, calmodulin can bind Mg in its N-terminallobe while the C-terminal domain is occupied by Ca; this species could exist in resting cells in which the Mg level significantly exceeds that of Ca. Moreover, our data suggest that the toxicity of Pb-which,like Sr, binds with an equal and high affinity to all four sites-may be related to its capacity to tightlybind and improperly activate calmodulin.     

甜菊愈伤组织生长、分化与甜菊糖苷积累的关系

耐菊（Steviarebaudiana）愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷的积累与愈伤组织的生长呈负相关、与愈伤组织细胞的组织化及转绿呈正相关。愈伤组织芽的分化并不是积累较高水平甜菊糖苷的必要前提。绿色、质地致密、生长缓慢的愈伤组织,不论有芽分化或无芽分化时,其甜菊糖苷含量均较高。在电镜下观察到,这两种愈伤组织细胞具有类似的超微结构特征：细胞高度液泡化;叶绿体发育成熟,光合膜系统结构发达,基质浓厚且含有质体小球;微体具有典型的晶格结构,常与叶绿体紧密相靠。黄色、质地致密、生长缓慢的愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷含量较低,其细胞内质体富含淀粉粒,只有少量分散的片层结构,有的质体甚至完全被淀粉粒所充塞。黄色、质地疏松、生长快速的愈伤组织中甜菊糖苷含量最低,其细胞内质体结构简单,片层稀少。质体的发育和液泡的分化与甜菊糖苷的积累密切相关。愈伤组织具有较高的甜菊糖苷含量在于愈伤组织细胞的组织化以及细胞的高度液泡化并具有发育成熟的叶绿体。     

火炬松胚性细胞悬浮培养物的生长参数变化

以火炬松（PinustaedaL.）成熟合子胚来源的胚性愈伤组织为材料建立了胚性细胞悬浮系,测定了其培养物的鲜重、干重、细胞体积和胚数及培养液中的pH值、电导率和蔗糖浓度等生长参数在培养过程中的变化动态。结果表明,在培养周期内,培养液中的pH值、电导率和蔗糖浓度的逐步降低与培养物的鲜重、干重、细胞体积和胚胎数的逐步增加保持一致性。在培养至18—21d,pH值、电导率和蔗糖浓度均接近或降到最低点,而胚数及细胞体积的增长都达到最高点。     

Enhanced production of artemisinin by Artemisia annua L hairy root cultures in a modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor

Hairy root cultures of Artemisia annua L were cultured in a modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor for achieving maximum artemisinin production. The effects of initial pH, air flow rate, cycle of light irradiation and temperature on growth and artmisinin production in Artemisia annua L hairy root cultures were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the maximum production of artemisinin reached to 577.5?mg/l after 20 days.     

Drastic Layer‐Number‐Dependent Activity Enhancement in Photocatalytic H2 Evolution over nMoS2/CdS (n ≥ 1) Under Visible Light

Exploiting noble‐metal‐free cocatalysts is of huge interest for photocatalytic water splitting using solar energy. As an efficient cocatalyst in photocatalysis, MoS₂ is shown promise as a low‐cost alternative to Pt for hydrogen evolution. Here we report a systematical study on controlled synthesis of MoS₂ with layer number ranging from ≈1 to 112 and their activities for photocatalytic H₂ evolution over commercial CdS. A drastic increase in photocatalytic H₂ evolution is observed with decreasing MoS₂ layer number. Particularly for the single‐layer (SL) MoS₂, the SL‐MoS₂/CdS sample reaches a high H₂ generation rate of ≈2.01 × 10^?3m h^?1 in Na₂S–Na₂SO₃ solutions and ≈2.59 × 10^?3m h^?1 in lactic acid solutions, corresponding to an apparent quantum efficiency of 30.2% and 38.4% at 420 nm, respectively. In addition to the more exposed edges and unsaturated active S atoms, valence band–XPS and Mott–Schottky plots analysis indicate that the SL MoS₂ has the more negative conduction band energy level than the H⁺/H₂ potential, facilitating the hydrogen reduction.