Mobilization and Acquisition of Sparingly Soluble P-Sources by Brassica Cultivars under P-Starved Environment I. Differential Growth Response,P-Efficiency Characteristics and P-Remobilization

Phosphorus （P） starvation is highly notorious for limiting plant growth around the globe. To combat P-starvation, plants constantly sense the changes in their environment, and elicit an elegant myriad of plastic responses and rescue strategies to enhance P-solublization and acquisition from bound soil P-forms. Relative growth responses, P-solublization and P- acquisition ability of 14 diverse Brassica cultivars grown with sparingly soluble P-sources （Rock-P （RP） and Ca3（PO4）2 （TCP）） were evaluated in a solution culture experiment. Cultivars showed considerable genetic diversity in terms of biomass accumulation, concentration and contents of P and Ca in shoots and roots, P-stress factor （PSF） and P use efficiency. Cultivars showed variable P-stress tolerance, and cultivars depicting low PSF and high P-efficiency values were better adaptable to P-starvation. In experiment 2, after initial feeding on optimum nutrition for 12 d after transplanting （DAT）, class-I （low P-tolerant （Oscar and Con-II）） and class-II （low P-sensitive （Gold Rush and RL-18）） cultivars were exposed to P-free environment for 25 d. All of the cultivars remobilized P from above ground parts to their roots during growth in P-free environment, the magnitude of which was variable in tested cultivars. P-concentrations （[P]s） at 37 DAT were higher in developing compared with developed leaves. Translocation of absorbed P from metabolically inactive to active sites in P- stressed plants may have helped class-I cultivars to establish a better rooting system, which provided a basis for enhanced P-utilization efficiency （PUE） and tolerance against P-stress. By supplying TCP and RP spatially separated from other nutrients in split root study, class-I cultivars were still able to mobilize RP and TCP more efficiently compared with class-II cultivars. To compare the growth behavior under P-stress, cultivars were grown in pots for 41 d after sowing, using a soil low in P （NaHCO3-extractable P = 3.97 mg/kg, M     

Sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense) responses as early indicators of low-level phosphorus enrichment in the Florida Everglades

Anthropogenic phosphorus (P) inputs to the Florida Everglades have produced dramatic changes in the wetland vegetation of this otherwise oligotrophic system. While the proliferation of undesirable plant species in response to enrichment has been well documented, nutrient-related changes in the physiological and morphological attributes of existing vegetation, prior to any shifts in species composition or changes in the spatial extent of certain taxa, have yet to be adequately characterized. In this experiment, three sawgrass-dominated areas were enriched with P for 3 years at rates of 0.4 g P/m²/year (HP), 0.1 g P/m²/year (LP), or 0 g P/m²/year (controls) to assess potential impacts of P-enriched discharges from stormwater treatment areas into the Everglades. Elevated concentrations of TP in rhizomes and leaves and reduced ratios of leaf N:P were detected in HP plants within ~1 year at most sites. Live leaf densities, plant heights, and plant densities of the HP groups were generally higher than LP and control groups after 2 years, a pattern that was evident even after major fire events. Total aboveground biomass was significantly elevated in both HP and LP treatments at two of the three sites after 3 years. No change in species composition was detected during the study. Planned hydrologic restoration measures will increase P loads into parts of the Everglades that have not previously experienced anthropogenic P enrichment. Monitoring native vegetation such as sawgrass can be a sensitive and relatively robust means of detecting unintended P enrichment in these areas prior to shifts in vegetation community composition or changes in area cover of key species.     

Effect of ecological engineering on the nutrient content of surface sediments in Lake Taihu, China

Ecological engineering was carried out in Meiliang Bay of Lake Taihu beginning in 2003 in order to improve water quality. There were two main objectives: to improve the growth environment for macrophytes, and to restore macrophyte assemblages. We examined surface sediments once per month beginning in April 2005 to study the response of sediment nutrient content to the ecological engineering. Average total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the surface sediments were 7043 and 1370 mg kg⁻¹, respectively, in May 2005, while after 1 year, TN concentration was reduced to 2929 mg kg⁻¹ and TP concentration was reduced to 352 mg kg⁻¹. We conclude that ecological engineering can lower the nutrient content in surface sediments when it is used to improve water quality.     

Physiological and structural changes in response to altered precipitation regimes in a Mediterranean macchia ecosystem

Significant decrease in precipitation up to 15–20% has been observed in the Mediterranean area in the last two decades as a consequence of climate change. To simulate an analogous scenario, the precipitation regime was altered in replicated experimental plots in a Mediterranean macchia dominated by Arbutus unedo L. species. Two different levels of soil water content (SWC) were obtained during the summer: a mean value of 7% was obtained in water-depleted (D) plots by a partial (−20%) rain exclusion treatment using rain gutters; while a mean value of 14% in SWC was obtained in watered (W) plots supplying water by a sprinkler net. The physiological and structural changes were investigated over the course of two consecutive years by measurement of water potential, gas exchange leaf carbon isotopes, leaf pigments and growth. Apart from short-term responses, mainly related to the elastic response of stomatal conductance to soil water, a more long-lasting and significant acclimation to water availability was observed as a result of the increase in hydraulic resistance in the soil–plant continuum, which persisted even after the return to full water availability during the fall and winter. This response involved the permanent down-regulation of stomatal conductance and photosynthesis, accumulation of photo-protective pigments, as well as a reduction in shoot growth, leaf area index and an increase in shoot-bearing flowers in D plots. This acclimation response prevented the onset of any run-away damage thereby reducing the forest vulnerability to drought. Furthermore, the imposed drought induced a slight increase or no change in intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE_int), as a result of the parallel increase in stomatal and non-stomatal limitations; conversely integrated WUE (i.e., estimated from leaf carbon isotopes) was not affected by drought.     

Improvement of yield of Pleurotus eryngii var. eryngii by substrate supplementation and use of a casing overlay

Improved yield and biological efficiency (BE) of Pleurotus eryngii var. eryngii were achieved by supplementation of substrate with a commercial delayed-release nutrient and use of a casing overlay. Yield increases of 14% were achieved from cased substrates that were supplemented at time of casing with delayed-release nutrient (Remo’s). Use of a casing layer enhanced yield by 141% over non-cased substrates. When casing and substrate supplementation were combined, yield increased 179% over non-cased/non-supplemented substrates. Mushrooms harvested from cased substrates were darker in color and solids contents were lower compared to non-cased substrates. An additional break of mushrooms was harvested from non-cased “spent” substrate by fragmenting and re-supplementing the substrate prior to the application of a casing overlay. Three production methods were compared for their effect on mushroom yield: “standard”, “casing” and “casing after first break”. Casing of the substrate before first break (“casing” production method) resulted in the highest yield and biological efficiency.     

Chitosan antitranspirant activity is due to abscisic acid-dependent stomatal closure

Chitosan (CHT) is a natural compound able to activate the plant own defence machinery against pathogen attacks and to reduce both transpiration and stomatal opening when applied as foliar spray. The data here reported show that CHT-induced antitranspirant activity in bean plants is mediated by ABA, whose level raised over threefold in treated leaves, 24 h after foliar spraying. This is thought to induce partial stomatal closure via a H₂O₂-mediated process, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histo-cytochemistry, and, in turn, a decrease of stomatal conductance to water vapor (G_w) and transpiration rate (E), assessed by gas exchange measurements. The relatively high internal CO₂ concentration (C_i) values, suggest the occurrence of a slight decrease in carboxylation efficiency after CHT treatment, which however did not prevail over stomatal limitations. The intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE_i) of CHT treated plants was not statistically different from controls and the maximal photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m) of PSII was not affected. Moreover, CHT determined a stimulation of the xanthophyll cycle towards de-epoxidation state. On the whole, these results, besides confirming the effectiveness of CHT in reducing plant transpiration, prove that the mechanism underlying this activity differs from that showed by the commercial antitranspirant Vapor Gard^® (VP). In fact, the efficacy of the latter is based on the formation of a thin antitranspirant film over the leaf and not on the reduction of stomatal opening. Finally, suggestions for possible use of the two antitranspirants in different environmental conditions are discussed.     

Localisation of Plasmodium falciparum uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase of the heme-biosynthetic pathway in the apicoplast and characterisation of its catalytic properties

Uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase (UROD) is a key enzyme in the heme-biosynthetic pathway and in Plasmodium falciparum it occupies a strategic position in the proposed hybrid pathway for heme biosynthesis involving shuttling of intermediates between different subcellular compartments in the parasite. In the present study, we demonstrate that an N-terminally truncated recombinant P. falciparum UROD (r(Δ)PfUROD) over-expressed and purified from Escherichia coli cells, as well as the native enzyme from the parasite were catalytically less efficient compared with the host enzyme, although they were similar in other enzyme parameters. Molecular modeling of PfUROD based on the known crystal structure of the human enzyme indicated that the protein manifests a distorted triose phosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel fold which is conserved in all the known structures of UROD. The parasite enzyme shares all the conserved or invariant amino acid residues at the active and substrate binding sites, but is rich in lysine residues compared with the host enzyme. Mutation of specific lysine residues corresponding to residues at the dimer interface in human UROD enhanced the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme and dimer stability indicating that the lysine rich nature and weak dimer interface of the wild-type PfUROD could be responsible for its low catalytic efficiency. PfUROD was localised to the apicoplast, indicating the requirement of additional mechanisms for transport of the product coproporphyrinogen to other subcellular sites for its further conversion and ultimate heme formation.     

洱海螺旋鱼腥藻生长生理特性的初步研究

近年来,洱海正处于中营养水平向富营养湖泊的过渡阶段,蓝藻水华也频繁发生。本文作者在洱海大规模水华暴发期间,分离、纯化了水华优势种螺旋鱼腥藻,并对其生长生理特性进行了初步研究,以期为探讨洱海鱼腥藻水华发生的环境影响因素提供基础的参考资料。实验结果表明,氮含量1.5mmol/L、磷含量12µmol/L、光照强度30E/ m·s、pH值8－10及温度25℃时,螺旋鱼腥藻生长状况最好,生物量及相对生长速率较高。不同氮、磷浓度下的氮磷代谢活性表明：氮浓度在0－0.36mmol/L时,硝酸还原酶活性随着氮浓度的增加而增强;氮浓度在0.36－6 mmol/L时,酶活性由其生长状况决定,生长越好,酶活性越高。碱性磷酸酶受磷影响较大,随着磷浓度的增加其活性逐渐减弱,磷充足时,氮对其活性并无显著影响。此外,洱海螺旋鱼腥藻可在低的氮、磷浓度下生长,这与其氮磷代谢活性的调节作用有关。     

中华倒刺鲃幼鱼饲料蛋白质需求量的研究

以白鱼粉为蛋白源,设计了6个不同蛋白质含量(20.49%、26.48%、34.20%、41.02%、49.94%和55.86%,分别表示为D1、D2、D3、D4、D5和D6)的等能饲料,采用室内循环水养殖系统,在水温为(27.5±0.5)℃的条件下对中华倒刺鲃幼鱼进行10周的养殖实验,探讨中华倒刺鲃幼鱼对饲料蛋白质的需求量。每个处理设4个重复,每个重复12尾鱼。结果显示：干物质摄食率(FRdm)随饲料蛋白质含量升高呈先降低然后稳定的趋势;蛋白质摄食率(FRp)与饲料蛋白质含量呈正相关关系(r=0.982,p<0.01)。干物质表观消化率随饲料蛋白质含量增加而降低,蛋白质消化率在各组间无显著差异。随饲料蛋白质含量由D1逐渐增加至D4,体重特定生长率(SGRw)、能量特定生长率(SGRe)和饲料效率(FE)均显著增高(p<0.05),而D4、D5和D6组间无显著差异,其中D4组的三个指标值均最高,分别为(0.97±0.04)%/d、(0.87±0.04)%/d、(68.96±3.00)%。蛋白质效率(PER)、蛋白质累积率(PPV)和能量累积率(EPV)在各饲料组间均存在显著差异。以SGRw、SGRe和FE为指标,采用折线模型分析表明,中华倒刺鲃幼鱼的最适饲料蛋白质含量为39.6%－42.2%。     

核定位信号肽提高核糖体区打靶载体转染效率的研究

核糖体区打靶载体(10～14 kb)是中南大学医学遗传学国家重点实验室构建的一种具有定点整合能力的非病毒载体,具有安全性好及长期稳定表达的特点,但是较低的转染率成为其应用于临床的主要障碍．核定位信号肽可以促进非病毒载体进入细胞核,从而提高其转染效率．但是核定位信号肽提高外源基因表达的能力却严重受到其与DNA偶联方式及偶联剂的影响．采用偶联剂SPB可以通过静电作用将核糖体区打靶载体与SV40 核定位信号肽有效结合,并且可以防止其被DNase降解．应用聚乙烯亚胺转染人原代皮肤成纤维细胞后,激光共聚焦显微镜观察显示,核定位信号肽可以在60 min内携带12 kb的质粒DNA进入细胞核．转染后48 h,流式细胞仪检测GFP表达,结果显示转染率提高了4～5倍．聚乙烯亚胺是一种毒性小,而且价格低廉的高分子转染试剂,广泛被应用于体内基因治疗的研究中,上述研究将会促进核糖体区打靶载体在临床基因治疗中的应用．