Gene silencing reveals a crucial role for anti-lipopolysaccharide factors from Penaeus monodon in the protection against microbial infections

Anti-lipopolysaccharide factors (ALFs) are antimicrobial peptides previously identified in various crustaceans. Out of five isoforms identified in Penaeus monodon, ALFPm3 is the best characterized, exhibits antibacterial and antifungal activities and can protect the shrimp from viral infections. Herein, the most recent identified ALFPm, called ALFPm6, is characterized for its potential role in the shrimp’s immunity. RNA interference-mediated gene silencing was used to study the function of ALFPm6 in comparison to ALFPm3. Knockdown of ALFPm3 gene led to rapid death with a cumulative shrimp mortality of 86% within 7 days, accompanied by a 12- and 50-fold higher bacterial count after 2 days in the haemolymph and hepatopancreas, respectively, compared to the control shrimp injected with GFP dsRNA. In contrast, gene silencing of ALFPm6 alone had no effect on the shrimp mortality, but led to a significant increase in the cumulative mortality and a faster mortality rate following Vibrio harveyi and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infections, respectively. These results support the roles of ALFPm6 and ALFPm3 in the protection of shrimp against microbial infections.     

Biosorption of Arsenic from Contaminated Water onto Solid Psidium guajava Leaf Surface: Equilibrium,Kinetics, Thermodynamics,and Desorption Study

A batch study on the removal of As(III) and As(V) ions from contaminated water by biosorption using powdered Psidium guajava (Guava) leaf as biosorbent was carried out in the present work. FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) were used to characterize the surface of the biosorbent. The effect of sorption parameters such as pH, temperature (T _c), adsorbent dose (D _c), and contact time (t _c) were studied. At optimum treatment conditions, the maximum uptake of 1.06 mg of As(III) per gram and 2.39 mg of As(V) per gram onto the surface of biosorbent were obtained. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were examined for sorption equilibrium at various temperatures. The sorption isotherm was favorable with the Freundlich model with the experimental data. Furthermore, higher uptake kinetics was tested for the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. The pseudo-second-order model appeared to be the more suitable model to describe arsenic biosorption. ΔG ₀ values were negative at all temperatures, confirming the feasible and spontaneous nature of the biosorption process. Solvent desorption studies help in understanding the mechanism of the adsorption process and also to check the stability of the loaded/spent adsorbents. HCl was found to show maximum effectiveness in the desorption of both As(III) and As(V) with the comparison of other solvents.     

Spatio-temporal heterogeneity in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves under drought stress

Using chlorophyll (chl) fluorescence imaging, we studied the effect of mild (MiDS), moderate (MoDS) and severe (SDS) drought stress on photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry of 4-week-old Arabidopsis thaliana. Spatio-temporal heterogeneity in all chl fluorescence parameters was maintained throughout water stress. After exposure to drought stress, maximum quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (F(v)/F(m)) and quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Φ(PSΙΙ)) decreased less in the proximal (base) than in the distal (tip) leaf. The chl fluorescence parameter F(v) /F(m) decreased less after MoDS than MiDS. Under MoDS, the antioxidant mechanism of A. thaliana leaves seemed to be sufficient in scavenging reactive oxygen species, as evident by the decreased lipid peroxidation, the more excitation energy dissipated by non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and decreased excitation pressure (1-q(p)). Arabidopsis leaves appear to function normally under MoDS, but do not seem to have particular metabolic tolerance mechanisms under MiDS and SDS, as revealed by the level of lipid peroxidation and decreased quantum yield for dissipation after down-regulation in PSII (Φ(NPQ)), indicating that energy dissipation by down-regulation did not function and electron transport (ETR) was depressed. The simultaneous increased quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation (Φ(NO)) indicated that both the photochemical energy conversion and protective regulatory mechanism were insufficient. The non-uniform photosynthetic pattern under drought stress may reflect different zones of leaf anatomy and mesophyll development. The data demonstrate that the effect of different degrees of drought stress on A. thaliana leaves show spatio-temporal heterogeneity, implying that common single time point or single point leaf analyses are inadequate.     

Distinct modes of adventitious rooting in Arabidopsis thaliana

The literature describes different rooting protocols for Arabidopsis thaliana as models to study adventitious rooting, and results are generally perceived as comparable. However, there is a lack of investigations focusing on the distinct features, advantages and limitations of each method in the study of adventitious rooting with both wild-type (WT) ecotypes and their respective mutants. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the adventitious rooting process in three different experimental systems, all using A. thaliana, analysing the same rooting parameters after transient exposure to auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) and control conditions: excised leaves, de-rooted plants and etiolated seedlings. The founding tissues and sites of origin of roots differed depending on the system used, whereas all rooting patterns were of the direct type (i.e., without callus formation). None of the systems had an absolute requirement for exogenous auxin, although rooting was enhanced by this phytohormone, with the exception of de-rooted plants, which had adventitious rooting strongly inhibited by exogenous auxin. Root elongation was much favoured in isolated leaves. Auxin-overproducing mutants could not be used in the detached leaf system due to precocious senescence; in the de-rooted plant system, these mutants had a WT-like rooting response, whereas the expression of the 'rooty' phenotype was only evident in the etiolated seedling system. Adventitious rooting of etiolated WT seedlings in the presence of exogenous auxin was inhibited by exogenous flavonoids, which act as auxin transport inhibitors; surprisingly, the flavonoid-deficient mutant chs had a lower rooting response compared to WT. Although Arabidopsis is an excellent model system to study adventitious rooting, physiological and developmental responses differed significantly, underlining the importance of avoiding data generalisation on rooting responses derived from different experimental systems with this species.     

Contrasting leaf chemical traits in tropical lianas and trees: implications for future forest composition

Lianas are an important growthform in tropical forests, and liana abundance and biomass may be increasing in some regions. Explanations for liana proliferation hinge upon physiological responses to changing resource conditions that would favour them over trees. Testing a chemical basis for such responses, we assessed 22 foliar traits in 778 lianas and 6496 trees at 48 tropical forest sites. Growthform differences in chemical allocation occurred on a leaf mass and area basis. Light capture-growth and maintenance-metabolism chemicals averaged 14.5 and 16.7% higher mass-based concentration in lianas than in trees globally, whereas structure and defence chemicals averaged 9.0% lower in lianas. Relative differences in chemical allocation by lianas and trees were mediated by climate with peak differences at about 2500 mm year(-1) and 25 °C. Differences in chemical traits suggest that liana expansion could be greatest in forests undergoing increased canopy-level irradiance via disturbance and climate change.     

Biogeographic constraints on the world‐wide leaf economics spectrum

Aim The world‐wide leaf economic spectrum (LES) describes tight coordination of leaf traits across global floras, reported to date as being largely independent of phylogeny and biogeography. Here, we present and test an alternative, historical perspective that predicts that biogeography places significant constraints on global trait evolution. These hypothesized constraints could lead to important deviations in leaf trait relationships between isolated floras that were influenced by different magnitudes of genetic constraint and selection. Location Global, including floristic regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, eastern North America, East Asia (EAS), the Hawaiian Islands and tropical mainland floras. Methods We use a large leaf‐trait database (GLOPNET) and species native distribution data to test for variation in leaf trait relationships modulated by floristic region, controlling for climatic differences. Standardized major axis analyses were used to evaluate biogeographic effects on bivariate relationships between LES traits, including relationships of photosynthetic capacity and dark respiration rate (A_mass–R_d‐mass), leaf lifespan and mass per area ratio (LL–LMA), and photosynthetic capacity and nitrogen content (A_mass–N_mass). Results Independent of climate or biome, floras of different evolutionary histories exhibited different leaf trait allometries. Floras of the Northern Hemisphere exhibited greater rates of return on resource investment (steeper slopes for the trait relationships analysed), and the more diverse temperate EAS flora exhibited greater slopes or intercepts in leaf trait relationships, with the exception of the A_mass–N_mass relationship. In contrast to our hypothesis, plants of the floristically isolated Hawaiian Islands exhibited a similar A_mass–N_mass relationship to those of mainland tropical regions. Main conclusions Differences in leaf trait allometries among global floristic regions support a historical perspective in understanding leaf trait relationships and suggest that independent floras can exhibit different tradeoffs in resource capture strategies.     

石竹属植物叶表皮特征及其系统学意义

用光学显微镜和扫描电镜,对石竹属12个种的植物叶表皮特征进行观察,统计并测量叶表皮气孔大小、气孔密度及气孔指数。结果表明,石竹属植物叶表皮细胞形态(表面观)为长方形和不规则多边形。乳突只存在于针叶石竹、高石竹和细茎石竹中。按气孔形状可将其分为了3个类型:椭圆形、卵圆形和长方形。研究结果对石竹属的系统分类和种间亲缘关系研究具有一定的参考价值。     

石灰岩特有植物圆叶乌桕叶表皮形态特征及其生态适应性研究

采用扫描电子显微镜和光学显微镜,对石灰岩特有植物圆叶乌桕与同属的乌桕、山乌桕的叶表皮微形态进行观察,比较3个种的叶表皮形态特征,分析圆叶乌桕在石灰岩地区生长的环境适应特点。结果表明:圆叶乌桕叶下表皮细胞小且呈无规则型,细胞排列紧密;气孔集中分布于下表皮,气孔密度和气孔指数相对最小;气孔类型是无规则型,无副卫细胞;圆叶乌桕上下叶表皮有厚角质层和蜡质层,蜡被呈片状和网状。圆叶乌桕的叶表皮微形态特征反映了它对石灰岩生境的适应性较强。     

蝴蝶兰组培快繁及热激处理抑制褐变的研究

以9个蝴蝶兰品种的花梗和无菌苗叶片为试材,研究了不同品种间不定芽诱导率及增殖系数的差异,并选出增殖系数高、中、低的3个代表性品种‘内山姑娘’、‘梦幻兄弟’和‘万花筒’,对不定芽增殖条件进行优化,并对培养过程中褐变严重的品种‘内山姑娘’进行了热激处理抑制褐变的研究。结果表明:(1)相同条件下,不同蝴蝶兰品种间不定芽诱导率和增殖(分化)系数存在显著差异,且花梗芽诱导率和繁殖系数高的品种,其叶片的不定芽诱导率和分化系数也较高。(2)6-BA是影响蝴蝶兰不定芽增殖的主要因素,椰汁次之。培养基1/2MS+7.0mg.L-16-BA+0.2mg.L-1 NAA+100mL.L-1椰汁适于‘内山姑娘’和‘梦幻兄弟’品种的不定芽增殖,1/2MS+5.0mg.L-1 6-BA+0.2mg.L-1 NAA+50mL.L-1椰汁适合‘万花筒’品种的不定芽增殖。(3)40℃热激处理9min恢复48h后再切割接种能够显著减轻蝴蝶兰‘内山姑娘’叶片的褐变程度,热激处理后叶片组培过程中的褐变指数、总酚含量以及苯丙氨酸解氨酶(PAL)活性均显著低于对照,且三者的两两之间均具有极显著正相关关系,证明短时间的热激处理可降低酚合成酶PAL的活性,减少酚类化合物的积累,从而减轻组培过程中的褐变伤害。     

云南野生稻叶茎根组织结构特性的比较研究

采用徒手切片法对云南3种野生稻和栽培稻的叶片、茎秆及根的组织结构进行比较研究,以明确野生稻的内部结构,为进一步揭示其结构与云南野生稻的生长势旺盛、营养吸收能力强、抗某些病虫害能力强的关系奠定基础。结果表明,(1)云南野生稻与栽培稻叶片主脉、茎秆及根的组织结构差异显著,其中景洪疣粒野生稻、景洪药用野生稻与栽培稻的差异最明显。(2)在叶主脉结构中,景洪疣粒野生稻无气腔结构,维管束数量少、面积小;景洪药用野生稻、3个普通野生稻材料存在多个维管束和气腔结构,维管束、束内导管直径及气腔面积较栽培稻大,而栽培稻中的气腔均为2个。(3)在茎秆结构方面,景洪疣粒野生稻茎秆最小,维管束数量最少,其茎壁内的维管束排列方式与栽培稻不同;景洪药用野生稻和普通野生稻茎秆及茎壁较栽培稻粗厚,维管束数量也较栽培稻多,普通野生稻的茎壁中有通气组织。(4)在根的组织结构中,3种野生稻的导管数量较多,导管直径及中柱面积较栽培稻大,外皮层出现了具有凯氏带功能的凯氏点等。