Analysis of ven3 and ven6 reticulate mutants reveals the importance of arginine biosynthesis in Arabidopsis leaf development

Arabidopsis thaliana reticulate mutants exhibit differential pigmentation of the veinal and interveinal leaf regions, a visible phenotype that often indicates impaired mesophyll development. We performed a metabolomic analysis of one ven6 (venosa6) and three ven3 reticulate mutants that revealed altered levels of arginine precursors, namely increased ornithine and reduced citrulline levels. In addition, the mutants were more sensitive than the wild-type to exogenous ornithine, and leaf reticulation and mesophyll defects of these mutants were completely rescued by exogenous citrulline. Taken together, these results indicate that ven3 and ven6 mutants experience a blockage of the conversion of ornithine into citrulline in the arginine pathway. Consistent with the participation of VEN3 and VEN6 in the same pathway, the morphological phenotype of ven3 ven6 double mutants was synergistic. Map-based cloning showed that the VEN3 and VEN6 genes encode subunits of Arabidopsis carbamoyl phosphate synthetase (CPS), which is assumed to be required for the conversion of ornithine into citrulline in arginine biosynthesis. Heterologous expression of the Arabidopsis VEN3 and VEN6 genes in a CPS-deficient Escherichia coli strain fully restored bacterial growth in minimal medium, demonstrating the enzymatic activity of the VEN3 and VEN6 proteins, and indicating a conserved role for CPS in these distinct and distant species. Detailed study of the reticulate leaf phenotype in the ven3 and ven6 mutants revealed that mesophyll development is highly sensitive to impaired arginine biosynthesis.     

胡杨异形叶叶绿素荧光特性对高温的响应

胡杨(Populus euphratica Oliv)是塔里木极端干旱荒漠区优势乔木树种,由于其生长在荒漠环境中,极端高温远高于其它地区,因此研究胡杨对高温胁迫的响应特征对于解释胡杨的抗逆机理与生态适应策略具有极为重要的意义。以胡杨3种典型的异形叶为材料,研究不同温度对其叶绿素荧光特性和能量分配的影响。结果表明,25-45 ℃温度下胡杨异形叶的F₀、F_m、F_v/F_m与F_v/F₀变化不大,尤其F_v/F_m仍能保持在0.78左右,光合反应正常;高温胁迫下(＞45 ℃)F_m、F_v/F₀、F_v/F_m、F'_v/F'_m、qP、ΦPSⅡ、P和ETR均大幅降低;F₀、qN、E显著上升,而D先上升后下降,说明高温抑制了PSⅡ的功能,使PSⅡ反应中心活性下降,QA^-的还原速率加快,光化学电子传递速率降低,某些能量耗散途径受阻,影响了PSⅠ和PSⅡ激发能的平衡分配,最终导致光合机构受损、光合速率降低。胡杨3种异形叶的叶绿素荧光参数随温度升高变幅不同,高温处理下锯齿阔卵形叶各参数均高于卵形叶与条形叶,表明锯齿阔卵形叶比卵形叶和条形叶具有更强的高温耐受能力。用模糊数学的隶属度函数对胡杨3种异形叶的耐热性进行综合评价,锯齿阔卵形叶的耐热性最强。     

八角叶总黄酮的提取及其捕获自由基作用研究

目的:为八角叶资源的合理开发和利用提供科学依据。方法:分别以乙醇、石油醚、水等作提取溶剂,用超声波与非超声波对比提取八角叶总黄酮,考察在不同温度、溶剂浓度、超声波功率、提取时间等不同条件下用超声波/乙醇浸提法提取八角叶总黄酮,对所提取的黄酮类物质进行验证,并用分光光度法测定含量,用八角叶总黄酮对羟自由基清除作用进行试验。结果:超声波乙醇浸提法提取八角叶总黄酮的最佳工艺条件为:溶剂90%乙醇,温度80℃,超声波功率60 W,提取时间3.0 h。百色、南宁、贺州、河池、钦州所产八角叶总黄酮的含量分别为0.1649mg/mL、0.1022 mg/mL、0.1122 mg/mL、0.1850 mg/mL、0.1693 mg/mL,八角叶总黄酮提取液对Fenton体系产生的.OH自由基有很好的清除作用。结论:超声波乙醇浸提法提取八角叶总黄酮的效果最佳,产总黄酮含量最高,提示八角叶具有较高的开发利用价值。     

Overwintering leaves of a forest-floor fern, Dryopteris crassirhizoma (Dryopteridaceae): a small contribution to the resource storage and photosynthetic carbon gain

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Dryopteris crassirhizoma is a semi-evergreen fern growing on the floor of deciduous forests. The present study aimed to clarify the photosynthetic and storage functions of overwintering leaves in this species. METHODS: A 2-year experiment with defoliation and shading of overwintering leaves was conducted. Photosynthetic light response was measured in early spring (for overwintering leaves) and summer (for current-year leaves). KEY RESULTS: No nitrogen limitation of growth was detected in plants subjected to defoliation. The number of leaves, their size, reproductive activity (production of sori) and total leaf mass were not affected by the treatment. The defoliation of overwintering leaves significantly reduced the bulk density of rhizomes and the root weight. The carbohydrates consumed by the rhizomes were assumed to be translocated for leaf production. Photosynthetic products of overwintering leaves were estimated to be small. CONCLUSION: Overwintering leaves served very little as nutrient-storage and photosynthetic organs. They partly functioned as a carbon-storage organ but by contrast to previous studies, their physiological contribution to growth was found to be modest, probably because this species has a large rhizome system. The small contribution of overwintering leaves during the short-term period of this study may be explained by the significant storage ability of rhizomes in this long-living species. Other ecological functions of overwintering leaves, such as suppression of neighbouring plants in spring, are suggested.     

Phenotypic correlations among plant parts in Iberian Papilionoideae (Fabaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Different plant organs may show varying degrees of form diversification or conservatism across phylogenetically related taxa. The present study uses data from a recent systematic study of Iberian Papilionoideae to investigate diversification and covariation in reproductive and vegetative plant parts. The appropriateness of imprecise (but comprehensive) taxonomic quantitative information is tested. METHODS: Organ size covariation and phenotypic correlations were studied among tribes, genera and species. Scale relationships were investigated by Reduced Major Axis regression. Variables used were the maximum dimensions of calyx, corolla, keel petal, fruit, seed, stipule, leaflet and petiole. KEY RESULTS: As regards tribe averages, the length of the corolla and that of calyx correlated positively and significantly. In contrast, pod length was unrelated to corolla size and largely tribe-specific. Within genera, the sizes of calyx, corolla and fruit sometimes covaried linearly (e.g. Lathyrus species) and other times did not (Genista, Astragalus). CONCLUSIONS: Information from taxonomic studies can be useful to establish major phenotypic correlations in plants. Results underscore the implications of tribal ownership in the Papilionoideae and illustrate the extensive morphological diversification of pods relative to flowers in this group.     

褐飞虱侵害后不同水稻品种根及叶片脱落酸含量的变化

为了解褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens （Stål）侵害后水稻耐虫性与植物体内源激素关系,应用酶联免疫吸附法（enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, ELISA）研究褐飞虱若虫侵害分蘖期超级培矮64S/E32和TN1,灌浆期协优963和TN1后根及叶片脱落酸（abscisic acid, ABA）含量变化.结果表明：褐飞虱侵害分蘖期超级培矮64S/E32和TN1后3 d,叶片ABA含量显著上升,ABA含量根冠比（根ABA/叶片ABA）显著下降;侵害后6 d,超级培矮64S/E32叶片ABA含量显著下降,根冠比显著上升;但TN1叶片ABA含量在褐飞虱侵害后3 d和6 d显著上升,根冠比显著下降.褐飞虱侵害灌浆期协优963与分蘖期超级培矮64S/E32变化一致,TN1在褐飞虱侵害后3 d叶片ABA含量显著上升,根冠比显著下降;侵害后6 d,叶片ABA含量、ABA含量根冠比均显著上升.由ABA含量变化百分比可见,分蘖期ABA含量变化幅度较灌浆期大;耐虫品种变化幅度较感虫品种大,持续期较感虫品种短;叶片变化幅度较根部大.褐飞虱侵害后,两种不同生育期两种抗性不同的水稻品种比较,耐虫品种叶片ABA含量先上升（3 d）后下降（6 d）,ABA含量根冠比先下降（3 d）后上升（6 d）;感虫品种叶片ABA含量持续上升（3 d和6 d）,分蘖期ABA含量根冠比持续下降（3 d和6 d）,灌浆期ABA含量根冠比先下降（3 d）后上升（6 d）;耐、感虫水稻品种根部变化规律不明显.这些差别表明不同水稻（耐虫和感虫）品种受褐飞虱侵害后体内ABA含量变化规律不同.本研究结果对深入阐明水稻耐虫品种的机制具有重要参考价值.     

胡杨异形叶结构型性状及其相互关系

胡杨在个体生长发育过程中,叶形不断发生变化,植株上会逐年依次出现条形、披针形、卵形和阔卵形叶,且在同时具有这4种叶形的植株上,叶片在树冠中分布的顺序自上而下分别是阔卵形、卵形、披针形和条形。通过实验的方法对胡杨4种叶形叶片厚度、叶面积、比叶面积、叶片干重和干物质含量等5个结构型性状指标进行分析,研究不同叶形叶片的结构型性状与叶形(叶长/宽比值)之间的关系,以及各结构型性状指标间的相互关系。结果表明:叶片厚度、叶片干物质含量、叶面积和叶片干重与叶长/宽比值之间均呈明显负相关(P0.05);比叶面积随着叶长/宽比值的减小而逐渐减小,但二者相关性不明显,表明胡杨在个体发育过程中通过增加叶面积、叶厚度,减小比叶面积等方式来提高适应环境的能力。各结构型性状指标间相关性表现为:比叶面积与叶干物质含量和叶干重之间均呈明显负相关(P0.05),与叶厚度间呈极明显负相关(P0.01);叶片干重与叶厚度间呈明显正相关(P0.05);叶厚度与叶干物质含量之间、叶干重与叶面积之间均呈极明显正相关(P0.01),其它指标间无明显相关性。