四个与小鼠摄食、摄水量及蛋白质代谢相关基因的功能研究

目的　通过对小鼠摄食、摄水量及蛋白质代谢相关基因的功能研究 ,为今后的营养学和营养疾病学的分子生物学水平研究提供一定的依据。方法　利用反义核酸技术与动物行为学实验方法相结合 ,从动物整体水平上研究与动物膳食和营养代谢相关的基因功能。从课题组以往研究得到的摄食量与对照组有显著差异的基因中选出 4个 ,用BALB c小鼠进行实验。结果　实验结果表明 :D1、Pe和Tr实验组小鼠的摄食量、摄水量与对照组有明显的差异 ,D1和Tr实验组的蛋白质代谢与对照组有明显的差异。D1实验组小鼠的摄食量和摄水量明显高于对照组并呈下降趋势 ,但其表观消化率小于对照组 ,说明其蛋白质代谢功能有所下降 ;Tr实验组小鼠的摄食量和摄水量也明显高于对照组但呈上升趋势 ,其表观消化率大于对照组 ,说明其蛋白质代谢功能有所上升。结论　预测D1基因可能与促进营养代谢功能有关 ,Tr基因可能与抑制营养代谢功能有关。D1、Pe和Tr与移动、痛觉、记忆等其他行为学有相关性 ,P3与其他行为学无相关性。     

Sink Effect of Cytokinin in Detached Leaves Is Not Caused by Structural Rearrangements of Phloem

The sink effect of cytokinin is manifested as a decrease in source capacity and the induction of sink activity in the phytohormone-treated region of a mature excised leaf. In order to find out whether this effect was due to the direct action of cytokinin on the phloem structure, two types of phloem terminals were examined. In pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) leaves, the phloem terminals are open; i.e., they are linked to mesophyll by numerous symplastic connections, which are located in narrow areas called plasmodesmal pit fields. In broad bean (Vicia faba L.) leaves, the phloem terminals belong to the closed type and have no symplastic links with mesophyll. The electron microscopic study of terminal phloem did not reveal any structural changes in the companion cells, which could account for the suppression of assimilate export. The treatment of leaves with cytokinin neither disturbed the structure of plasmodesmal pit fields in pumpkin leaves nor eliminated the wall protuberances (the ingrowths promoting phloem loading) in bean leaves. No evidence was obtained that the cytokinin-induced import of assimilates in mature leaves is caused by the recovery of meristematic activity, i.e., by either formation of new phloem terminals having immature sieve elements capable of unloading or by the development of new sieve elements within the existing veins. Cytokinin did not induce de novo formation of phloem elements. Structural characteristics of the leaf phloem, such as the number of branching orders in the venation pattern, the number of vein endings per areole, the number of areoles per leaf, the area of one areole, and the number of sieve elements per bundle remained unaltered. It is concluded that the sink effect of cytokinin in excised leaves cannot be determined by alteration of the phloem structure.     

The Role of Hormones in Fast Growth Responses of Wheat Plants to Osmotic and Cold Shocks

The effects of nutrient-solution cooling and PEG addition to the nutrient solution on the phytohormone content, the rate of leaf growth, leaf extensibility under the influence of external mechanical action, osmotic potential, and transpiration were studied in seven-day-old wheat plants. Leaf growth rapidly ceased, and the transpiration rate was reduced in both treatments. Growth cessation induced by PEG was transient, and growth resumption was preceded by an increase in the leaf extensibility. The functional role of auxin accumulation in plant shoots in the control of extensibility as well as the relationship between the ABA accumulation and a decrease in the cytokinin content, on the one hand, and reduced transpiration, on the other hand, under stress conditions are discussed.     

New Data on the Cenozoic History of the Underwater Yamato Rise,Sea of Japan

The Miocene terrestrial plant assemblage (in macro- and microfossils) from the underwater Yamato Rise (Sea of Japan) is examined. A fossil leaf found in the tuffogenic–sedimentary strata is identified as belonging to the beech tree. Data on the Paleogene–Neogene history of the underwater rise are given. Against the background of its general subsidence, positive relief features (volcanoes and their formations) were formed. During the Cenozoic, the entire Sea of Japan depression experienced a submergence.     

Expression of the tobacco mosaic virus movement protein alters starch accumulation inNicotiana benthamiana

Nicotiana benthamiana plants were transformed with the movement protein (MP) gene of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), usingAgrobacterium-mediated transformation. Plants regenerated from the transformed cells accumulated 30-kDa MP and complemented the activity of TMV MP when infected with chimeric TMVs containing defective MR These transgenic plants displayed stunting, pale-green leaves, and starch accumulations, indicating that TMV MP altered the carbon partitioning for leaves involved in TMV cell-to-cell movement.     

Estimating mixtures of leaf functional types using continental-scale satellite and climatic data

Aim Recent research has shown that much of the variability in leaf gas exchange and leaf longevity can be related to variations in the surface : volume ratio of leaves. The aim of this paper was to develop a theoretical framework and a practical method to extend that result to the vegetation at the continental scale. Location The study was conducted in Australia. Methods We propose that vegetation is composed of a mixture of three basic leaf types, ‘turgor’ (T), ‘mesic’ (M) and ‘sclerophyll’ (S) leaves. Changes in the relative proportions of T, M and S leaves within a vegetation type are visualized using a ternary diagram and differences in vegetation structure are shown to be easily mapped onto the ternary diagram. We estimate the proportions of T, M and S leaves using readily available data. The total amount of PAR absorbed by the vegetation (fPAR) is estimated using continental‐scale satellite observations. The total fPAR is then decomposed into that absorbed by T, M and S leaves. The relative absorption of PAR by T leaves is estimated from the temporal dynamics in the satellite signal, while the relative proportions of M and S leaves are estimated using climatic (solar radiation, rainfall) data. Results When the availability of light, nutrients and water were near‐optimal, the vegetation was composed of predominantly M leaves. In low nutrient environments S leaves predominated. T leaves were dominant in disturbed environments. Conclusions The theoretical framework is used to predict that elevated atmospheric CO₂ would tend to increase the proportion of M and S leaves in an ecosystem and the resulting change means that the proportion of T leaves would decrease. In terms of the TMS scheme, this implies that elevated CO₂ has the same net effect on the vegetation as a decrease in disturbance.     

Choleretic activity and biliary elimination of lipids and bile acids induced by an artichoke leaf extract in rats

The therapeutic properties of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) preparations have been known since ancient times. The traditional use of artichoke leaf extract (ALE) in gastroenterology is mainly based upon its strong antidyspeptic actions which are mediated by its choleretic activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ALE on bile flow and the formation of bile compounds in anaesthetised Wistar rats after acute and repeated (twice a day for 7 consecutive days) oral administration. A significant increase in bile flow was observed after acute treatment with ALE as well as after repeated administration. The choleretic effects of ALE were similar to those of the reference compound dehydrocholic acid (DHCA). Total bile acids, cholesterol and phospholipid were determined by enzymatic assays. There was a strong ALE-induced increase in total bile acid concentration over the entire experiment. With the highest dose (400 mg/kg), a significant increase was obtained after single and repeated administration. The bile acids-increased effects of ALE were much more pronounced than those of reference (DHCA). No significant differences in cholesterol and phospholipid content could be found.     

玉米群体内太阳光辐射垂直分布规律研究

在实验观测的基础上,对玉米群体内总辐射、光合有效辐射(光量子通量)随高度以及叶面积指数的变化规律进行了分析探讨,结果显示,在玉米群体的顶部和底部,叶面积指数较小,而在中部和中上部,叶面积指数较大,在140～200 cm的高度层内,叶面积指数约占群体叶面积指数总量的53%以上.在160～180 cm的高度内叶面积指数出现峰值;太阳光辐射在玉米群体内垂直分布随高度的减小而减少,表现为“S“型变化曲线;太阳辐射透过率在不同高度层上随叶面积指数的增加而减小,表现为指数关系,即Rt=Ae -BLAI.