Role of other plant organs in gibberellic acid-induced delay of leaf senescence in alstroemeria cut flowers

Chlorophyll loss in leaves of cut flowers of alstroemeria (Alstroemeria pelegrina L. cv. Westland) was rapid in darkness and counteracted by irradiation and treatment of the flowers with gibberellic acid (GA₃). The mechanism of the effect of GA₃ under dark conditions was investigated. The content of various carbohydrates in the leaves under dark conditions rapidly decreased; this was not influenced by treatment with GA_3. indicating that the loss of carbohydrates in the leaves did not induce the loss of chlorophyll. Placing the cut flowers in various solutions of organic and inorganic nutrients exhibited no significant effect on the retention of chlorophyll in leaves of dark-senescing flowers. The total nitrogen content in leaves of dark-senescing cut flowers decreased with time. Leaves of GA₃-treated flowers retained more nitrogen. In contrast, the buds of GA₃-treated flowers retained less nitrogen during senescence in the dark than control buds. To investigate whether GA₃ affects export of assimilates from the leaf to various parts of control and GA₃-treated flowers, we labelled one leaf with radioactive carbon dioxide. ¹⁴C-assimilates accumulated preferentially in the flowers, in which the relative specific activity of the youngest floral buds was highest. No significant differences were observed in the distribution of ¹⁴C-labelled compounds between the buds of control and GA₃-treated flowers. To establish the importance of source-sink relations for the loss of leaf chlorophyll we removed the flower buds (i. e. the strongest sink) from the cut flowers. This removal only slightly delayed chlorophyll loss as compared to the large delay caused by GA₃-treatment. In addition, detached leaf tips exhibited chlorophyll loss in the dark, which was delayed by GA₃-treatment in a fashion comparable with that in flowers. Together these data demonstrate that interactions of the leaves with other plant organs are not essential for chlorophyll loss during senescence in the dark. Additionally, we have found no evidence that GA₃ delays the loss of chlorophyll by affecting the transport of nutrients within the cut flowers.     

Fertile plants regenerated from suspension culture-derived protoplasts of an indica type rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Calluses were induced from immature embryos of an indica type rice and finely dispersed cell suspension cultures were initiated from the callus using modified AA medium (S₁ medium). The suspension cultures were maintained alternatively (1–2 passages in each medium) in S₁ medium and S₂ medium, the latter containing KNO₃, NH₄NO₃, proline and glutamine as nitrogen source. Protoplasts of high quality were isolated form suspension cells cultured in S₂ medium supplemented with ABA. Embedding the protoplasts in agarose blocks containing NH₄NO₃-free modified KM8P(PM₁) medium and immersing the blocks in NH₄NO₃-containing modified KM8P(PM₃) medium were most effective for obtaining protoplast division and callus formation. The protoplast-derived calluses were precultured in potato extract-aand/or ABA-containing N₆(D₁, D₂ or D₃) media and many embryo-like structures were formed. These structures developed into plantlets after being transferred to N₆ differentiation (D₄) medium. The regenerated plantlets grew into mature plants and beard seeds normally.Abbreviations AA medium amino acids based medium - ABA abscisic acid - BA benzyladenine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - DF division frequency - IAA indoleacetic acid - KIN kinetin - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - PE planting efficiency     

Characterization of recurrent somatic embryogenesis of alfalfa on auxin-free medium

Callus cultures from 300 genotypes of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were initiated from leaf, petiole, and internode explants placed on Blaydes medium containing 10.74 M -naphthaleneacetic acid, 11.42 M indole-3-acetic acid, and 9.29 M kinetin. Five genotypes produced somatic embryos. Upon transfer of these embryos to growth regulator-free Murashige and Skoog medium with B₅ vitamins, new somatic embryos repeatedly formed directly on older somatic embryos without an intervening callus phase in a cycle lasting about 30 days. These cultures have been maintained for two years, during which time their embryogenic capacity has remained stable. New embryogenic cultures could be started repeatedly from these genotypes. The elimination of sugars from the medium could stop recurrent embryogenesis. Glucose, maltose, and fructose stimulated recurrent embryogenesis more effectively than sucrose. Sucrose was superior to lactose, while sorbitol and mannitol did not stimulate recurrent somatic embryogenesis. The absence of nicotinic acid in the medium, as long as sucrose was present, was lethal to embryos of three of the five tested genotypes. The ability of this system to propagate embryos exponentially offers potential for development of new gene transfer systems and application to artificial seed technology.Abbreviations NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - RSE recurrent somatic embryogenesis     

分泌载体pUS186的构建及地衣杆菌α－淀粉酶基因在枯草杆菌中的表达和分泌

利用枯草杆菌的分泌系统构建分泌型表达载体表达和分泌外源基因产物具有重要的商业价值。我们用鸟枪法克隆了枯草杆菌染色体的启动子和信号肽序列,将克隆的序列连接到能在枯草杆菌中复制的质粒ｐＵＢ１８上,获得分泌型表达载体ｐＵＳ１８６。为了测试构建的载体ｐＵＳ１８６的功能,将地衣杆菌α－淀粉酶基因的缺失了启动子和信号肽序列的片段重组进该质粒,经过Ｂａｌ３１酶切,Ｔ４ＤＮＡ聚合酶补齐等处理,获得ｐＵＳＡ１８６Ⅱ及ｐＵＳＡ１８６Ⅰ系列质粒,将这些重组质粒转化枯草杆菌ＱＢ１１３０（ａｍｙ－）后都能向胞外分泌淀粉酶,酶活测定结果表明,基因表达水平比用原有的启动子高１－２倍,蛋白质分泌率在８４－９６％之间。     

Confocal laser scanning microscopy reveals voltage-gated calcium signals within hippocampal dendritic spines

The induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) is generally assumed to be triggered by Ca²⁺ entry into dendritic spines via NMDA receptor-gated channels. A previous computational model proposed that spines serve several functions in this process. First, they compartmentalize and amplify increases in [Ca²⁺]_i. Second, they augment the nonlinear relationship between synaptic strength and the probability or magnitude of LTP induction. Third, they isolate the metabolic machinery responsible for LTP induction from increases in [Ca²⁺]_i produced by voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels in the dendritic shaft. Here we examine this last prediction of the model using methods that combine confocal microscopy with simultaneous neurophysiological recordings in hippocampal brain slices. Either of two Ca²⁺-sensitive dyes were injected into CA1 pyramidal neurons. Direct depolarization of the neurons via the somatic electrode produced clear increases in Ca²⁺ signals within the dendritic spines, a result that was not predicted by the previous spine model. Our new spine model suggests that some of this signal could theoretically result from Ca²⁺-bound dye diffusing from the dendritic shaft into the spine. Dye diffusion alone cannot, however, explain the numerous cases in which the Ca²⁺ signal in the spine was considerably larger than that in the adjacent dendritic shaft. The latter observations raise the possiblity of voltage-gated Ca²⁺ entry directly into the spine or else perhaps via Ca²⁺-dependent Ca²⁺release. The new spine model accommodates these observations as well as several other recent experimental results. 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

天花粉蛋白与FMP复合物的晶体结构

用浸泡法得到了天花粉蛋白（ＴＣＳ）与ＦＭＰ复合物的晶体,在ＳＩＭＥＮＮＳＸ－２００Ｂ面探测器系统上收集了一套２．０分辨率的Ｘ射线衍射数据。用同晶差值傅立叶法解析了复合物的结构,经Ｘ—ＰＬＯＲ程序修正得到了ＴＣＳ—ＦＭＰ复合物的分子结构并找出了１９７个水分子,最后的Ｒ因子为０．１７２,键长和键角的ＲＭＳ偏差分别为０．０１５和２．９２２度。ＴＣＳ—ＦＭＰ复合物中,ＦＭＰ与天花粉蛋白分子有较好的结合,其结合位置正处于根据三维结构和突变体信息推测的Ｎ一糖苷酶活性口袋之中。它的类嘌呤环夹在Ｙ７０和Ｙ１１１两个侧链环之间,与Ｙ７０环近乎平行,其Ｎ７和Ｎ６分别与ＴＣＳ分子的Ｇ１０９４羰基氧和Ｉ７１的Ｎ成氢键,Ｎ３靠近Ｒ１６３的侧链,其磷酸根则伸向活性口袋的底部,与Ｅ１８９、Ｅ１６０和Ｒ１６３等残基作用。     

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培

几种沙漠地区野生药用植物资源及其引种栽培尹林克（中国科学院吐鲁番沙漠植物园,新疆吐鲁番８３８００８）Ｒｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓｏｆｓｅｖｅｒａｌｓｐｅｃｉｅｓｏｆｗｉｌｄｍｅｄｉｃｉｎａｌｐｌａｎｔｓｉｎｄｅｓｅｒｔｒｅｇｉｏｎａｎｄｔｈｅｉｒｉｎｔｒｏｄｕ...     

Benthic invertebrates of some saline lakes of the Sud Lipez region,Bolivia

The benthic invertebrates fauna of most of the saline lakes of the Sud Lipez region (Bolivia, Altiplano) has been until now quite unstudied. Samples collected during an extensive survey of 12 lakes and two small inflow rivers allow a first list of the main macroinvertebrates living in these biotopes.The heterogeneous nature of these saline lakes with their freshwater springs and phreatic inflows offers a variety of habitats to macroinvertebrates. The benthic fauna in lakes with salinities > 10 g l^–1 is not so low in density but includes few species and is dominated by Orthocladiinae and Podonominae larvae. In contrast, the freshwater springs and inflows are colonized by a diverse fauna, with a mixture of both freshwater and saline taxa, but dominated by Elmidae and Amphipoda. The lakes are quite isolated and, apart from some cosmopolitan organisms, their fauna can be quite distinctive.     

Characterization of the length polymorphism in the A+T-rich region of the Drosophila obscura group species

Summary In the twelve Drosophila obscura group species studied, belonging to the affinis, obscura, and pseudoobscura subgroups, the mitochondrial DNA length ranges from 15.8 to 17.2 kb. This length polymorphism is mainly due to insertions/deletions in the variable region of the A+T-rich region. In addition, one species (D. tristis) possess a tandem duplication of a 470-bp fragment that contains the replication origin.The same duplication has occurred at least twice in the Drosophila evolutionary history due to the fact that the repetition is analogous to repetitions found in the four species of the D. melanogaster complex.By comparing the nucleotide sequence of the conserved region in D. ambigua, D. obscura, D. yakuba, D. teissieri, and D. virilis, we show the presence of a secondary structure, likely implied in the replication origin, which could favor the generation of this kind of duplications.Finally, we propose that the high A and T content in the variable region of the A + T-rich region favors the formation of less-stable secondary structures, which could explain the generation of minor insertion/deletions found in this region.Offprint requests to: A. Latorre     

Evolution of thedec-1 eggshell locus inDrosophila. II. Intraspecific DNA sequence analysis reveals length mutations in a repetitive region inD. melanogaster

Summary Thedec-1 eggshell gene inDrosophila melanogaster encodes follicle cell proteins required for proper eggshell assembly. As shown by Southern and Northern analyses thedec-1 gene occurs in four alleles (Fcl-4) among wild-type strains. Its second exon has a distinct feature in the form of 12 repeats with 78–91 nucleotides; the first five show nearly 100% homology. DNA sequence comparison of the repeated region of the alleles revealed that the length polymorphisms are caused by changes in the numbers of the first five repeats. The results suggest that the alleles have been generated by unequal intragenic crossing-over and/or slippage during DNA replication and that the allelic length variants have arisen independently. The possiblilty that the most common allele,FC1, has a selective advantage over the other alleles is discussed.