The hydrodynamic characterization of waxy maize amylopectin in 90% dimethyl sulfoxide–water by analytical ultracentrifugation, dynamic, and static light scattering

Static light scattering of high amylopectin waxy maize starch gently dispersed in 90% dimethyl sulfoxide–water yielded a weight average molecular weight M_w and radius of gyration R_g of 560×10⁶ g/mol and 342 nm, respectively. To obtain an independent hydrodynamic characterization of these solutions, we measured the sedimentation coefficient for the main component in an analytical ultracentrifuge. The value of s⁰, the infinite dilution sedimentation coefficient, was 199 S. The translational diffusion coefficient D⁰ in very dilute solutions was measured by dynamic light scattering at 90° and found to be 2.33×10⁻⁹ cm²/s. An effective hydrodynamic radius R_h was calculated from this diffusion constant using the Stokes–Einstein equation and found to be 348 nm. The structure-related parameter ρ=R_g/R_h was calculated to be 0.98. The weight average molecular weight calculated from the Svedberg equation using the values measured for s⁰ and D⁰ was 593×10⁶ g/mol. This result is in reasonable agreement with the light scattering results. As light scattering results are subject to experimental errors due to the possibility of dust contamination, the presence of microgel or aggregates, and the questionable applicability of light scattering theory to interpret results for macromolecular sizes approaching the wave length of light used as a source for scattering, it is advisable to have corroborating hydrodynamic data when possible to further validate light scattering results in this very high molecular weight range.     

不同灌溉量夏玉米叶绿素含量的高光谱特征及其反演

植物叶绿素含量直接影响其光合作用，并与植物的光谱特征密切相关。以夏玉米为研究对象，采用人工控水方法研究了夏玉米七叶期不同灌溉量下冠层叶绿素含量特征及其与光谱特征之间的关系。结果表明：灌溉量越少，夏玉米叶片叶绿素含量越低，冠层光谱反射率越高，绿峰位置"红移"，而红边位置"蓝移"。叶绿素含量与光谱特征参数、植被光谱指数之间存在极显著相关关系，据此建立了冠层叶绿素含量高光谱估算模型，且基于植被指数模型较基于单一光谱特征参数模型模拟效果更好。研究结果可为夏玉米叶绿素含量的快速无损测定以及夏玉米干旱监测提供依据。     

The effect of soil aggregate size on early growth and shoot-root ratio of maize (Zea mays L.)

Shoot dry mass and leaf area of 16-d old maize plants decreased as soil aggregate size in greenhouse pots increased in diameter from 0.075–0.5 to 4–8 mm. Root length was also much greater on the finer aggregate beds, due primarily to increased growth of second-order laterals. In a subsequent experiment in which shoot dry matter again decreased with increasing aggregate size, it was found that a similar change in root morphology as noted in experiment I resulted in increased root dry mass as aggregate size increased. The associated change in shoot-root ratio was significant eight days after emergence. This change was due to a change in allocation of fixed carbon rather than allocation of seed reserves. Neither transpiration rate per unit leaf area, nor net assimilation rate were affected by aggregate size. Likewise nutrition could not account for the differences in shoot or root growth.     

Aluminium modulation of the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle in Zea mays

Two-weeks-old maize (Zea mays L. cv. XL-72.3) plants were submitted to Al concentrations of 0-81 g m-3 for 20 d, after which the A1 concentration-dependent effects on CO2 uptake by the mesophyll tissue and subsequent CO2 assimilation in the photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle of bundle sheath cells were investigated. The net photosynthetic rate (PN) and stomatal conductance (gs) increased continuously up to 27 g m-3 Al, whereas the intercellular CO2 concentration showed minimum values with the 27 g m-3 Al treatment. Moreover, the starch and saccharide concentrations, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase did not change significantly with increasing Al concentrations. The photosynthetic electron transport rates along with photosystems 2 and 1 started falling from 9 g m-3 Al onwards, while thylakoid acyl lipid composition did not show a clear pattern. With the Al concentration at 81 g m-3, NADP-malate dehydrogenase activity decreased to minimum values, whereas the opposite occurred with those of pyruvate dikinase, NADP-malic enzyme, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. Thus in vivo Al concentrations modulate the photosynthetic reduction cycle, possibly by interacting with the carbon flow rate exported to the cytosol. Although the inhibition of NADP-malate dehydrogenase activity might limit pyruvate dikinase, NADP-malic enzyme, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activities, in vivo the balance between phosphoenolpyruvate production and its carboxylation remains unaffected.     

Variations of soil structure and microbial population in a compost amended soil

Changes in soil structure and in microbial population were recorded in a long term field experiment over the growing season of maize (June–November). Determinations were made on samples from plots which had received, for two years, the following treatments: mineral fertilizers, farmyard manure and three rates of compost. Seasonal variations were observed for the stability of soil aggregates, total porosity, pore size distribution, mycorrhizal infection and aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. The stability of the soil aggregates changed in a similar way to that found for both mycorrhizal infection and the number of aerobic cellulolytic microorganisms. Physical characteristics were not affected in any instance by the organic dressings and microbiological populations were generally influenced only by the higher doses of compost.     

QTL identification of grain protein concentration and its genetic correlation with starch concentration and grain weight using two populations in maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.)

Protein is one of the three main storage chemical components in maize grains, and is negatively correlated with starch concentration (SC). Our objective was to analyse the influence of genetic backgrounds on QTL detection for protein concentration (PC) and to reveal the molecular genetic associations between PC and both SC and grain weight (GWP). Two hundred and eighty-four (Pop1) and 265 (Pop2) F_2:3 families were developed from two crosses between one high-oil maize inbred GY220 and two normal maize inbreds 8984 and 8622 respectively, and were genotyped with 185 and 173 pairs of SSR markers. PC, SC and GWP were evaluated under two environments. Composite interval mapping (CIM) and multiple interval mapping (MIM) methods were used to detect single-trait QTL for PC, and multiple-trait QTL for PC with both SC and GWP. No common QTL were shared between the two populations for their four and one PC QTL. Common QTL with opposite signs of effects for PC and SC/GWP were detected on three marker intervals at bins 6.07–6.08, 8.03 and 8.03–8.04. Multiple-traits QTL mapping showed that tightly-linked QTL, pleiotropic QTL and QTL having effects with opposite directions for PC and SC/GWP were all observed in Pop1, while all QTL reflected opposite effects in Pop2.     

Maize nicotinate N-methyltransferase interacts with the NLR protein Rp1-D21 and modulates the hypersensitive response

Most plant intracellular immune receptors belong to nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins. The recognition between NLRs and their corresponding pathogen effectors often triggers a hypersensitive response (HR) at the pathogen infection sites. The nicotinate N-methyltransferase (NANMT) is responsible for the conversion of nicotinate to trigonelline in plants. However, the role of NANMT in plant defence response is unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that the maize ZmNANMT, but not its close homolog ZmCOMT, an enzyme in the lignin biosynthesis pathway, suppresses the HR mediated by the autoactive NLR protein Rp1-D21 and its N-terminal coiled-coil signalling domain (CC_D21). ZmNANMT, but not ZmCOMT, interacts with CC_D21, and they form a complex with HCT1806 and CCoAOMT2, two key enzymes in lignin biosynthesis, which can also suppress the autoactive HR mediated by Rp1-D21. ZmNANMT is mainly localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, and either localization is important for suppressing the HR phenotype. These results lay the foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanism of NANMTs in plant disease resistance.     

Modulation of photosystem 2 reactions mediated by aluminium toxicity in Zea mays

Two weeks old maize (Zea mays L. cv. XL-72.3) plants were submitted to 0 to 81 g m-3 Al for 20 d in a growth medium of low ionic strength. The increasing Al concentrations sharply increased chlorophyll (Chl) concentrations. The rates of photosystem 2 activities (H2O→DCPIP and DPC→DCPIP) increased at 9 g(Al) m-3 but at higher Al doses they decreased again. A slight decrease of qE and qN coupled to an increase of qP was also observed until the 27 g m-3 Al. The Al-induced decline in cytochrome (cyt) b contents per Chl unit was parallel for the b559LP and cyt b559HP forms, but on a leaf area basis more or less opposite trend in both these cyt forms was observed. Increased Al concentrations also decreased carotene and zeaxanthin contents. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

玉米SAUR基因家族的鉴定与生物信息学分析

为研究玉米早期应答生长素基因SAUR(Small auxin-up RNA)家族,本研究采用全基因组信息鉴定出91个玉米SAUR基因,命名为ZmSAUR。SAUR家族成员基因结构、氨基酸特点、染色体定位及基因进化分析表明,SAUR基因家族在染色体上呈现不均匀分布,其中2号染色体上数量最多为22个,基因的扩增模式为分散复制与片段复制。SAUR基因家族具有相对保守的结构,即包含1个保守的Rna DNA结构,SAUR蛋白的3D结构含有3个α螺旋和3个β折叠。根据多物种SAUR蛋白进化树分析将其分为9个分支,并分析发现玉米与物种相近的谷子聚在一起。这些信息为玉米SAUR基因家族功能分析奠定了一定的工作基础。