Aluminum resistance in two cultivars of Zea mays L.: Root exudation of organic acids and influence of phosphorus nutrition

Root exudation of organic acids as Al-chelating compounds and P nutrition have been suggested to play a major role in Al-resistance in higher plants. Effects of Al exposure on maize plant growth, and organic acid root content and root exudation under various levels of P nutrition were examined. Sikuani, a Colombian maize cultivar tolerant to acid soils with high Al saturation, and Corso, a Swiss cultivar, were grown in sterile hydroponic conditions for 21 days. Al-caused inhibition of root growth was lower in Sikuani than in Corso. Al effect on plant growth was decreased with increasing P content in roots. Al content in roots increased with increasing P content and was higher in Sikuani than in Corso. When exposed to Al, the contents in root apices as well as the root exudation of citric and malic acids in Corso and citric, malic and succinic acids in Sikuani increased, and were higher in Sikuani than in Corso. Increased PEP carboxylase (PEPC) activity in root apices after Al exposure partially explained the variations of organic acid content in the roots. These Al-induced changes in PEPC activity, organic acid content and exudation were reduced in plants supplied with higher P concentrations during the 21 days prior to treatment. Increased secretion of organic acids after exposure to Al appeared to be specific to Al and was not totally explained by increased root content in organic acids.     

Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Aluminum Chloride on Protein of Glial Intermediate Filaments in the Rat Brain

We studied the effects of irradiation with X-rays (the total dose of 0.0129 C/kg was attained over 7, 14, or 21 days), increased entry of Al³⁺ into the organism (0.2% AlCl₃ in drinking water), and the combined influence of these factors for 21 days on the contents of the soluble and filamentous forms of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the tissues of the hippocampus, cerebellum, and neocortex of albino rats. After irradiation for 7 days, a clear trend toward drops in the GFAP contents in the structures under study was observed, while irradiation in the same dose, but for 14 or 21 days, resulted in increases in the contents of both GFAP forms (within a range of 13-29%, as compared with the control). Entry of aluminum chloride with water also resulted in an increase in the GFAP contents in all studied structures; changes in the filamentous form were more intensive. The combined influence of irradiation and Al³⁺ resulted in more intensive shifts in the GFAP levels; the content of its filamentous form increased in all structures by about 50%, while shifts of the soluble form were somewhat smaller.     

外源有机酸对小麦幼苗铝毒的缓解作用

用Al(50μmol／L)处理水培小麦(Triticum aestivum L．)幼苗24h,显著抑制Al敏感(Scout 66)和耐Al品种(Atlas 66)小麦幼苗根系伸长,明显增加根系的电解质渗漏率。在Al处理同时外加草酸或柠檬酸能缓解Al对小麦根系伸长的抑制作用,同时降低小麦根系的电解质渗漏率。铬花青R染色和碘化丙锭荧光染料染色实验结果显示,用Al(50μmol／L)处理Al敏感小麦Scout 66幼苗24h后,大量Al结合在根尖表面,并降低根尖表面细胞活力。而Al处理同时外加草酸,则减少Al与根尖表面的结合,缓解Al对细胞活力的抑制。分根结果表明,外源草酸有可能通过根系进入植物体内参与内部解Al毒机制。     

Influence of pH,exchangeable aluminium and 0.02M CaCl2-extractable aluminium on the growth and nitrogen-fixing activity of white clover (Trifolium repens) in some New Zealand soils

The effects of soil acidity on the growth and N₂-fixing activity of white clover in seven acid topsoils and subsoils of New Zealand were investigated using a glasshouse experiment.The application of phosphate (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂) to the soils resulted in very large increases in white clover growth on all soils. The application of phosphate, as well as increasing P supply, also decreased 0.02M CaCl₂-extractable Al levels, but had little effect on exchangeable Al levels.Where adequate phosphate was applied, increasing rates of lime (CaCO₃) resulted in increased plant growth on most soils. N₂[C₂H₂]-fixing activity was increased by the first level of lime for one soil, but generally remained approximately constant or declined slightly at higher rates of lime. Up to the point of maximum yield, white clover top weight was more highly correlated with 0.02M CaCl₂-extractable soil Al than with exchangeable Al or pH. At pH values greater than 5.5, plant yield declined on some soils, apparently because of Zn deficiency. The data suggest that white clover is unlikely to be affected by Al toxicity at 0.02M CaCl₂-extractable Al levels of less than about 3.3 g g^–1. However, there were differences between soils in apparent plant tolerance to 0.02M CaCl₂-extractable Al, which appeared to be caused by differing C levels in the 0.02M CaCl₂ extracts.     

不同耐铝型杉木幼苗叶片抗氧化系统对铝胁迫的响应特征

为探讨铝胁迫对杉木抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽(AsA-GSH)循环的影响,明确AsA-GSH循环在杉木耐铝性中的作用,以耐铝(YX26)和铝敏感型(YX5)杉木家系为材料,分析了铝胁迫对不同耐铝型杉木叶片氧化损伤、抗氧化酶活性和AsA-GSH循环系统的影响。结果表明:(1)铝胁迫显著增加杉木叶片丙二醛(MDA)含量,而且YX5叶片中MDA含量增幅显著大于YX26。(2)铝胁迫不同程度增加了2个杉木家系叶片过氧化物酶(POD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)和单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(MDAR)活性以及抗坏血酸(AsA)、脱氢抗坏血酸(DHA)、还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSG)含量,而且除AsA含量外,铝胁迫下YX26中上述酶活性和非酶性抗氧化剂含量的增幅均大于YX5。(3)铝胁迫下YX5叶片中过氧化氢酶(CAT)和脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(DHAR)的活性受到显著抑制,而YX26中这两个酶的活性却有所增加,且YX26中的DHAR活性显著高于对照。(4)铝胁迫抑制了2个杉木家系超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性,但YX26中SOD活性的降幅小于YX5。研究认为,铝胁迫下通过维持AsA-GSH循环酶活性和非酶性抗氧化系统的高效运转,增强自身活性氧清除能力是耐铝型杉木家系具有较强铝耐能力的生理基础。     

Aluminum toxicity related to SOD and expression of presenilin and CREB in Bombyx mori

Aluminum (Al) is an important environmental metal factor that can be potentially associated with pathological changes leading to neurotoxicity. The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is an important economic insect and has also been used as a model organism in various research areas. However, the toxicity of Al on silkworm physiology has not been reported. Here, we comprehensively investigate the toxic effects of Al on the silkworm, focusing on its effects on viability and development, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and the expression of presenilin and cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) in BmE cells and silkworm larvae. BmE cell viability decreased after treatment with aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) in both dose‐ and time‐dependent manners. When AlCl₃ solution was injected into newly hatched fifth instar larvae, both larval weight gain and survival rate were significantly decreased in a manner correlating with AlCl₃ dose and developmental stage. Furthermore, when BmE cells and silkworm larvae were exposed to AlCl₃, SOD activity decreased significantly relative to the control group, whereas presenilin expression increased more than twofold. Additionally, CREB and phosphorylated CREB (p‐CREB) expression in the heads of fifth instar larvae decreased by 28.0% and 50.0%, respectively. These results indicate that Al inhibits the growth and development of silkworms in vitro and in vivo, altering SOD activity and the expressions of presenilin, CREB, and p‐CREB. Our data suggest that B. mori can serve as a model animal for studying Al‐induced neurotoxicity or neurodegeneration.     

Comparative studies on the interactions of baicalein and Al(III)–baicalein complex with human serum albumin

A new potential drug aluminum(III)–baicalein complex (ALBC) was synthesized and characterized. The binding mechanisms of baicalein (BC) and ALBC to human serum albumin (HSA) under simulative physiological conditions were investigated, in order to understand the pharmacokinetics of BC and ALBC. Fluorescence spectroscopy results suggested that the binding level of BC is higher than that of ALBC. Results of UV–vis, synchronous fluorescence, 3D fluorescence, circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analyses consistently demonstrated that the conformation of HSA was altered when bound to BC or ALBC. The distance between HSA as a donor and BC (or ALBC) as an acceptor was determined via fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The results of competitive experiments and molecular docking studies indicated that BC was located in site I (subdomain IIA) on HSA and that ALBC was bound to HSA mainly within site II (subdomain IIIA). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parallelized Nanopillar Perovskites for Semitransparent Solar Cells Using an Anodized Aluminum Oxide Scaffold

Semitransparent solar cells have attracted significant attention for practical applications, such as windows in buildings and automobiles. Here, semitransparent, highly efficient, 1D nanostructured perovskite solar cells are demonstrated employing anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) as a scaffold layer. The parallel nanopillars in the perovskite layer enable construction of haze‐free semitransparent devices without any hysteresis behavior. By controlling the pore size in the AAO, the volume occupied by the perovskite layer can be precisely varied, and the color neutrality of the resulting devices can be achieved. With the incorporation of a transparent cathodic electrode (indium tin oxide) with a buffer layer (MoO_x), a highly efficient semitransparent nanopillared perovskite solar cell is achievable with a power‐conversion efficiency of 9.6% (7.5%) and a whole device average visible light transmittance of 33.4% (41.7%). To determine the role of the scaffold layer in improving the photoelectrical properties of the cell, impedance spectroscopy analyses are performed, revealing that the AAO‐structured perovskite layer suppresses internal ion diffusion and enables critical improvements in long‐term stability under continuous illumination.