Inhibition of Photosystem II by formate. Possible evidence for a direct role of bicarbonate in photosynthetic oxygen evolution

In broken chloroplasts the presence of 100 mM sodium formate at pH 8.2 will specifically lengthen the Photosystem II relaxation times of the reactions S′₂ → S₃ and S′₃ → S₀. Rates of reactions S′₀ → S₁ and S′₁ → S₂ remain unaffected. Evidence is presented which indicates the discrimination among S-states by formate cannot be attributed to a block imposed on the reducing side of Photosystem II. The results are interpreted in context of the known interaction of formate and CO₂ which is bound to the Photosystem II reaction center complex. It is proposed that those S-state transitions which show extended relaxation times in the presence of formate must result in the momentary release and rebinding of CO₂. Furthermore since formate is acting on the oxygen-evolving side of Photosystem II, it would seem that CO₂ is released in reactions that occur there. A chemical model of oxygen evolution is presented. It is based on the hypothesis that hydrated CO₂ is the immediate source of photosynthetically evolved oxygen and explains why, under certain conditions formate slows only the S-state transitions S′₂ → S₃ and S′₃ → S₀.     

The influence of the electric diffusion potential on delayed fluorescence light curves of chloroplasts treated with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea

The potassium salt-induced transient increase of delayed fluorescence yield was studied in pea chloroplasts treated with 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea.A simple kinetic model is proposed to account for the actinic light intensity dependence of the delayed fluorescence enhancement by the transmembrane diffusion potential induced by sudden salt addition. The electric field dependence of the rate constants for the recombination of primary separated charges with and without subsequent electronic excitation of reaction center chlorophyll was obtained.From the value of enhancement of delayed fluorescence by salt concentration gradients at saturating actinic light intensity, it is concluded that the distance, normal to thylakoid membrane surface, between the primary acceptor and the donor of Photosystem II is smaller than the membrane thickness.     

Cyclic photophosphorylation reactions catalyzed by ferredoxin,methyl viologen and anthraquinone sulfonate. Use of photochemical reactions to optimize redox poising

The flavin analogue 5-deazariboflavin is a convenient catalyst for the photoreduction of low-potential redox compounds. In an anaerobic medium with Tricine buffer as the electron donor, 5-deazariboflavin is capable of photoreducing both ferredoxin and methyl viologen. We have used this method to conduct a comparative study of the Photosystem I photophosphorylation activities supported by the reduced forms of ferredoxin, methyl viologen and anthraquinone sulfonate. All of these catalysts are capable of generating high rates (200–500 μmol ATP/h per mg chlorophyll) of cyclic photophosphorylation, but only the activity dependent on ferredoxin exhibits sensitivity to antimycin A. This finding suggests that the size of the catalyst and its ability to approach the thylakoid membrane, rather than low-redox potential, governs antimycin A sensitivity. Ferredoxin-catalyzed activity is, however, less sensitive to inhibition by dibromothymoquinone than are the activities supported by methyl viologen and anthraquinone sulfonate. This discrepancy is due to binding of the inhibitor by ferredoxin.     

Effect of phospholipid vesicles on the activity of terminal transferase.

The terminal transferase activity is modified in the presence of lipid vesicles. A deep inhibitory effect takes place with phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol, while some stimulation is present with sphingomyelin and almost no effect has been detected with phosphatidylethanolamine vesicles. These effects seem to be related to the charge properties of the lipid membranes.A possible involvement of phospholipids in the mechanism of action of the terminal transferase is suggested.     

Effects of Mojave toxin on rat skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Effects of the lethal fraction (MD-9) from the venom of the Mojave rattlesnake, Crotalus scutulatus, on sarcoplasmic reticulum were investigated. The calcium sequestering activity of the vesicles was reduced by the lethal fraction and subsequent release of calcium was enhanced. These effects were observed to be dependent upon MD-9 concentration and the length of preincubation time with the vesicles. An enhanced ATPase activity that was affected by concentration and MD-9 preincubation time was also observed. Both calcium uptake and ATPase activity effects may be due to a phospholipase activity associated with the fraction.     

A comparison of the interfacial interactions of the apoprotein from high density lipoprotein and β-casein with phospholipids

The conformations adopted by β-casein and the total apoprotein from serum high density lipoprotein when spread at the air-water interface are compared; the monolayer data are consistent with the apoprotein being α-helical and the β-casein being disordered with segments distributed in loops and trains. The penetration of these hydrophobic proteins into phosphatidylcholine monolayers in different physical states was investigated. More protein can penetrate into monolayers when they are in the liquid-expanded state; for penetration at constant total surface area the lateral compressibility of the lipid is an important factor. The charge and conformation of the polar group of the phospholipid does not have a major influence on the interaction. The mixed films of lipid and protein have a mosaic structure; probably the β-casein is in a compressed state whereas the apoprotein is extended as α-helices in the plane of the interface. The chain-length dependences of the interaction of the apoprotein with phosphatidylcholine monolayers and bilayers are different; when the apoprotein binds to bilayers of shorter-chain phosphatidylcholines it alters the shape of the lipid-water interface whereas with monolayers the interface remains planar throughout.     

Light and electron microscopical study of Nosema eurytremae

A nuclear-polyhedrosis virus (NPV) of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, which forms an icosahedral inclusion body, was transmitted to larvae of the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis. Serial passages of Bombyx NPV in the alternate host by injecting the supernatant of diseased hemolymph produced inclusion bodies with cuboidal and other shapes that differed from the original shape formed in Bombyx. These different shapes increased with times of passages, and after the twelfth passage, only cuboidal inclusion bodies were formed. The icosahedral inclusion bodies in B. mori and the cuboidal inclusion bodies in C. suppressalis occluded singly enveloped virions of the same size (350 × 75 nm), but the cuboidal inclusion bodies contained only a few virions and a large number of membraneous spherical structures. The formation process of the cuboidal inclusion body differed from that of the icosahedral. At first, irregularly branched inclusion bodies containing “vacant” spaces appeared in the infected nuclei. The bodies grew larger with the deposition of protein in the spaces between the branches, and this was accompanied with the occlusion of a large number of membraneous structures formed in the vicinity of the inclusion bodies, which became cuboidal in shape.     

云南松形态和叶片碳氮磷化学计量及其海拔变化特征

云南松(Pinus yunnanensis Franch.)是我国西南地区特有的物种,在当地的经济、生态和水土保持功能方面占有重要地位。本研究以云南东北部不同海拔的云南松天然次生林为对象,测定了成年植株的胸径、株高、叶片长度、干重、比叶长及叶片碳、氮、磷含量,分析了不同海拔下叶片碳氮磷化学计量特征。结果表明:随海拔升高,胸径、株高、叶P含量和叶C∶N呈现"中间高,两头低"的趋势,而叶C∶P和N∶P呈现的趋势与叶P和叶C∶N的相反;云南松叶片单束松针长、比叶长、叶C、N随海拔升高呈明显降低的趋势,而单束松针重呈增加的趋势;各海拔的N∶P值(平均值为5.82±0.10)均小于14,且与植株胸径、株高呈显著负相关;该地区云南松对海拔具有较强的适应性,植株生长主要受N元素的营养限制,该结果支持生长速率假说。本研究揭示了云南松化学计量特征的空间格局变化规律,为云南松林的经营管理提供科学依据。     

不同预后脓毒症患者血清降钙素原、C反应蛋白与凝血功能指标和APACHE Ⅱ评分的关系分析

目的:探讨不同预后脓毒症患者血清降钙素原(PCT)、C反应蛋白(CRP)与凝血功能指标和急性生理和慢性健康状况评分系统Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)评分的关系。方法:回顾性分析2015年1月至2019年1月期间深圳市第二人民医院重症医学科收治的160例脓毒症患者(脓毒症组)与在深圳市第二人民医院接受住院治疗的160例非脓毒症患者(非脓毒症组)的临床资料,根据脓毒症组患者住院28d后的预后情况分为存活组118例和死亡组42例,比较脓毒症组和非脓毒症组以及死亡组和存活组患者血清PCT和CRP水平、APACHE II评分以及凝血功能指标,采用Pearson相关性回归分析脓毒症患者血清降钙素原和CRP水平与APACHEⅡ评分以及凝血功能指标相关性。结果:与非脓毒症组相比,脓毒症组的血清PCT和CRP水平以及APACHEⅡ评分明显升高,凝血酶原时间(PT)和部分凝血活酶时间(APTT)明显延长(均P<0.05)。与存活组相比,死亡组的血清PCT和CRP水平以及APACHEⅡ评分明显升高,而PT和APTT均明显延长(均P<0.05)。Pearson相关性回归分析结果显示,血清PCT和CRP水平与APACHEⅡ评分、PT及APTT均呈正相关(均P<0.05)。结论:脓毒症患者血清PCT和CRP水平异常升高,APACHEⅡ评分及凝血功能指标均与血清PCT和CRP水平呈正相关,检测血清PCT和CRP水平有助于评估脓毒症患者的预后。