Plant Anaerobic Stress as a Novel Trend in Ecological Physiology,Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology: 1. Establishment of a New Scientific Discipline

This review attempted to follow the establishment of a novel branch of biology arisen at the interfaces between plant physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology—plant anaerobic stress. Most attention was given to the early period of these investigations, the activity of the members of International Society for Plant Anaerobiosis in particular, and the contribution of Russian scientists, who played a significant role at that time in the establishment and international recognition of this new trend. In this connection, the following points are considered: (1) Crawford's metabolic theory, which could not withstand experimental verification but induced an active discussion, thus stimulating further investigations in this field; (2) a concept of two main strategies of plant adaptation to anaerobic stress (true and apparent adaptation), which was put forward based on the following experimental data: (a) a discovery of a paradoxical phenomenon of hyper-sensitivity, but not hyper-resistance to anoxia, of the flood-tolerant plant roots (“apparent” tolerance); (b) the elucidation of the physiological role of oxygen transported from aerated organs of flood-tolerant plants to the roots inhabiting anaerobic environment; (c) demonstration of the key role of both energy metabolism, and (d) substrate providing for glycolysis and ethanolic fermentation in plants manifesting “true” tolerance to oxygen deprivation; (3) the discovery of plant stress proteins; and finally (4) pH-stat theory put forward by Davies.     

谷氨酰胺合成酶基因GS1和GS2的高效表达增强转基因水稻对氮素缺乏的耐性

构建了同时含有胞质谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS1)cDNA和叶绿体谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS2)cDNA的植物表达载体p2GS,通过农杆菌介导法用它们转化了水稻品种"中花10号"的成熟胚愈伤组织,经潮霉素(Hyg)筛选培养及分化再生,获得了抗Hyg的转基因水稻植株.PCR和基因组Southern杂交分析结果证明,GS1和GS2基因均已经整合到转基因水稻的基因组内.Northern杂交实验结果证实,GS1和GS2基因在转基因水稻的转录水平上得到了有效表达.在以0.7 mmol/L的(NH4)2SO4取代了其中氮成分的MS培养基上测试植株生长量,结果表明转基因植株鲜重增长量显著高于对照,证明高效表达GS增强了转基因水稻对土壤氮素缺乏的耐性.     

盐胁迫下小麦甜菜碱和脯氨酸含量变化

运用高效液相色谱-质谱(HPLC-MS)联用技术分析了耐盐性强、中、弱3个小麦品种SW12、宁春4号和中国春苗期5个NaCl浓度胁迫下甜菜碱和脯氨酸含量的变化.方差分析表明盐胁迫下3个小麦品种之间甜菜碱的含量差异达到极显著水平(P＜0.01),SW12的含量最高,宁春4号次之,中国春最低,与小麦耐盐性表现相一致;脯氨酸在叶片中的含量差异不显著,在根中宁春4号和中国春的含量有显著差异(P＜0.05).结果表明:小麦叶和根中甘氨酸甜菜碱含量与小麦盐胁迫呈正相关,是小麦体内抵御盐胁迫的渗透调节物质之一,可作为小麦耐盐性鉴定指标.     

拟南芥MT-II过量表达提高抗旱性(英文)

富含巯基的植物II型金属硫蛋白(MT)对植物抵抗重金属胁迫具有重要作用,其中一个可能机制是金属硫蛋白可能猝灭重金属引起的氧化胁迫。利用转MT-II基因和野生型拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)植株来对比研究MT在胁迫过程中通过清除氧自由基,特别是H2O2而对植物抗旱性的影响。研究表明,转基因型拟南芥能有效维持体内氧化—还原势,减少MDA的产生,从而缓解干旱胁迫引起的伤害,提高抗旱性。     

CD4+CD25+调节性T细胞

调节性T细胞(regulatory T cells,Treg)是机体维持自身耐受的重要组成部分。CD4^ CD25^ Treg细胞来源于胸腺,其主要功能是抑制自身反应性T细胞,并且其作用是通过直接的Treg-T效应细胞之间的相互接触方式来实现的。CD4^ CD25^ Treg细胞可分泌多种抑制性细胞因子,但与其抑制功能关系并不明确,目前有证据表明GITR和Foxp3与CD4^ CD25^ Treg细胞的抑制功能有关,并且Foxp3已作为CD4^ CD25^ Treg细胞的特异性标志。通过IL-10、TGF-β等抑制性细胞因子、imDC以及转基因技术可以产生具有免疫抑制功能的调节性T细胞。调节性T细胞在免疫相关性疾病、肿瘤免疫和抗感染免疫等方面具有重要意义。     

华北丽斑麻蜥食物同化和疾跑速的热依赖性

作者研究山西阳泉丽斑麻蜥(Eremias argus)成体的选择体温、热耐受性及食物同化和疾跑速的热依赖性。选择体温、临界低温和临界高温无显著的两性差异,分别为36·0℃、1·0℃和44·9℃。在实验温度范围内,体温显著影响食物通过时间、日摄食量、日粪尿排量、表观消化系数和同化效率。食物通过时间在26 -34℃范围内随体温升高而缩短,在更高的体温下则延长。蜥蜴在30、32、34和36℃体温下明显摄入较多的食物、排出明显较多的粪尿。34℃和36℃下的表观消化系数和同化效率大于其它更低或更高温度下的对应数值,但这两个变量未因体温变化而呈现清晰的规律性变化。疾跑速在18 -36℃范围内随体温升高而加快,在38℃体温下则减缓。36℃或附近体温最适合疾跑速。疾跑速最适体温接近蜥蜴的选择体温,表明蜥蜴疾跑速的最适温度可能与其选择体温密切相关[动物学报52 (2) : 256 -262 , 2006]。