A comparison of nitrate transport in four different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

As rice can use both nitrate (NO₃^-) and ammonium (NH₄⁺), we have tested the hypothesis that the shift in the pattern of cultivars grown in Jiangsu Province reflects the ability of the plants to exploit NO₃^- as a nitrogen (N) source. Four rice cultivars were grown in solution culture for comparison of their growth on NO₃^- and NH₄⁺ nitrogen sources. All four types of rice, Xian You 63 (XY63), Yang Dao 6 (YD), Nong Keng 57 (NK) and Si You 917 (SY917), grew well and produced similar amounts of shoot biomass with 1 mmol/L NH₄⁺ as the only N source. However, the roots of NK were significantly smaller in comparison with the other cultivars. When supplied with 1 mmol/L NO₃^-, YD produced the greatest biomass; while NK achieved the lowest growth among the four cultivars. Electrophysiological measurements on root rhizodermal cells showed that the NO₃^--elicited changes in membrane potential (ΔE_m) of these four rice cultivars were significantly different when exposed to low external NO₃^- (<1 mmol/L); while they were very similar at high external NO₃^- (10 mmol/L). The root cell membrane potentials of YD and XY63 were more responsive to low external NO₃^- than those of NK and SY917. The ΔE_m values for YD and XY63 rhizodermal cells were almost the same at both 0.1 mmol/L and 1 mmol/L NO₃^-; while for the NK and SY917 the values became larger as the external NO₃^- increased. For YD cultivar, ΔE_m was measured over a range of NO₃^- concentrations and a Michaelis-Menten fit to the data gave a K_m value of 0.17 mmol/L. Net NO₃^- uptake depletion kinetics were also compared and for some cultivars (YD and XY63) a single-phase uptake system with first order kinetics best fitted the data; while other cultivars (ND and SY917) showed a better fit to two uptake systems. These uptake systems had two affinity ranges: one had a similar K_m in all the cultivars (0.2 mmol/L); the other much higher affinity system (0.03 mmol/L) was only present in NK and SY917. The expression pattern of twelve different NO₃^- transporter genes was tested using specific primers, but only OsNRT1.1 and OsNRT2.1 expression could be detected showing significant differences between the four rice cultivars. The results from both the physiological and molecular experiments do provide some support for the hypothesis that the more popular rice cultivars grown in Jiangsu Province may be better at using NO₃^- as an N source.     

Stimulation and conformational change of Goα induced by GAP-43

GAP-43 and G_o are peripheral membrane proteins enriched in neuronal growth cone. GAP-43 was highly purified from bovine cerebral cortex and myristoylated G_oαwas highly purified from Escherichia coli cotransformed with pQE60 (G_oα) and pBB131 (NMT). GAP-43 stimulated GTPγS binding to G_oαand the stimulation effect was dependent on concentration of GAP-43. Protein-protein binding experiments using CaM-Sepharose affinity media revealed that Goa·GDP bound GAP-43 directly to form intermolecular complex. This interaction induced conformational change of G_oα. In the presence of GAP-43, fluorescence spectrum of Goa·GDP blue shifted 4 nm; fluorescence intensity increased 35.3% and apparent quenching constant (Ksv) increased from (1.1± 0.22)×10⁵ to (4.1±0.43)×10⁵ (M^-1). However, no obvious changes of fluorescence spectra of G_oα·GTPγS were observed in the absence or presence of GAP-43. Our results indicated that GAP-43 induced conformational change of G_oα·GDP so as to accelerate GDP release and subsequent GTPγS binding, which activates G proteins to trigger signal transduction and amplification. These results provided insights into understanding the function of G proteins in coupling between receptors and effectors and the key role of GDP/GTP exchange mode in GTPase cycle.     

Key enzymes of the protocatechuate branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway for aromatic degradation in Corynebacterium glutamicum

Although the protocatechuate branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway in Gram- bacteria has been well studied, this branch is less understood in Gram⁺ bacteria. In this study, Corynebacterium glutamicum was cultivated with protocatechuate, p-cresol, vanillate and 4-hydroxybenzoate as sole carbon and energy sources for growth. Enzymatic assays indicated that growing cells on these aromatic compounds exhibited protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase activities. Data-mining of the genome of this bacterium revealed that the genetic locus ncg12314-ncg12315 encoded a putative protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase. The genes, ncg12314 and ncg12315, were amplified by PCR technique and were cloned into plasmid (pET21aP34D). Recombinant Escherichia coli strain harboring this plasmid actively expressed protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase activity. Further, when this locus was disrupted in C. glutamicum, the ability to degrade and assimilate protocatechuate, p-cresol, vanillate or 4-hydroxybenzoate was lost and protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase activity was disappeared. The ability to grow with these aromatic compounds and protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase activity of C. glutamicum mutant could be restored by gene complementation. Thus, it is clear that the key enzyme for ring-cleavage, protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase, was encoded by ncg12314 and ncg12315. The additional genes involved in the protocatechuate branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway were identified by mining the genome data publically available in the GenBank. The functional identification of genes and their unique organization in C. glutamicum provided new insight into the genetic diversity of aromatic compound degradation.     

Cloning and sequencing of nifBHDKENX genes of Paenibacillus massiliensis T7 and its nif promoter analysis

A 324 bp of nifH fragment was PCR amplified from Paenibacillus massiliensis T7 using the universal degenerate primers. The PCR-amplified nifH fragment was labeled with DIG and then used as a probe in Southern blot analysis. Southern blot result showed that there were two positive signals, indicating that there might be two copies of nifH in P. massiliensis T7. A total of 10254 bp DNA sequence containing purD and nifBHDKENX was obtained by five rounds of inverse-PCR amplification. The predicted proteins of nifBHDKENX had high homology with those from other nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Only one putative σ⁵⁴-dependent promoter sequence was detected upstream of the nifB gene and nifBHDKENX were likely to be organized in one operon. Assays of β-galactosidase activity of P. massiliensis T7PB carrying a nifB-lacZ fusion under different concentrations of NH⁺₄ and O₂ showed that the expression of nifB-lacZ was strongly inhibited by O₂.     

Photo-induced electron transfer between hypocrellins and nano-sized semiconductor CdS——EPR study on the kinetics of photosensitized reduction in HA-CdS and HB-CdS systems

Both HA-CdS and HB-CdS (Hys-CdS, Hys represents HA, HB) complex systems were established according to the dynamics of heterogeneous electron-transfer process ＜0. In these systems, the electron transferring from ¹Hys^* to conduction band of CdS is feasible. Determined from the fluorescence quenching, the apparent association constants (K_app) between Hypocrellin A (HA), Hypocrellin B (HB) and CdS sol. were about 940 (mol/L)^-1, 934 (mol/L) ^-1 , respectively. Fluorescence lifetime measurements gave the rate constant for the electron transfer process from ¹HA^*, ¹HB^* into conduction band of CdS semiconductor as 5.16×10⁹ s ^-1, 5.10×10⁹ s ^-1, respectively. TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethy-1-piperdinyloxy), a stable nitroxide radical, was used in the kinetic study of the reduction reaction taking place on the surface of a CdS colloidal semiconductor, kinetics equation of the reaction was determined with the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method, and the reaction order of TEMPO is zero. When Hys were added, the rate of EPR increased greatly. By comparing rate constants, the Hys-CdS systems were revealed to be about 350 times more efficient than CdS sol. alone in the photoreduction of TEMPO under visible light. It suggests that Hys can be used as efficient sensitizers of a colloidal semiconductor in the application of solar energy.     

Thermostability of photosynthesis in two new chlorophyllb-less rice mutants

Leaves of the two new chlorophyll b-less rice mutants VG28-1, VG30-5 and the wild type rice cv. Zhonghua 11 were subjected to temperatures 28, 36, 40, 44 and 48℃ in the dark for 30 min or gradually elevated temperature from 30℃ to 80℃ at 0.5℃/min. The thermostability of photosynthetic apparatus was estimated by the changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic rate and pigment content, chloroplast ultrastructure and tissue location of H2O2 accumulation. There were different patterns of Fo-temperature curves between the Chl b-less mutants and the wild type plant, and the temperature of F_o rising threshold was shifted 3℃ lower in the Chl b-less mutants (48℃) than in the wild type (51℃). At temperature up to about 45℃, chloroplasts were swollen and thylakoid grana became misty accompanied with the complete loss of photosynthetic oxygen evolution in the two Chl b-less mutants, but chloroplast ultrastruc-ture in the wild type showed no obvious alteration. After 55℃ exposure, the disordered thylakoid and significant H₂O₂ accumulation in leaves were found in the two Chl _b-less mutants, whereas in the wild type plant, less H₂O₂ was accumulated and the swollen thylakoid still maintained a cer-tain extent of stacking. A large extent of the changes in qP, NPQ and F_v/F_m was consistent with the Pn decreasing rate in the Chl b-less mutants during high temperature treatment as compared with the wild type. The results indicated that the Chl b-less mutants showed a tendency for higher thermosensitivity, and loss of Chl b in LHC II could lead to less thermostability of PSII structure and function. Heat damage to photosynthetic apparatus might be partially attributed to the in-ternal oxidative stress produced at severely high temperature.     

Evolutionary conservation and DNA binding properties of the Ssh7 proteins fromSulfolobus shibatae

The thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae synthesizes a large amount of the 7-ku DNA binding proteins known as Ssh7. Our hybridization experiments showed that two Ssh7-encoding genes existed in the genome of S. shibatae. These two genes, designated ssh7a and ssh7b, have been cloned, sequenced and expressed in Escherichia coli. The two Ssh7 proteins differ only at three amino acid positions. In addition, the cis-regulatory sequences of the ssh7a and ssh7b genes are highly conserved. These results suggest the presence of a selective pressure to maintain not only the sequence but also the expression of the two genes. We have also found that there are two genes encoding the 7-ku protein in Sulfolobus solfataricus. Based on this and other studies, we suggest that the gene encoding the 7-ku protein underwent duplication before the separation of Sulfolobus species. Binding of native Ssh7 and recombinant (r)Ssh7 to short duplex DNA fragments was analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Both native and recombinant forms of the protein behaved in a similar fashion in the assays, suggesting that the interaction of Ssh7 with DNA is not affected either by specific lysine methylation found in the native Ssh7 proteins or by the difference between the two Ssh7 isomers in amino acid sequence. Our data show that Ssh7 binds duplex DNA fragments with a binding size of ~ 6.6 base pairs and an apparent dissociation constant of (0.7—1.0)×10^-7 mol/L under the assay conditions employed in the present study. In addition, Ssh7 binds more tightly to negatively supercoiled DNA than to linear or relaxed DNA. :     

GABA/progesterone-induced polyphosphoinositide (PPI) breakdown and its role in the acrosome reaction of guinea pig spermatozoain vitro

To investigate whether GABA/progesterone (P₄) stimulates PPI breakdown and its role in the acrosome reaction (AR), spermatozoa of guinea pig were preincubated in MCM-LCa²⁺ for 5.5 h and then labeled with [³²P]pi for 1 h. Samples were washed through a three-step gradient Percoll, adjusted to 5×10⁷ cells/mL and exposed to 2 mmol/L Ca²⁺, 5 ?mol/L GABA, 10 ?mol/L P₄ and other agents. Lipids were separated by t.l.c. and radioactivity in spots determined by scintillation counting. The AR was assessed by phase-contrast microscopy. The results showed that (i) when spermatozoa were treated with GABA, ³²P-label diminished rapidly in phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate (PIP₂), phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP), and increased in phosphatidic acid (PA). The loss of label from PPI was almost completed by 10 min. The time-course of the AR was much slower than PPI when spermatozoa reached a maximal response by 15 min; (ii) the pattern of PPI hydrolysis and stimulation of AR was similar for the three agonists tested;their potency followed the order A23187＞progesterone≥GABA; (iii) GABA-induced PIP₂ hydrolysis and rise in PA and the AR were prevented by inclusion of 10 mmol/L neomycin; (iv) the loss of PIP2 labeling and the increase in PA labeling abolished when spermatozoa were exposed to EGTA or Ca²⁺ channel blocker. These results indicate that GABA or P₄^-induced PPI breakdown is an important and essential event in the series of changes to membrane fusion during the AR of guinea pig spermatozoa and this effect is mediated via calcium by activation of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C.     

Purification and characteristics of a low-molecular-weight peptide possessing oxidative capacity for phenol from Phanerochaete chrysosporium

A new low-molecular-weight peptide with phenol oxidase activity, named Pc factor, was isolated and purified from liquid culture of a white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Its molecular weight was about 600 Da estimated by gel-filtration. Three amino acids Glu, Gly and Val were detected in hydrolysate. Absorption peaks corresponding to amino acids and peptide were observed by UV and IR spectra analysis. And the signal of Cα of amino acid was also detected by ¹³C-NMR method. Pc factor had high thermostability and remained active in weakly alkalescent pH range. It could chelate Fe³⁺ and reduce it to Fe²⁺, but no hydroxyl radical HO&#9642; could be detected during the reaction process. It could oxidize phenolic lignin-model compounds such as 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (2,6-DMP), 2,2¢-azinobis (3-ethylbenzathiazoline-6-sulfinic acid) (ABTS) and syringaldazine in the absence of Mn²⁺ and H₂O₂. These characteristics differed greatly from those of manganese peroxi-dases. The oxidative catalysis of Pc factor can be enhanced by certain metal ions such as Cu²⁺ and Mn²⁺ etc., and O2 molecule was necessary for this reaction. In summary, Pc factor may function as an electron carrier in this novel oxidation-reduction system.     

α1A-adrenergic receptor mediated pressor response to phenylephrine in anesthetized rat

To determine which subtype of α₁-adrenergic receptors plays a role in the regulation of blood pressure, with α_1A-adrenergic receptor-mediated vasoconstriction in perfused hindlimb as a control, we compared the inhibitory effects of various α₁-adrenergic receptor selective antagonists on the vasopressure responses to phenylephrine between the mean arterial pressure and hindlimb perfusion pressure in anesthetized rats. In Normotensive Wistar rats, the results showed that the inhibitory effects (dose ratios of ED₅₀, Dr) of α₁-adrenoceptor selective antagonist (prazosin, Dr 13.5 ± 3.6 vs.15.1 ± 4.3, n = 11), α_1A-adrenoceptor selective antagonist (5-methyl-urapidil, Dr 2.4 ± 0.9 vs. 3.7 ± 2.3, n = 12; RS-17053, Dr 3.2 ± 1.6 vs. 4.4 ± 3.3, n = 12) and α_1D-adrenoceptor selective antagonist (BMY7378, Dr 1.9 ± 0.9 vs. 2.2 ± 0.8, n = 8) on phenylephrine-induced increases of perfusion pressure in the autoperfused femoral beds were the same as that in the mean arterial blood pressure in normotensive Wistar rats. The inhibitory effects of antagonists (RS-17053, Dr 3.4 ± 0.6 vs. 4.3 ± 0.9, n = 5; BMY7378, Dr 1.7±0.5 vs. 1.7 ± 0.5, n = 8) in spontaneous hypertensive rats were similar with the Wistar rats. These results suggest that the mean arterial pressure induced by phenylephrine was mainly mediated by α_1A-adrenergic receptor in both the anesthetized Wistar rats and spontaneous hypertensive rats.     

Stomatal movement in response to long distance-communicated signals initiated by heat shock in partial roots of Commelina communis L.

The systematic or long-distance signal transmission plays crucial roles in animal lives. Compared with animals, however, much less is known about the roles of long-distance signal communication in plant lives. Using the model plant Commelina communis L., we have probed the root to shoot communication mediated by heat-shock signals. The results showed that a heat shock of 5 min at 40℃ in partial roots, i.e. half or even 1/4 root system, could lead to a significant decrease in stomatal conductance. The regulation capability depends on both heat shock temperature and the amount of root system, i.e. with higher temperature and more roots stressed, the leaf conductance would decrease more significantly. Interestingly, the stomatal regulation by heat shock signal is in a manner of oscillation: when stomata conductance decreased to the lowest level within about 30 min, it would increase rapidly and sometimes even exceed the initial level, and after several cycles the stomata conductance would be finally stabilized at a lower level. Feeding xylem sap collected from heat-shocked plants could lead to a decrease in stomata conductance, suggesting that the heat shock-initiated signal is basically a positive signal. Further studies showed that heat shock was not able to affect ABA content in xylem sap, and also, not able to lead to a decrease in leaf water status, which suggested that the stomatal regulation was neither mediated by ABA nor by a hydraulic signal. Heat shock could lead to an increase in xylem sap H₂O₂ content, and moreover, the removal of H₂O₂ by catalase could partially recover the stomatal inhibition by xylem sap collected from heat-shocked plants, suggesting that H₂O₂ might be able to act as one of the root signals to control the stomatal movement. Due to the fact that heat-shock and drought are usually two concomitant stresses, the stomatal regulation by heat-shock signal should be of significance for plant response to stresses. The observation for the stomatal regulation in an oscillation manner by presently identified new signals should contribute to further understanding of the mystery for the pant systematic signaling in response to stresses.     

Coupled effects of irradiance and iron on the growth of a harmful algal bloom-causing microalga Scrippsiella trochoidea

Effects of irradiance and iron on the growth of a typical harmful algal blooms (HABs) causative dinoflagellate, Scrippsiella trochoidea, were investigated under various irradiances (high light: 70 μmol m^?2 s^?1 and low light: 4 μmol m^?2 s^?1) and iron concentrations (low iron: 0.063 mg L^?1, medium iron: 0.63 mg L^?1 and high iron: 6.3 mg L^?1), and evaluated by the parameters of algal cell density, specific growth rate, optical density and chlorophyll a content. The results indicated that there was significant difference in the cell density of dinoflagellate S. trochoidea between high light and low light intensity treatments across the entire experiments, 7-fold higher at high irradiance as compared with low irradiance, which was further enhanced by the iron concentration. It was found that the maximum cell density of 25 × 10⁴ cell mL^?1 occurred under the combination of high light intensity and high iron concentration, followed by 23 × 10⁴ cell mL^?1 in the combination of high light and medium iron, and 20 × 10⁴ cell mL^?1 in the combination of high light and low iron. There was no significant effect of iron concentration on the cell density under low light intensity. The cell density maintained about 3 × 10⁴ cell mL^?1 across all combinations of iron concentrations and low light in the end of experiments. Such interactive effects of light intensity and iron level dependent were also observed for the specific growth rate, OD₆₈₀ and chlorophyll a content of S. trochoidea. The maximum values of specific growth rate, OD₆₈₀ and chlorophyll a content peaked at the condition of high irradiance and high iron, which were 0.22 d^?1, 0.282 and 0.673 mg L^?1, respectively. In general, their values increased significantly with the increasing of iron concentration at high irradiance, whereas no significant difference was observed among three iron concentrations at low irradiance, all remaining approximately 0.06 d^?1, 0.03 and 0.050 mg L^?1, respectively. Those results suggest that there may be a strong interactive effect between irradiance and iron on microalgal growth and their physiological characteristics. The combination of high light and high iron concentration may accelerate algal cell growth and pigment biosynthesis, thus leading to massive occurrence of HABs.     

Redox Regulation of Glycogen Biosynthesis in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803： Analysis of the AGP and Glycogen Synthases

Glycogen constitutes the major carbon storage source in cyanobacteria, as starch in algae and higher plants. Glycogen and starch synthesis is linked to active photosynthesis and both of them are degraded to glucose in the dark to maintain cell metabolism. Control of glycogen biosynthesis in cyanobacteria could be mediated by the regulation of the enzymes involved in this process, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase （AGP） and glycogen synthase, which were identified as putative thioredoxin targets. We have analyzed whether both enzymes were subjected to redox modification using purified recombinant enzymes or cell extracts in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Our results indicate that both AGP and glycogen synthases are sensitive to copper oxidation. However, only AGP exhibits a decrease in its enzymatic activity, which is recovered after reduction by DTT or reduced thioredoxin （TrxA）, suggesting a redox control of AGP. In order to elucidate the role in redox control of the cysteine residues present on the AGP sequence （C45, C185, C320, and C337）, they were replaced with serine. All AGP mutant proteins remained active when expressed in Synechocystis, although they showed different electrophoretic mobility profiles after copper oxidation, reflecting a complex pattern of cysteines interaction.     

Cardiolipin is essential for higher proton translocation activity of reconstituted F0

The F_o membrane domain of F_oF₁-ATPase complex had been purified from porcine heart mitochondria. SDS-PAGE with silver staining indicated that the purity of F_o was about 85% and the sample contained no subunits of F₁-ATPase. The purified F_o was reconstituted into liposomes with different phospholipid composition, and the effect of CL (cardiolipin), PA (phosphatidic acid), PI (phosphatidylinositol) and PS (phosphatidylserine) on the H⁺ translocation activity of F_o was investigated. The results demonstrated that CL, PA and PI could promote the proton translocation of F_o with the order of CL＞PA＞＞PI, while PS inhibited it. Meanwhile ADM (adriamycin) severely impaired the proton translocation activity of F_o vesicles containing CL, which suggested that CL’s stimulation of the activity of reconstituted F_o might correlate with its non-bilayer propensity. After F_o was incorporated into the liposomes containing PE (phosphatidylethanolamine), DOPE (dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine) as well as DEPE (dielaidoylphosphatidylethanolamine), it was found that the proton translocation activity of F_o vesicles increased with the increasing content of PE or DOPE, which has high propensity of forming non-bilayer structure, but was independent of DEPE. The dynamic quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan by HB (hypocrellin B) as well as fluorescent spectrum of acrylodan labeling F_o at cysteine indicated that CL could induce F_o to a suitable conformation resulting in higher proton translocation activity.     

The impact of atmospheric CO2 concentration enrichment on rice quality – A research review

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) is increasing rapidly. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that atmospheric [CO₂] has risen from approximately 280 μmol mol^?1 in pre-industrial times to approximately 381 μmol mol^?1 at present and will reach 550 μmol mol^?1 by 2050. In the absence of strict emission controls, atmospheric [CO₂] is likely to reach 730–1020 μmol mol^?1 by 2100. Rising atmospheric [CO₂] is the primary driver of global warming, but as the principal substrate for photosynthesis it also directly affects the yield and quality of crops. Food quality is receiving much more attentions recently, however, compared with grain yield, our understanding in the response of grain quality to elevated [CO₂] is very limited. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops in the world and the first staple food in Asia, providing nutrition to a large proportion of the world’s population. Elevated [CO₂] leads to numerous physiological changes in rice crops, such as changes in the photosynthesis and assimilate translocation, nutrient uptake and translocation, water relation, and altered gene expression and enzyme activity. These altered processes are very likely to affect the chemical and physical characteristics of rice grains. In this review, we first describe main characteristics of rice grain quality, and then summarize findings in literature related to the impact of elevated [CO₂] on grain quality falling into four categories: processing quality, appearance, cooking and eating quality, and nutritional quality, as well as the possible mechanisms responsible for the observed impacts. Elevated [CO₂] caused serious deterioration of processing suitability, in particular, head rice percentage was significantly decreased. In most cases, elevated [CO₂] increased chalkiness of rice grains. The evaluation of physicochemical characteristics together with starch Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) properties indicated no change or small changes in cooking and eating quality under elevated [CO₂], and these changes could not be detected by sensory taste panel evaluation. Elevated [CO₂] significantly decreased nitrogen or protein concentration in rice grains, while in most cases other macro- and micro-nutrients showed no change or decrease in concentration. In addition, the responses of rice quality to elevated [CO₂] might be modified by varieties, applied fertilizer rates or gas fumigation methodologies. The available information in the literature indicates a clear tendency of quality deterioration and thus lower commercial value for rice grains grown under a projected high CO₂ environment. Understanding the factors causing quality deterioration in rice and the related biological mechanisms might be the utmost important scientific theme in future research. Here we also discuss the necessity of formulating adaptation strategies for rice production in future atmospheric environments, nevertheless, the increase in yield, the improvement in quality and stress resistance of rice should be combined and integrated into the adaptation approaches. Compared with enclosure studies, the field experiments using Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) system provide sufficient experimental space and the most realistic mimic of a future high CO₂ atmosphere, and give scientists perhaps the best opportunity to achieve multiple goals.     

Advance in a terrestrial biogeochemical model—DNDC model

Global climate change is one of the most important issues of contemporary environmental safety. Quantifying regional or global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and searching for appropriate mitigation measures have become a relatively hot issue in international global climate change studies. The high temporal and spatial variability of GHG emissions from soils makes their field measurement at regional or national scales impractical. To develop emission factors for a wide range of management practices such as those given in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Tier I methodology are often considered as a convenient technique to estimate emissions, but these can result in substantial errors when applied to specific geographical regions. Accordingly, considering the complexity of greenhouse gas production in soils, process-based models are required to quantify and predict the GHG emissions, and also interpret the intricate relationships among the gas emissions, the environmental factors and the ecological drivers. Several detailed biogeochemical process-based models of GHG emissions have been developed and accepted in recent years to provide regional scale estimate of GHG emissions and assess the mitigation measures. Among these the DNDC (Denitrification–Decomposition) model, as a process-based biogeochemical model, is capable of predicting the soil fluxes of all three terrestrial greenhouse gases: nitrous oxide (N₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and methane (CH₄), as well as other important environmental and economic indicators such as crop production, ammonia (NH₃) volatilisation and nitrate NO₃^- leaching. Originally developed as a tool to simulate GHG emissions generated from agro-ecosystem, DNDC has since been expanded to include ecosystems such as rice paddies, grazed pastures, forests, and wetlands, and the model has attracted worldwide attention to simulate carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles occurring in global ecosystems. This paper introduces the scientific basis underlying the modeling of greenhouse gas emissions from terrestrial soils, brings together the worldwide research undertaken on a wide range of ecosystems to test and verify, improve and modify, and apply the DNDC model to estimate GHG emissions from these systems, and furtherly sums up the advantages and disadvantages of the model for providing a reference for the application and development of the model. Most studies showed that there was a good agreement between the simulated and observed values of CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O emissions from arable, forest and grassland fields at different geographical locations over the world. However, some discrepancies still existed between observed and simulated seasonal patterns of CH₄ and N₂O emissions. Moreover, the DNDC model was mainly tested against experimental data on GHG emissions, but there were a few validations on NO₃^- leaching, soil water dynamics, NH₃ volatilisation which could greatly impact the GHG emissions. With the high development of society and economy, China had been facing a huge challenge between food production and environmental protection. Therefore, it was an urgent task to search optimal measures for optimizing land resource use, increasing crop productivity and reducing adverse environmental impacts. Process-based biogeochemical modeling, as with DNDC, can help in identifying optimal strategies to meet the needs. In future, the DNDC model need to not only improve the capability of predicting the GHG emissions, but also the accuracy of simulating the NO₃^- leaching and soil water dynamics for quantifying the non-point source pollution through modifying the parameters of the model or combining with other models, as SWAT model. The DNDC model will play more and more important role in future studies on global change.     

The impact of atmospheric CO2 concentration enrichment on rice quality – A research review

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO₂]) is increasing rapidly. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that atmospheric [CO₂] has risen from approximately 280 μmol mol^?1 in pre-industrial times to approximately 381 μmol mol^?1 at present and will reach 550 μmol mol^?1 by 2050. In the absence of strict emission controls, atmospheric [CO₂] is likely to reach 730–1020 μmol mol^?1 by 2100. Rising atmospheric [CO₂] is the primary driver of global warming, but as the principal substrate for photosynthesis it also directly affects the yield and quality of crops. Food quality is receiving much more attentions recently, however, compared with grain yield, our understanding in the response of grain quality to elevated [CO₂] is very limited. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important crops in the world and the first staple food in Asia, providing nutrition to a large proportion of the world’s population. Elevated [CO₂] leads to numerous physiological changes in rice crops, such as changes in the photosynthesis and assimilate translocation, nutrient uptake and translocation, water relation, and altered gene expression and enzyme activity. These altered processes are very likely to affect the chemical and physical characteristics of rice grains. In this review, we first describe main characteristics of rice grain quality, and then summarize findings in literature related to the impact of elevated [CO₂] on grain quality falling into four categories: processing quality, appearance, cooking and eating quality, and nutritional quality, as well as the possible mechanisms responsible for the observed impacts. Elevated [CO₂] caused serious deterioration of processing suitability, in particular, head rice percentage was significantly decreased. In most cases, elevated [CO₂] increased chalkiness of rice grains. The evaluation of physicochemical characteristics together with starch Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA) properties indicated no change or small changes in cooking and eating quality under elevated [CO₂], and these changes could not be detected by sensory taste panel evaluation. Elevated [CO₂] significantly decreased nitrogen or protein concentration in rice grains, while in most cases other macro- and micro-nutrients showed no change or decrease in concentration. In addition, the responses of rice quality to elevated [CO₂] might be modified by varieties, applied fertilizer rates or gas fumigation methodologies. The available information in the literature indicates a clear tendency of quality deterioration and thus lower commercial value for rice grains grown under a projected high CO₂ environment. Understanding the factors causing quality deterioration in rice and the related biological mechanisms might be the utmost important scientific theme in future research. Here we also discuss the necessity of formulating adaptation strategies for rice production in future atmospheric environments, nevertheless, the increase in yield, the improvement in quality and stress resistance of rice should be combined and integrated into the adaptation approaches. Compared with enclosure studies, the field experiments using Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE) system provide sufficient experimental space and the most realistic mimic of a future high CO₂ atmosphere, and give scientists perhaps the best opportunity to achieve multiple goals.     

Surface N balances and reactive N loss to the environment from global intensive agricultural production systems for the period 1970―2030

Data for the historical years 1970 and 1995 and the FAO-Agriculture Towards 2030 projection are used to calculate N inputs (N fertilizer, animal manure, biological N fixation and atmospheric deposition) and the N export from the field in harvested crops and grass and grass consumption by grazing animals. In most industrialized countries we see a gradual increase of the overall N recovery of the intensive agricultural production systems over the whole 1970―2030 period. In contrast, low N input systems in many developing countries sustained low crop yields for many years but at the cost of soil fertility by depleting soil nutrient pools. In most developing countries the N recovery will increase in the coming decades by increasing efficiencies of N use in both crop and livestock production systems. The surface balance surplus of N is lost from the agricultural system via different pathways, including NH₃ volatilization, denitrification, N₂O and NO emissions, and nitrate leaching from the root zone. Global NH₃-N emissions from fertilizer and animal manure application and stored manure increased from 18 to 34 Tg·yr^-1 between 1970 and 1995, and will further increase to 44 Tg·yr^-1 in 2030. Similar developments are seen for N₂O-N (2.0 Tg·yr^-1 in 1970, 2.7 Tg·yr^-1 in 1995 and 3.5 Tg·yr^-1 in 2030) and NO-N emissions (1.1 Tg·yr^-1 in 1970, 1.5 Tg·yr^-1 in 1995 and 2.0 Tg·yr^-1 in 2030).     

Development of Triticum aestivum-Leymus racemosus translocation lines using gametocidal chromosomes

Specific chromosomes of certain Aegilops species introduced into wheat genome background may often facilitate chromosome breakage and refusion, and finally result in a variety of chromosome restructuring. Such a phenomenon is commonly called gametocidal effect of the chromosomes. The chromosome 2C of Ae. cylindrica is one of such chromosomes. In the present study, scab resistant wheat-L. racemosus addition lines involving chromosomes Lr.2 and Lr.7 were crossed to wheat-Ae. cylindrica disomic addition line Add2C. Then F₁ hybrids were subsequently backcrossed with wheat cv “Chinese Spring”. BC₁ plants with chromosome structural aberration were identified by C-banding. In the self-pollinated progenies of these plants, three translocation lines were developed and characterized by mitotic and meiotic analysis combined with C-banding and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) using biotin-labeled genomic DNA of L. racemosus as probe. Some other putative translocation lines to be further characterized were also found. The practicability and efficiency of the translocation between wheat and alien chromosomes induced by gametocidal chromosomes, as well as the potential use of the developed alien translocation lines were also discussed.     

Concomitant proliferation and formation of a stratified epithelial sheet by explant outgrowth of epidermal keratinocytes from adult mice

Summary A chemically defined medium containing 1.2 mM Ca²⁺ has been developed for the culture of primary epidermal keratinocytes from untreated adult mice such that proliferation is accompanied by the formation of desmosomes and stratification. Cultured cutaneous explants of 1 mm² from the backs of untreated, control, and carcinogen-exposed mice all demonstrated epithelial outgrowth within 1 wk, and by 5 wk approached confluence with characteristics of terminal differentiation such as desmosomes and stratification. Addition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to the medium in concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 μg/ml resulted in a delay of approximately 1 wk in the outgrowth of the explants compared with the acetone controls and in a 30% decrease in the diameter of the epithelial outgrowth at 3 wk. The inhibition in outgrowth was overcome at higher concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 10 μg/ml TPA). No obvious differences in morphology or in the rate of epidermal outgrowth within a 5-wk interval among explants from normal untreated epidermis, epidermis from mice treated with acetone, or epidermis from mice treated with an initiating application of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene were observed. The defined composition of this medium and its ability to support reproducibly and conveniently both proliferation and differentiation of normal as well as treated primary adult murine epidermal cells suggest that it should be useful for a number of studies not previously possible that are relevent to the biology of the skin, to toxicology, and to carcinogenesis in the murine model system.