Reduced photoinhibition with stem curling in the resurrection plant Selaginella lepidophylla

Summary Selaginella lepidophylla, the resurrection plant, curls dramatically during desiccation and the hypothesis that curling may help limit bright light-induced damage during desiccation and rehydration was tested under laboratory conditions. Restraint of curling during desiccation at 25° C and a constant irradiance of 2000 mol m^–2 s^]t-1 significantly decreased PSII and whole-chain electron transport and the F_v/F_m fluorescence yield ratio following rehydration relative to unrestrained plants. Normal curling during desiccation at 37.5°C and 200 mol m^–2 s^–1 irradiance did not fully protect against photoinhibition or chlorophyll photooxidation indicating that some light-induced damage occurred early in the desiccation process before substantial curling. Photosystem I electron transport was less inhibited by high-temperature, high-irradiance desiccation than either PSII or whole-chain electron transport and PSI was not significantly affected by restraint of curling during desiccation at 25°C and high irradiance. Previous curling also helped prevent photoinhibition of PSII electron transport and loss of whole-plant photosynthetic capacity as the plants uncurled during rehydration at high light. These results demonstrate that high-temperature desiccation exacerbated photoinhibition, PSI was less photoinhibited than PSII or whole-chain electron transport, and stem curling ameliorated bright light-induced damage helping to make rapid recovery of photosynthetic competence possible when the plants are next wetted.     

Comparative expression profiles of maize genes from a water stress-specific cDNA macroarray in response to high-salinity, cold or abscisic acid

cDNA macroarray has become a useful tool to analyze expression profiles and compare the similarities and differences of various expression patterns. We have prepared a cDNA macroarray containing 190 maize expressed sequence tags (ESTs) specifically induced by water stress to analyze the expression profiles of maize seedlings under abscisic acid (ABA) treatment, high-salinity and cold stress conditions. The results indicated that 48 ESTs in leaves and 111 ESTs in roots were significantly up-regulated by ABA treatment, 36 ESTs in leaves and 41 ESTs in roots by high-salinity stress, 14 ESTs in leaves and 18 ESTs in roots by cold induction, whereas 22 ESTs were induced under all 3 stresses. Results from the hierarchical cluster analysis suggest that the leaves and roots of maize seedlings had different expression profiles after these stresses. The overlap analysis of different stress-induced ESTs indicated that there is more crosstalk between water stress and ABA and high-salinity stress than between water stress and cold stress. It will be helpful to study the precise function of the corresponding overlapping-induced genes for understanding the relationship and crosstalk between different stress signal pathways.     

越南莲座状复苏卷柏一新种——越南卷柏(卷柏科)

该文描述了在越南发现的卷柏科一新种——越南卷柏(Selaginella pseudotamariscina X. C. Zhang & C. W. Chen)。经过分子系统发育分析并与近缘种形态比较,认为该新种是卷柏属(Selaginella)同穗亚属(subg. Stachygynandrum)的一个物种,与S. digitata-S. imbricata分支为姐妹群关系。该新种与卷柏(S. tamariscina)和垫状卷柏(S. pulvinata)的形态近似,其植株均为莲座状,但不同之处在于中叶对称,似披针形,上表面具1沟槽; 孢子叶穗略压扁; 孢子叶和营养叶性状和排列近似,孢子叶非同形,略异形,正置,腹面孢子叶大于背面孢子叶; 背面孢子叶败育,孢子囊仅见于腹面孢子叶基部。     

The unusual sugar composition in leaves of the resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia

To understand mechanisms of osmoprotection, the composition of sugars and related compounds were analyzed in extracts of fully hydrated and desiccated leaves of the desiccation-tolerant resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia . During the dehydration process the concentrations of fructose and glucose decrease, whereas sucrose, arbutin and glucopyranosyl-β-glycerol increase. The substances were identified by GC-MS and NMR-analyses. This is the first report of large amounts of glucopyranosyl-β-glycerol in higher plants which may act as an osmoprotectant. Significant levels of the nonreducing sugar trehalose were present in all samples tested.     

Biotic and abiotic stress down-regulate miR398 expression in Arabidopsis

MicroRNA398 targets two Cu/Zn superoxide dismutases (CSD1 and CSD2) in higher plants. Previous investigations revealed both decreased miR398 expression during high Cu²⁺ or paraquat stress and increased expression under low Cu²⁺ or high sucrose in the growth medium. Here, we show that additional abiotic stresses such as ozone and salinity also affect miR398 levels. Ozone fumigation decreased miR398 levels that were gradually restored to normal levels after relieved from the stress. Furthermore, miR398 levels decreased in Arabidopsis leaves infiltrated with avirulent strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, Pst DC3000 (avrRpm1 or avrRpt2) but not the virulent strain Pst DC3000. To our knowledge, miR398 is the first miRNA shown to be down-regulated in response to biotic stress (P. syringae). CSD1, but not CSD2, mRNA levels were negatively correlated with miR398 levels during ozone, salinity and biotic stress, suggesting that CSD2 regulation is not strictly under miR398 control during diverse stresses. Overall, this study further establishes a link between oxidative stress and miR398 in Arabidopsis.     

Effects of desiccation on photosynthesis pigments and the ELIP-like dsp 22 protein complexes in the resurrection plant Craterostigma plantagineum

Desiccation and abscisic acid treatment lead to major changes in thylakoid membranes of the desiccation-tolerant plant Craterostigma plantagineum. The chlorophyll contents and proteins of the light harvesting complexes decrease during desiccation, although some chlorophyll is retained in the dehydrated state. The xanthophyll cycle pigment zeaxanthin, however, increased. Under these conditions, a 22 kDa ELIP-like desiccation-induced protein (dsp 22) accumulated in the thylakoid membranes. Fractionation of pigment–protein complexes of stressed plants revealed that the dsp 22 protein co-localized with the carotenoid zeaxanthin. Inhibition of zeaxanthin production had a negative effect on the accumulation of the dsp 22 protein. It is suggested that dsp 22 contributes to the protection against photoinhibition caused by dehydration.     

An ultrastructural investigation of the surface microbiota present on the leaves and reproductive structures of the resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia

The leaves, flower and stems of the southern African angiosperm resurrection plant Myrothamnus flabellifolia were investigated at the ultrastructural level to determine the source of previously reported fungal contamination. Fungal mycelia and hyphae of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium were found localized to the hydathodes of the leaves and stigmatic surfaces of the female flowers in both desiccated and hydrated specimens. A waxy bacterium of the genus Bacillus was found to colonise the waxy epidermal surfaces of the leaves and flowers which was also where fungal cells were found to be absent. It is suggested that the wax like deposits within the leaves and stems as well as over the epidermal surface prevent the growth of the fungal organisms. These fungi opportunistically invade moist surfaces, such as the floral stigmas, during periods of moisture availability and may thus negatively impact plant development.     

Improvement of plant abiotic stress tolerance through modulation of the polyamine pathway

Polyamines(mainly putrescine(Put),spermidine(Spd),and spermine(Spm))have been widely found in a range of physiological processes and in almost all diverse environmental stresses.In various plant species,abiotic stresses modulated the accumulation of polyamines and related gene expression.Studies using loss-of-function mutants and transgenic overexpression plants modulating polyamine metabolic pathways confirmed protective roles of polyamines during plant abiotic stress responses,and indicated the possibility to improve plant tolerance through genetic manipulation of the polyamine pathway.Additionally,putative mechanisms of polyamines involved in plant abiotic stress tolerance were thoroughly discussed and crosstalks among polyamine,abscisic acid,and nitric oxide in plant responses to abiotic stress were emphasized.Special attention was paid to the interaction between polyamine and reactive oxygen species,ion channels,amino acid and carbon metabolism,and other adaptive responses.Further studies are needed to elucidate the polyamine signaling pathway,especially polyamine-regulated downstream targets and the connections between polyamines and other stress responsive molecules.     

14-3-3蛋白参与植物应答非生物胁迫的研究进展

14-3-3蛋白是一种在真核生物细胞中普遍存在且高度保守的蛋白。该蛋白在大多数物种中由一个基因家族编码,并以同源或异源二聚体的形式存在。不同的14-3-3蛋白同工型具有不同的细胞特异性,可通过识别特异的磷酸化或非磷酸化序列与靶蛋白相互作用。14-3-3蛋白在植物生长和发育的各个方面都起重要作用。本文主要围绕植物14-3-3蛋白的种类、结构、磷酸化或非磷酸化识别序列及其响应干旱、冷冻、盐碱、营养和机械胁迫等的分子机制研究进展进行综述。     

An EST screen from the annelid Pomatoceros lamarckii reveals patterns of gene loss and gain in animals

Background  

Since the drastic reorganisation of the phylogeny of the animal kingdom into three major clades of bilaterians; Ecdysozoa, Lophotrochozoa and Deuterostomia, it became glaringly obvious that the selection of model systems with extensive molecular resources was heavily biased towards only two of these three clades, namely the Ecdysozoa and Deuterostomia. Increasing efforts have been put towards redressing this imbalance in recent years, and one of the principal phyla in the vanguard of this endeavour is the Annelida.