The response of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant female rats to a space flight model

Vitamin D metabolism in the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat, a model of salt-induced hypertension, differs from that in the Dahl salt-resistant (R) rat. We have tested the hypothesis that differences in vitamin D metabolism would render the Dahl S rat more susceptible than the Dahl R rat to the effects of a space flight model. Dahl female rats were tail suspended (hind limb unloaded) for 28 days, while fed a low salt (3 g/kg sodium chloride) diet. Plasma 25-OHD concentrations of S rats were significantly lower than that of R rats. Plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration was 50% lower in unloaded than in loaded S rats, but was unaffected in unloaded R rats. The left soleus muscle weight and breaking strength of the left femur (torsion test) were 50% and 25% lower in unloaded than in loaded S and R rats. The mineral content of the left femur, however, was significantly lower (by 11%) only in unloaded S rats. We conclude that female S rats are more vulnerable than female R rats to decreases in plasma 1,25-(OH)2D concentration and femur mineral content during hind limb unloading, but equally vulnerable to muscle atrophy and reduced breaking strength of the femur.     

Thylakoid proteome variation of Eutrema salsugineum in response to drought and salinity combined stress

It is well known that plant responses to stress involve different events occurring at different places of the cell/leaf and at different time scales in relation with the plant development. In fact, the organelles proteomes include a wide range of proteins that could include a wide range of proteins showing a considerable change in cellular functions and metabolism process. On this basis, a comparative proteomics analysis and fluorescence induction measurements were performed to investigate the photosynthetic performance and the relative thylakoid proteome variation in Eutrema salsugineum cultivated under salt stress (200 mM NaCl), water deficit stress (PEG) and combined treatment (PEG + NaCl) as a hyperosmotic stress. The obtained results showed a significant decrease of plant growth under drought stress conditions, with the appearance of some toxicity symptoms, especially in plants subjected to combined treatment. Application of salt or water stress alone showed no apparent change in the chlorophyll a fluorescence transients, primary photochemistry (fluorescence kinetics of the O-J phase), the PQ pool state (J-I phase changes), (Fv/Fm) and (Fk/Fj) ratios. However, a considerable decrease of all these parameters was observed under severe osmotic stress (PEG + NaCl). The thylakoid proteome analysis revealed 58 proteins showing a significant variation in their abundance between treatments (up or down regulation). The combined treatment (PEG + NaCl) induced a decrease in the expression of the whole PSII core subunit (D1, D2, CP43, CP47, PsbE and PsbH), whereas the OEC subunits proteins remained constant. An increase in the amount of PsaD, PsaE, PsaF, PsaH, PsaK and PsaN was detected under drought stress (PEG5%). No significant change in the accumulation of Cyt b6 and Cyt f was observed. Some regulated proteins involved in cellular redox homeostasis were detected (glutamine synthetase, phosphoglycerate kinase, transketolase), and showed a significant decrease under the combined treatment. Some oxidative stress related proteins were significantly up-regulated under salt or drought stress and could play a crucial role in the PSI photoprotection and the control of ROS production level.     

Physiological characterizations of three barley genotypes in response to low potassium stress

Plants adopt several strategies for fighting against low potassium (LK) stress. Our previous study identified some Tibetan wild barley accessions which show the higher LK tolerance than cultivated barley. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying the wild barley are not well understood. In this study, growth performance, elements content, SPAD value, photosynthetic parameters, and ATPase activities were measured to investigate the effect of LK stress on the two wild barley genotypes (XZ153 and XZ141) and one barley cultivar (ZD9) differing in LK tolerance. The results revealed that LK stress inhibited barley growth and induced reduction in dry weight, with XZ153 being least inhibited. Moreover, XZ153 had less reduction in photosynthetic rate, SPAD value, and K concentrations in the younger leaves under LK stress compared to the other two genotypes. Although the activities of H⁺/K⁺-ATPase and Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase were increased significantly in all three genotypes in response to LK, the highest H⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity was observed in XZ153. The current results indicate that higher LK tolerance of XZ153 is partly attributed to its high capacity of transferring K from the old leaves to younger ones.     

Proteomic response of barley leaves to salinity

Drought and salinity stresses are adverse environmental factors that affect crop growth and yield. Proteomic analysis offers a new approach to identify a broad spectrum of genes that are expressed in living system. We applied this technique to investigate protein changes that were induced by salinity in barley genotypes (Hordeum vulgare L.), Afzal, as a salt-tolerant genotype and L-527, as a salt-sensitive genotype. The seeds of two genotypes were sown in pot under controlled condition of greenhouse, using a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Salt stress was imposed at seedling stage and leaves were collected from control and salt-stressed plant. The Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations in leaves changed significantly in response to short-term stress. About 850 spots were reproducibly detected and analyzed on 2-DE gels. Of these, 117 proteins showed significant change under salinity condition in at least one of the genotypes. Mass spectrometry analysis using MALDI-TOF/TOF led to the identification some proteins involved in several salt responsive mechanisms which may increase plant adaptation to salt stress including higher constitutive expression level and upregulation of antioxidant, upregulation of protein involved in signal transduction, protein biosynthesis, ATP generation and photosynthesis. These findings may enhance our understanding of plant molecular response to salinity.     

The influence of salinity on cell ultrastructures and photosynthetic apparatus of barley genotypes differing in salt stress tolerance

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to elucidate the difference in growth and cell ultrastructure between Tibetan wild and cultivated barley genotypes under moderate (150 mM NaCl) and high (300 mM NaCl) salt stress. The growth of three barley genotypes was reduced significantly under salt stress, but the wild barley XZ16 (tolerant) was less affected relative to cultivated barley Yerong (moderate tolerant) and Gairdner (sensitive). Meanwhile, XZ16 had lower Na⁺ and higher K⁺ concentrations in leaves than other two genotypes. In terms of photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, salt stress reduced maximal photochemical efficiency (F _v/F _m), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and intracellular CO₂ concentration (Ci). XZ16 showed relatively smaller reduction in comparison with the two cultivated barley genotypes. The observation of transmission electron microscopy found that fundamental cell ultrastructure changes happened in both leaves and roots of all barley genotypes under salt NaCl stress, with chloroplasts being most changed. Moreover, obvious difference could be detected among the three genotypes in the damage of cell ultrastructure under salt stress, with XZ16 and Gairdner being least and most affected, respectively. It may be concluded that high salt tolerance in XZ16 is attributed to less Na⁺ accumulation and K⁺ reduction in leaves, more slight damage in cell ultrastructure, which in turn caused less influence on chloroplast function and photosynthesis.     

Lisianthus response to salinity stress

The effect of salinity on some morpho-physiological characteristics in lisianthus cultivars was investigated. Cultivars namely, Blue Picotee (C1), Champagne (C₂), Lime Green (C₃), and Pure White (C₄), were subjected to salt stress (0–60 mM NaCl) in a sand culture and their responses were measured. Our results showed that as a salinity level increased, growth parameters, relative water content, photosynthetic pigments, and gas-exchange characteristics decreased in all cultivars, while root fresh mass, root/shoot length ratio, electrolyte leakage, and a malondialdehyde content increased. However, the changes were less pronounced in C₃ and C₄ compared to C1 and C₂. The regression analysis of the relationship between salinity levels and seedling height or root/shoot length ratio defined two groups with different slope coefficients: C1 and C₂ as salt-sensitive cultivars and C₃ and C₄ as salt-tolerant cultivars. Shoot dry mass and leaf area tolerance indices were less affected by salinity in C₃ and C₄ compared to those in C1 and C₂. Further, C₃ and C₄ showed higher photosynthetic rates, greater stomatal conductances, and accumulated greater K+ and Ca2+ contents and K+/Na+ ratios in roots and shoots compared to those in C1 and C₂. The results suggests that C₃ and C₄ could be recommended as resistant cultivars due to maintaining higher growth, water balance, leaf gas exchange, ion compartmentalization, and lower lipid peroxidation in response to salinity compared to C1 and C₂.     

Lupine embryo axes under salinity stress. II. Mitochondrial proteome response

Germination is the first step of plant growth in plant life cycle. An embryonic radicle protruding the seed coat is the first part of plant which has direct contact with external environment including salt-affected soil. In embryo axes, mitochondria are the main energy producer. To understand better salinity impact on mitochondria functioning, this study was focused on the effect of NaCl stress onto mitochondria proteome. Mitochondria were isolated from yellow lupine (Lupine luteus L. ‘Mister’) embryo axes cultured in vitro for 12 h with 250 and 500 mM NaCl. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of mitochondrial proteins isolated from NaCl-treated axes demonstrated significant changes in proteins abundances as a response to salinity treatment. Twenty-one spots showing significant changes in protein expression profiles both under 250 and 500 mM NaCl treatment were selected for tandem mass spectrometry identification. This approach revealed proteins associated with different metabolic processes that represent enzymes of tricarboxylic acid cycle, mitochondrial electron transport chain, enzymes and proteins involved in mitochondria biogenesis and stresses response. Among proteins involved in mitochondria biogenesis, mitochondrial import inner membrane translocase, subunit Tim17/22, mitochondrial-processing peptidase subunit alpha-1, mitochondrial elongation factor Tu and chaperonins CPN60 were revealed. Finally, formate dehydrogenase 1 was found to accumulate in lupine embryo axes mitochondria under salinity. The functions of identified proteins are discussed in relation to salinity stress response, including salinity-induced PCD.     

Differences in antioxidant activity in response to salinity stress in tolerant and susceptible wheat genotypes

Effects of long-term sodium chloride salinity (100 and 200 mM NaCl; ECe = 6.85 and 12.3 dS m^–1) were studied in tolerant (Kharchia 65, KRL 19) and susceptible (HD 2009, HD 2687) wheat genotypes. NaCl decreased relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content (Chl), membrane stability index (MSI) and ascorbic acid (AA) content, and increased the contents of hydrogen peroxide, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) and glutathione reductase (GR). Kharchia 65 showed lowest decline in RWC, Chl, MSI and AA content, lowest increase in H₂O₂ and TBARS contents and higher increase in SOD and its isozymes, APOX and GR, while HD2687 showed the highest decrease in AA content, highest increase in H₂O₂ and TBARS contents and smallest increase in activities of antioxidant enzymes. KRL 19 and HD 2009 showed intermediate response both in terms of oxidative stress and antioxidant activity.     

Germination profiling of lentil genotypes subjected to salinity stress

• Salinity is one of the most severe environmental stresses, negatively affecting productivity of salt‐sensitive crop species. Given that germination is the most critical phase in the plant life cycle, the present study aimed to determine seed germination potential and associated traits under salt stress conditions as a simple approach to identify salt‐tolerant lentil genotypes.
• The genetic material consisted of six lentil genotypes whose adaptation to various agroclimatic conditions is not well elucidated. Salinity stress was applied by addition of NaCl at three different levels of stress, while non‐stressed plants were included as controls. Evaluation of tolerance was performed on the basis of germination percentage, seed water absorbance, root and shoot length, seedling water content, seedling vigour index and number of seedlings with an abnormal phenotype.
• Overall, our findings revealed that salinity stress substantially affects all traits associated with germination and early seedling growth, with the effect of salinity being dependent on the level of stress applied. It is noteworthy, however, that genotypes responded differently to the varying salinity levels. In this context, Samos proved the most salt‐tolerant genotype, indicating its possible use for cultivation under stress conditions.
• In conclusion, the determination of seed germination and early growth potential may be exploited as an efficient strategy to reveal genetic variation in lentil germplasm of unknown tolerance to salinity stress. This approach allows selection of desirable genotypes at early growth stages, thus enabling more efficient application of various breeding methods to achieve stress‐tolerant lentil genotypes.

     

Plasma membrane proteome analysis identifies a role of barley membrane steroid binding protein in root architecture response to salinity

Although the physiological consequences of plant growth under saline conditions have been well described, understanding the core mechanisms conferring plant salt adaptation has only started. We target the root plasma membrane proteomes of two barley varieties, cvs. Steptoe and Morex, with contrasting salinity tolerance. In total, 588 plasma membrane proteins were identified by mass spectrometry, of which 182 were either cultivar or salinity stress responsive. Three candidate proteins with increased abundance in the tolerant cv. Morex were involved either in sterol binding (a GTPase‐activating protein for the adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor [ZIGA2], and a membrane steroid binding protein [MSBP]) or in phospholipid synthesis (phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase [PEAMT]). Overexpression of barley MSBP conferred salinity tolerance to yeast cells, whereas the knock‐out of the heterologous AtMSBP1 increased salt sensitivity in Arabidopsis. Atmsbp1 plants showed a reduced number of lateral roots under salinity, and root‐tip‐specific expression of barley MSBP in Atmsbp1 complemented this phenotype. In barley, an increased abundance of MSBP correlates with reduced root length and lateral root formation as well as increased levels of auxin under salinity being stronger in the tolerant cv. Morex. Hence, we concluded the involvement of MSBP in phytohormone‐directed adaptation of root architecture in response to salinity.     

大麦种子对盐的发芽响应模型

为了明确盐对种子发芽影响的渗透效应和离子效应共同作用方式以及量化种子发芽对盐的响应, 以两个大麦(Hordeum vulgare)品种‘Cask’和‘County’为研究对象, 设置4个恒定温度(5、12、20和27 ℃)、5个等渗的NaCl和聚乙二醇(PEG)浓度梯度(-0.45、-0.88、-1.32、-1.76和-2.20 MPa, 蒸馏水作对照), 做常规发芽实验。结果显示: (1)两个品种在NaCl溶液中比在等渗的PEG溶液中发芽率高且发芽速度快; (2) NaCl和PEG分别作为渗透剂计算出的水势模型参数值差异很大, 说明水势模型不能用来描述种子发芽对盐的响应; (3)大麦种子在盐溶液中的发芽速率与盐浓度成显著的负相关直线关系, 因此我们修订了水势模型, 将修订后的模型命名为盐度模型, 用来量化盐对大麦种子发芽的影响。与水势模型计算出的发芽时间相比, 盐度模型计算出的50%种子发芽时间与大麦种子实际发芽时间更接近; (4)大麦种子在等渗的NaCl和PEG溶液中发芽速率差异随着水势降低, 先增加后降低。据此我们提出盐的渗透效应和离子效应共同作用于种子发芽的3种情况: 第一种在低盐条件下, 主要是渗透效应起负作用; 第二种情况在中盐条件下, 渗透效应和离子效应共同起作用, 离子效用的正作用强于渗透效应的负作用; 第三种情况在高盐条件下, 离子效应逐渐开始起离子毒害的负作用。     

Pharmacological studies of smooth muscle from Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats

The pharmacological properties of various isolated smooth muscle preparations from the Dahl strain of hypertensive rats were studied. The Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rat was allowed to develop hypertension by increasing the dietary sodium from 0.4 to 4.0 or 8.0%. The Dahl salt-resistant (DR) rat remained normotensive on the same diet. The preparations studied were the thoracic aorta, tail artery, portal vein, anococcygeus, and the perfused mesenteric bed. The noradrenaline mean effective doses (ED50) either in the absence or presence of cocaine, were similar for tissues obtained from hypertensive DS or normotensive DR. The reactivities of the isolated perfused mesenteric preparation to noradrenaline, serotonin, and phenylephrine were similar in DS and DR. The ED50 for the relaxing effects of papaverine in noradrenaline-precontracted aorta was similar for tissues from DS and DR and the profile for the washout of noradrenaline-precontracted aorta with Krebs (with or without papaverine) was also similar in DS and DR. The results of this study were compared with similar studies performed using other models of hypertension. It is concluded that vascular changes are unlikely to play a major role in the etiology of hypertension in the Dahl rat model of essential hypertension.     

Mechanisms of pressure-diuresis and pressure-natriuresis in Dahl salt-resistant and Dahl salt-sensitive rats

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Data on blood flow regulation, renal filtration, and urine output in salt-sensitive Dahl S rats fed on high-salt (hypertensive) and low-salt (prehypertensive) diets and salt-resistant Dahl R rats fed on high-salt diets were analyzed using a mathematical model of renal blood flow regulation, glomerular filtration, and solute transport in a nephron. RESULTS: The mechanism of pressure-diuresis and pressure-natriuresis that emerges from simulation of the integrated systems is that relatively small increases in glomerular filtration that follow from increases in renal arterial pressure cause relatively large increases in urine and sodium output. Furthermore, analysis reveals the minimal differences between the experimental cases necessary to explain the observed data. It is determined that differences in renal afferent and efferent arterial resistance are able to explain all of the qualitative differences in observed flows, filtration rates, and glomerular pressure as well as the differences in the pressure-natriuresis and pressure-diuresis relationships in the three groups. The model is able to satisfactorily explain data from all three groups without varying parameters associated with glomerular filtration or solute transport in the nephron component of the model. CONCLUSIONS: Thus the differences between the experimental groups are explained solely in terms of difference in blood flow regulation. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that, if a shift in the pressure-natriuresis relationship is the primary cause of elevated arterial pressure in the Dahl S rat, then alternation in how renal afferent and efferent arterial resistances are regulated represents the primary cause of chronic hypertension in the Dahl S rat.     

Ethylene and ethane production in response to salinity stress

Abstract Ethylene and ethane production in mung bean hypocotyl sections were evaluated as possible indicators of stress due to contact with four salts that are common in natural sites. Ethylene production decreased with increasing concentrations of applied NaCl and KCl. When CaCl₂ was applied, the ethylene evolution was greater. However, when MgCl₂ was applied, ethylene evolution remained high then decreased and at higher salt concentrations again showed an increase. NaCl (up to 0.1 kmol m^?1) and KCl (up to 0.5 kmol m^?3) caused a concentration-dependent increase in ethane production. The ethane production with CaCl₂ was the lowest among the salts tested and only a minute increase was noticed with the increase of concentration from 0.01 to 1 kmol m^?3. Ethane production showed a distinct maximum at 0.2 kmol m^?3 MgCl₂. The introduction of 0.01 kmol m^?3 CaCl₂, as well as anaerobic conditions obtained by purging vials with N₂, eliminated that high ethane production. Respiratory activity of the mung bean hypocotyl sections in MgCl₂ concentrations from 0 to 0.5 kmol m^?3 was correlated with ethane but not with ethylene production. The ethane/ethylene ratio showed three patterns for the four salts tested.     

胍丁胺对Dahl盐敏感型高血压大鼠和Dahl盐抵抗型大鼠血流动力学的影响

在麻醉Dahl盐敏感型(DS)高血压大鼠和Dahl盐抵抗型(DR)正常血压大鼠,研究了静注胍丁胺(agmatine,AGM)对血流动力学的影响.结果显示(1)静注AGM(1,10,20mg/kg)可剂量依赖性地降低DS和DR大鼠的HR,MAP,LVP,±LVdp/dtmax,CI和TPRI.在DS高血压大鼠,MAP,LVP,±LVdp/dtmax和TPRI较DR正常血压大鼠下降幅度要大;而HR和CI在两种大鼠下降幅度无差异.需特别提出的是,DS高血压大鼠在静注高剂量AGM(20mg/kg)后,各项血流动力学指标出现先降低而后升高的现象,这一结果在DR正常血压大鼠并未出现.(2)预先静注咪唑啉受体(IR)和α2-肾上腺素能受体阻断剂(α2-AR)idazoxan(2.5mg/kg)可部分阻抑AGM的血流动力学效应.(3)预先静注α2-肾上腺素能受体阻断剂yohimbine(4mg/kg)同样可部分阻抑AGM的效应.(4)预先静注咪唑啉受体(I1)和α2-肾上腺素能受体阻断剂efaroxan(2.5mg/kg)则完全阻断AGM的血流动力学效应.以上结果表明,AGM可显著降低麻醉DR和DS大鼠的HR,MAP,LVP,±LVdp/dtmax,CI和TPRI;此效应似主要由I1-IR所介导,并有I2-IR和α2-AR参与.     

The response of Mo-hydroxylases and abscisic acid to salinity in wheat genotypes with differing salt tolerances

The differential responses of the wheat cultivars Shi4185 and Yumai47 to salinity were studied. The higher sensitivity of Yumai47 to salinity was linked to a greater growth reduction under salt stress, compared to more salt-tolerant Shi4185. Salinity increased the Na⁺, proline and superoxide anion radical (O₂ ^?) contents in both cultivars. Leaf Na⁺ content increased less in the more salt-tolerant cultivar Shi4185 than salt-sensitive Yumai47. The proline content increased more significantly in Shi4185 than Yumai47; on the contrary, superoxide anion radical content increased less in Shi4185 than Yumai47. This data indicated that wheat salinity tolerance can be increased by controlling Na⁺ transport from the root to shoot, associated with higher osmotic adjustment capability and antioxidant activity. Although salinity increased aldehyde oxidase (AO) activity and abscisic acid (ABA) content in the leaves and roots of both cultivars following the addition of NaCl to the growth medium, AO and ABA increased more in the salt-sensitive cultivar Yumai47 than the more salt-tolerant cultivar Shi4185. Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) activity in the leaves of both cultivars increased with increasing concentrations of NaCl; however, leaf XDH activity increased more significantly in Yumai47 than Shi4185. Root XDH activity in Shi4185 decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations, whereas salinity induced an increased root XDH activity in Yumai47. The involvement of AO and XDH enzymatic activities and altered ABA content in the response mechanisms of wheat to salinity are discussed herein.     

Structural differences in the renin gene of Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats

Genomic libraries in lambda EMBL4 phage were constructed from both inbred Dahl salt-hypertension-sensitive (S) and inbred Dahl salt-hypertension-resistant (R) rats. Overlapping clones containing the renin genes were isolated from these libraries by screening with a renin cDNA probe. Clones were characterized by a combination of restriction mapping and Southern blot analysis. The results showed that the S-rat renin gene is remarkably different from the R-rat renin gene. The major differences are 1) a 1.2-kilobase (kb) insertion in the first intron of the S-gene which accounts for most of the restriction fragment length polymorphisms found in the renin genes between S and R strains, such as those generated with Bg/II [2.7 kb (S)/1.5 kb (R)], EcoRI [6.4 kb (S)/5.2 kb (R)], and HindIII [9.6 kb (S)/8.4 kb (R)]; 2) an additional HindIII site located at the 3' end of the R-gene which accounts for another HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphisms [25 kb (S)/22 kb, 3.4 kb (R)]; 3) two SmaI sites at the 5' flanking region of the first exon of the S-gene, whereas there is only one SmaI site in the corresponding region of the R-gene; and 4) three AvaI sites in the first intron of the S-gene in contrast to two AvaI sites in the same region of the R-gene These differences in the renin genes of Dahl rats might affect renin gene expression, which could account for the known strain differences in plasma and tissue renin activities. These structural studies provide a basis for genetic investigation into the relationship of the renin gene to blood pressure in Dahl rats.