Abnormal high-energy phosphate metabolism in human muscle phosphofructokinase deficiency.

We studied the pattern of high-energy phosphate metabolism in five patients with phosphofructokinase deficiency (PFKD) and five healthy subjects (HS) during graded rhythmic handgrip performed for 5 min at 17, 33, 50, and 100% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). The range of MVC was similar in both groups. Force production was recorded, and intracellular concentrations of phosphorus compounds and pH were measured in the flexor digitorum profundus of the active forearm. At exercise intensities greater than or equal to 50% MVC, changes in concentrations of high-energy phosphate metabolites were abnormal in PFKD. During maximal effort, [ADP], calculated from the creatine kinase reaction, was 64.3 +/- 13.5 (SE) mumol/kg in PFKD vs. 25.7 +/- 4.0 in HS (P less than 0.05). Ammonia (NH3), a product of AMP deamination and an index of muscle [AMP], increased approximately twofold more in venous effluent during maximal forearm exercise in PFKD than in HS (P less than 0.05). Phosphocreatine concentration was 9.4 +/- 1.3 (SE) mmol/kg in HS and 13.0 +/- 1.7 in PFKD (P less than 0.05). Inorganic phosphate concentration was 15.8 +/- 1.4 mmol/kg in HS and 7.4 +/- 0.5 in PFKD (P less than 0.05). During strenuous exercise, PFKD patients exhibit an impairment in the rephosphorylation of ADP related to a subnormal oxidative capacity, an absence of glycolysis, and an attenuated breakdown of phosphocreatine.     

Role of high-energy phosphate metabolism in hydrogen peroxide-induced cardiac dysfunction

This study was undertaken to clarify the role of high-energy phosphate metabolism in hydrogen peroxide-induced cardiac dysfunction using phosphorus and fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The exposure of a Langendorff-perfused heart to hydrogen peroxide (200-400 mol/L, 8 min) provoked biphasic contractile dysfunction characterized by a transient depression of left ventricular developed pressure during the administration of hydrogen peroxide and a delayed elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure after the washout of hydrogen peroxide. The initial phase of cardiac dysfunction correlated well with the accumulation of sugar phosphates (r = 0.89, p < 0.01). Furthermore, we demonstrated that glibenclamide, a potent inhibitor of the ATP-sensitive K⁺ channel, attenuated the initial depression of developed pressure. On the other hand, the delayed elevation of end-diastolic pressure correlated well with the total ATP depletion (r = 0.96, p < 0.01). However, ATP loss was supposed to be a mere result from the increased ATP consumption corresponding to a rise in intracellular free Ca²⁺ (from the control value of 315 ± 23 nmol/L to 708 ± 104 after the administration of hydrogen peroxide, p < 0.01), which also paralleled the elevation of end-diastolic pressure. Thus glycolytic inhibition and intracellular Ca²⁺ overload are independently responsible for the biphasic contractile dysfunction induced by hydrogen peroxide.     

Changes in acetylcholine content, release and muscarinic receptors in rat hippocampus under cold stress

The aim was to study the mechanism of the previously established decrease in acetylcholine (ACh) concentration in the rat hippocampus under cold stress. Male rats were exposed for 14 days to cold (5 degrees C) or kept (controls) at room temperature (24 degrees C). Acetylcholine content, release and muscarinic receptor binding were investigated in the hippocampus. Cold exposure resulted in a decrease of ACh concentration in the dorsal hippocampus. Moreover, the potassium-evoked release of ACh from hippocampal slices was increased and an increase of maximal binding capacity of [3H] (-) quinuclidinyl benzilate in the dorsal hippocampus of cold exposed animals was also observed. Thus the decrease of hippocampal ACh concentration under cold exposure is probably due to its increased release. On balance then, our results demonstrate that cold stress in the rat induces significant activation of the hippocampal cholinergic system.     

Effect of precocene II on fatty acid metabolism in the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, under cold stress

Pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), reared at 10 degrees C contain higher levels of fatty acids than those reared at 25 degrees C. This is primarily the result of an accumulation of triacylglycerols containing myristic acid. When aphids reared at 25 degrees C were transferred to 10 degrees C there was a gradual increase in triacylglycerol content that reached a maximum at 16 days post-transfer. Treatment of aphids with precocene II prior to transfer to 10 degrees C blocked the accumulation of fatty acids including myristic acid. A single application of 2 microg precocene II/aphid or two applications of 0.5 microg precocene II/ aphid administered on consecutive days resulted in aphids moved to 10 degrees C maintaining the same fatty acid profile as aphids maintained at 25 degrees C. Aphids that were treated with precocene II and maintained at 25 degrees C did not show changes in fatty acid profiles. Rearing aphids at 10 degrees C resulted in lower rates of reproduction and lower total numbers of progeny with longer longevity. Treatment with precocene II significantly decreased the total number of progeny produced at both temperatures. Precocene II did not reduce life span of aphids reared at 25 degrees C, however, the life span of treated aphids reared at 10 degrees C was decreased. The mechanism by which precocene II prevents the accumulation of myristic acid in aphids reared at 10 degrees C remains to be determined.     

水分胁迫条件下枇杷若干生理指标的变化

随着水分胁迫程度的加强,枇杷叶片脯氨酸含量增加,可溶性蛋白质含量下降。轻度及中度水分胁迫均使枇杷叶片各细胞器H⁺-ATPase活性增强;严重水分胁迫时,细胞胞质H⁺-ATPase活性急剧下降到对照以下水平,而线粒体及叶绿体的H⁺-ATPase活性仍保持高于对照的水平。同一程度的水分胁迫条件下,长红3号叶片可溶性蛋白质含量降幅小于解放钟,而线粒体和叶绿体H⁺-ATPase活性增幅则大于解放钟,说明长红3号抵御干旱的能力比解放钟强。     

Phosphocreatinine, a high-energy phosphate in muscle, spontaneously forms phosphocreatine and creatinine under physiological conditions

Phosphocreatinine undergoes the following spontaneous simultaneous reactions at pH 7.4 (0.02 M sodium phosphate and 120 mM KCl) and 38 degrees C. (Formula: see text) The first order rate constants are 0.046 h-1 (ka) and 0.048 h-1 (kb). There is a major effect of pH on the reactions such that at pH values higher than 7.4 phosphocreatine production predominates, while at pH values less than 7.4 creatinine is the major product. This along with titration data showing apparent pK values of about 3.0 and 7.5 for phosphocreatinine suggest that the dianionic form of phosphocreatinine is involved in the conversion to phosphocreatine, whereas the monoanionic form is exclusively converted to creatinine. Possible mechanisms to account for the reactivity of phosphocreatinine are discussed. Several lines of evidence suggest that the apparent Keq for phosphocreatine formation from phosphocreatinine is about 300 at pH 9.0 and about 70 at pH 7.0, and the delta G0' (pH 7.0) is-2.6 kcal/mol. The delta G0' (pH 7.0) for the hydrolysis of the phosphoryl bond in phosphocreatinine is-12.8 kcal/mol. The phosphocreatinine content of rabbit white skeletal muscle was measured to be 0.05 mumol/g, which is 0.4% of the phosphocreatine content. The in vitro experiments suggest that phosphohydrolysis of phosphocreatinine can account for a creatinine formation equal to 0.5% of the phosphocreatine content/day. We conclude that it is likely that a substantial fraction of the in vivo creatinine production from phosphocreatine goes through the novel high energy phosphate, phosphocreatinine, as an intermediate.     

干旱胁迫下桑树叶片中超氧阴离子的变化规律

该研究以6个四川桑树品种为对象,对供试桑树品种进行连续的人工干旱处理,利用生理方法明确保护酶系(SOD)的变化规律,并采用硝基四氮唑蓝(NBT)还原试验进行超氧阴离子O_2~-·组织化学的可视化检测。结果表明:随着干旱胁迫的加剧,SOD的含量明显高于对照组,其中SOD活性呈先升后降的变化趋势,而超氧阴离子一直呈加重的趋势。6个桑树品种的SOD含量从正常到中度胁迫都呈现不同程度的上升趋势,上升趋势明显的品种是九龙拐和湖桑32,上幅分别为62.7%和60.1%,其次是云桑1号和荷叶白一号上幅,分别为52.2%、58.2%,油桑和充桑的上幅为50.8%和47.4%,说明SOD正发挥着积极的作用。在中度胁迫之后SOD的含量与活性氧的水平表现出相反的趋势,原因可能是随着干旱胁迫的加剧,O_2~-·达到最大值且超出一定域值,从而导致SOD活性的降低。通过电镜观察发现,超氧阴离子由叶脉向周围扩散,同时面积逐渐增大。其中,抗旱性强的品种湖桑32叶片表面茸毛比较长,且基部膨大,端部有明显的刺状突起,而抗旱性弱的品种荷叶白1号叶片表面茸毛比较细短且端部的刺状突起不明显,因此推测叶片表面茸毛的特性与抗旱性存在一定关系。     

Development of the compound eyes of the water stick insect, Ranatra linearis

ABSTRACT. Relationships between estimation of predator-prey distance prior to a capture attempt and some features of the compound eye are investigated at all stages of post-embryonic development. Interommatidial angles increase gradually from the anterior and the dorsal regions to the posterior and ventral regions. Facet diameters vary only slightly over the eye surface but increase with age. New ommatidia appear around the borders of eye after each moult. The older ommatidia are pushed away from the border. From one instar to another ommatidia change their direction of view from between 10 to 30 relative to the body axes. This change in direction far exceeds the calculated changes in direction that would be optimal if ommatidia were to continue viewing the same relative directions in space. This suggests a high degree of plasticity of the underlying neuronal networks.     

Ear of durum wheat under water stress: water relations and photosynthetic metabolism

The photosynthetic characteristics of the ear and flag leaf of well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) were studied in plants grown under greenhouse and Mediterranean field conditions. Gas exchange measurements simultaneously with modulated chlorophyll fluorescence were used to study the response of the ear and flag leaf to CO₂ and O₂ during photosynthesis. C₄ metabolism was identified by assessing the sensitivity of photosynthetic rate and electron transport to oxygen. The presence of CAM metabolism was assessed by measuring daily patterns of stomatal conductance and net CO₂ assimilation. In addition, the histological distribution of Rubisco protein in the ear parts was studied by immunocytochemical localisation. Relative water content (RWC) and osmotic adjustment (osmotic potential at full turgor) were also measured in these organs. Oxygen sensitivity of the assimilation rate and electron transport, the lack of Rubisco compartmentalisation in the mesophyll tissues and the gas-exchange pattern at night indicated that neither C₄ nor CAM metabolism occurs in the ear of WW or WS plants. Nevertheless, photosynthetic activity of the flag leaf was more affected by WS conditions than that of the ear, under both growing conditions. The lower sensitivity under water stress of the ear than of the flag leaf was linked to higher RWC and osmotic adjustment in the ear bracts and awns. We demonstrate that the better performance of the ear under water stress (compared to the flag leaf) is not related to C₄ or CAM photosynthesis. Rather, drought tolerance of the ear is explained by its higher RWC in drought. Osmotic adjustment and xeromorphic traits of ear parts may be responsible.     

冷应激对雏鸡能量代谢的影响

目的：探讨冷应激对雏鸡能量代谢的影响。方法：采用公雏鸡为实验动物,进行急性（0．25,1,3,6,12与24h）与慢性（5,10与20d）冷应激处理（12±1℃）,检测了雏鸡腓肠肌解偶联蛋白（UCP）mRNA的表达水平,血清葡萄糖（BG）,游离脂肪酸（FFA）,胰岛素（INS）以及血浆胰高血糖素（GLU）的含量。结果：急性应激时,UCP mRNA的水平随应激时间的延长呈上升趋势,INS与FFA含量随应激时间的延长呈现波动性变化,GLU含量随应激时间的延长呈现上升趋势,BG含量随应激时间的延长呈现先升高后降低的趋势;慢性应激时,UCP mRNA的水平随应激时间的延长呈上升趋势,INS、GLU、BG以及FFA含量随应激时间的延长均呈上升趋势。结论：冷暴露可以使雏鸡的能量代谢发生改变,而且不同程度的冷应激对机体的能量代谢会产生不同的影响。     

Estrogen-induced changes in high-energy phosphate metabolism in rat uterus: 31P NMR studies

Changes in the concentrations of high-energy phosphate metabolites were measured by 31P NMR spectroscopy of surviving rat uteri from 0-48 h following estrogen administration. Concentrations (millimoles per kilogram wet weight) of these metabolites in the untreated immature uterus, measured at 4 degrees C, were found to be the following: creatine phosphate (CP), 2.1 +/- 0.2; nucleoside triphosphates, mainly adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), 4.6 +/- 0.4; phospho monoesters, primarily sugar phosphates (SP), 5.4 +/- 0.7; and inorganic phosphate (Pi), 0.8 +/- 0.4. Adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) concentration was estimated to be approximately 40 mumol/kg wet weight from the assumed equilibrium of the creatine kinase reaction. The concentration of CP, and to lesser extent ATP and SP, declined within the first 1.5-3 h after injection of 17 beta-estradiol, returned to control values between 6 and 12 h, and then increased, reaching maximal concentrations at 24 h. From the fractions of the total soluble ATP in free and Mg2+-bound forms, [free Mg2+] in the untreated uterus was estimated to be 0.2-0.4 mmol/kg wet weight. An increase in [free Mg2+] in the uterus was detected 1.5 h after estrogen injection. A subsequent parallel increase in the ratio of ATP to CP concentrations suggests that estrogen can also affect the apparent creatine kinase equilibrium by modulating [free Mg2+].     

硅对干旱胁迫下玉米水分代谢的影响

利用盆栽试验研究了施硅(K2SiO3)对玉米植株水分代谢的影响.结果表明:施硅降低了干旱胁迫下玉米植株的气孔导度,降低了干旱胁迫早期到中期的蒸腾速率,保持了干旱胁迫后期较高的蒸腾速率,从而导致施硅玉米植株的叶片含水量和水势高于对照.由于植株的水分状况改善,施硅玉米植株生物量高于对照.硅增强玉米植株的抗旱性,而提高植株保水能力是硅提高抗旱性的重要原因.     

岩溶干旱胁迫下青冈栎水分参数变化

根据岩溶生境特点设计表层岩溶水-岩石(灰岩)-土壤水分供应分层模拟柱,对青冈栎(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)进行水分控制试验;运用压力容积(P-V)技术,研究了在水分胁迫下青冈栎的日水势(P)、饱和含水量时的最大渗透势(ψsats)、初始质壁分离时的渗透势(ψtlps)、初始质壁分离时渗透水相对含量(ROWCtlp)、初始质壁分离时相对含水量(RWCtlp)、质外体水的相对含量(AWC),以及饱和含水量时最大渗透势与初始质壁分离时的渗透势之差(△P)的变化.结果表明,在无表层岩溶水-岩石-土壤处理中,随着土壤干旱胁迫程度的增加,ROWCtlp、RWCtlp、ψsats、ψtlp呈明显下降,而AWC值上升;在有表层岩溶水-岩石-土壤处理下,青冈栎受土壤水分胁迫不明显,水分参数变化不显著.表层岩溶缺水时,土壤水分含量是影响青冈栎水分参数变化的主要因素,在一定的干旱胁迫范围内,随着干旱程度的提高,青冈栎耐旱性不断增加.     

水分胁迫下植物活性氧代谢研究进展(综述Ⅰ)

本文概述植物活性氧代谢的研究及水分胁迫下活性氧与植物抗旱性(抗水分胁迫)之间的关系;着重叙述水分胁迫响应中植物脱毒酶和抗氧化物的功能和机制;并对植物抗氧化基因的研究进展作了讨论。     

Sucrose metabolism in spring and winter wheat in response to high irradiance, cold stress and cold acclimation

Effects of low‐temperature stress, cold acclimation and growth at high irradiance in a spring (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Katepwa) and a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Monopol) were examined in leaves and crowns with respect to the sucrose utilisation and carbon allocation. Light‐saturated and carbon dioxide (CO₂)‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation were decreased by 50% in cold‐stressed spring and winter wheat cultivars. Cold‐ or high light‐acclimated Katepwa spring wheat maintained light‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation comparable to those of control spring wheat. In contrast, cold‐ or high light‐acclimated winter wheat maintained higher light and CO₂‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation than non‐acclimated controls. In leaves, during either cold stress, cold acclimation or acclimation to high irradiance, the sucrose/starch ratio increased by 5‐ to 10‐fold and neutral invertase activity increased by 2‐ to 2.5‐fold in both the spring and the winter wheat. In contrast, Monopol winter wheat, but not Katepwa spring wheat, exhibited a 3‐fold increase in leaf sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity, a 4‐fold increase in sucrose:sucrose fructosyl transferase activity and a 6.6‐fold increase in acid invertase upon cold acclimation. Although leaves of cold‐stressed and high light‐grown spring and winter wheat showed 2.3‐ to 7‐fold higher sucrose levels than controls, these plants exhibited a limited capacity to adjust either sucrose phosphate synthase or sucrose synthase activity (SS[s]). In addition, the acclimation to high light resulted in a 23–31% lower starch abundance and no changes at the level of fructan accumulation in leaves of either winter or spring wheat when compared with controls. However, high light‐acclimated winter wheat exhibited a 1.8‐fold higher neutral invertase activity and high light‐acclimated spring wheat exhibited an induction of SS(d) activity when compared with controls. Crowns of Monopol showed higher fructan accumulation than Katepwa upon cold and high light acclimation. We suggest that the differential adjustment of CO₂‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation upon cold acclimation in Monopol winter wheat, as compared with Katepwa spring wheat, is associated with the increased capacity of Monopol for sucrose utilisation through the biosynthesis of fructans in the leaves and subsequent export to the crowns. In contrast, the differential adjustment of CO₂‐saturated rates of CO₂ assimilation upon high light acclimation of Monopol appears to be associated with both increased fructan and starch accumulation in the crowns.