Studies on the change of the respiratory system in roots in relation to the growth of plants II. Activity of iron-containing oxidases in roots of cereal crops with the aging of plants

Distribution of iron-containing oxidases in aging nodal rootsof rice and wheat was studied. Activities of cytochrome c oxidase(1.9.3.1 [EC] , cytochrome c : O₂ oxidoreductase), catalase (1.11.1.6 [EC] ,H₂O₂: H₂O₂ oxidoreductase) and peroxidase (1.11.1.7 [EC] , donor:H₂O₂ oxidoreductase) in wheat roots were comparatively higherthan were those in rice roots at corresponding stages. Cytochromec oxidase in roots remained active throughout the lives of therice and wheat crops. In rice roots, catalase seemed to playa distinct role around the panicle formation stage. Decay ofcatalase activity took place earlier than did that of peroxidaseand cytochrome c oxidase activities. In wheat roots similarenzyme activity changes were not observed. Data may suggestthat the high activity of iron containing oxidases at the panicleformation stage (I) may be chiefly due to catalase activityin rice roots. ¹Paper presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Society ofthe Science of Soil and Manure, Japan (1968). (Received November 21, 1968; )     

Effect of pruning or removal of in vitro formed roots on ex vitro root regeneration and growth in micropropagated grapes

Pruning or total removal of in vitro formed roots of grape (Vitis vinifera L.) plantlets at planting offered considerable ease and time economy compared to control plantlets with intact roots. The ex vitro establishment was unaffected by the practice with 90% or higher establishment in each treatment. When observed at 4 weeks from planting, growth was slightly affected by root pruning and significantly by root removal. However, both these treatments showed better adventitious root regeneration at the base compared to control plants, which showed elongation of in vitro formed roots with fewer new roots. Root pruning and root removal treatments reduced the influence of the number of in vitro formed roots on vigour of ex vitro plants since the number of new roots formed was independent of the roots initially present. Consequently, these plants showed more uniformity compared to control plants. With a better root system, root pruned plants showed faster subsequent growth. Root pruning at planting is recommended for easier handling and more uniform plants. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

空气断根对侧柏实生苗生物量分配和根系生长的影响

为探求林木幼苗生物量分配和根系生长对空气断根的响应,以侧柏(Platycladus Orientalis)实生苗为材料,设置空气断根(T)和不断根(CK)处理,研究了空气断根10、30 d和50 d后对侧柏生物量、根系形态特征及吸收面积的影响。结果表明:(1)T处理的侧柏幼苗地上生物量、根生物量、总生物量、根长、根表面积、根体积及根尖数在断根10、30 d和50 d后均大于CK,且显著扩大了根系总吸收面积和活跃吸收面积。(2)空气断根显著影响了侧柏实生苗的生物量分配格局,其根冠比在整个试验阶段呈先增大后减小的趋势,而CK逐渐减小。(3)两种处理的侧柏幼苗根系直径集中在0-0.5 mm。与CK相比,T处理侧柏随空气断根时间延长,单株根系直径在0-0.5 mm的根数量急剧增多,占总根尖数的79%,根平均长度、根表面积、根体积和根尖数显著增大。(4)生物量参数和根形态参数之间关系密切。根生物量与地上生物量及总生物量呈显著正相关(P0.05)。除根系平均直径外,根生物量、地上生物量和总生物量分别与根长、根表面积、根体积、根尖数呈显著正相关,根冠比与地上生物量呈负相关。因此,空气断根有效改善了侧柏幼苗的根系形态特征,提高了吸收面积,显著促进侧柏实生苗在生长早期快速发育。     

Effect of chronic respiratory load on cytochrome oxidase activity in diaphragmatic fibers.

To determine whether the increase in oxidative capacity after respiratory muscle training with chronic inspiratory loads in sheep is specific to a particular fiber type, we measured cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in type I and type II fibers. COX activity in individual fibers was examined histochemically and measured as relative optical density by use of an image processing system. Fiber types were differentiated by the myosin adenosine-triphosphatase reaction. We found that COX activity was higher in both fiber types in the trained diaphragms than in the control diaphragms (P less than 0.01). The increase with training was greater in type II (39%) than in type I fibers (21%), resulting in relatively homogeneous COX activity in all diaphragmatic fibers. The proportion of type I fibers increased from 43.4 +/- 5.4% in the control diaphragm to 53.1 +/- 2.9% in the trained diaphragm, whereas the proportion of type II fibers decreased (P less than 0.001). We conclude that respiratory muscle training activates oxidative enzyme activity in both diaphragmatic fiber types; this activation is differentially more in type II fibers, which also decrease in proportion, and less in type I fibers, which increase in proportion.     

Studies on the control of mitotic activity in excised roots. I. The experimental system

The mitotic characteristics of excised roots of the garden pea, Pisum sativum, have been studied under conditions of controlled nutrition. The excised root system was tested with regard to its ability to respond, mitotically, to various carbon sources. Sucrose, glucose, fructose, and DL-glyceraldehyde were found to support mitotic activity in excised roots, galactose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose were toxic, and mannose ineffective. Initiation of mitotic activity in the presence of glucose was inhibited by the respiratory poisons, KCN and malonic acid, the uncoupling agent, 2,4-dinitrophenol, but was not notably affected by the protein synthesis inhibitor, chloramphenicol. The glucose-induced response in mitotic activity was not affected by the carcinogen, urethan, and indeed, there is some evidence that the response was actually enhanced. The fact that KCN, malonic acid, and probably 2,4-dinitrophenol, in suitable concentrations inhibit the onset of cell division suggests that some level of operation of the Krebs' cycle is essential for commission of cells into mitosis. Likewise, failure to inhibit cells in the process of active mitosis by KCN and malonic acid is not inconsistent with the idea that there is a shift from reliance on aerobic to anaerobic respiration between antephase and active mitosis.     

Elevated oxalate oxidase activity is correlated with Al-induced plasma membrane injury and root growth inhibition in young barley roots

In order to characterise the possible mechanisms involved in Al toxicity some functional characteristics were analysed in young barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seedlings cultivated between moistened filter paper. Transfer of germinated barley seeds into hydroponic culture system caused significant stress, which was manifested by root-growth inhibition and elevated Evans blue uptake of root tips. Hydroponics caused stress unabled the analysis of Al-induced stress in the young barley roots during the first day of cultivation. Several (3–4) days are required for adaptation of barley seedlings to hydroponics in spite of strong aeration of the medium. Using filter paper compared to cultivation in solution application of much higher Al concentrations were required to inhibit root growth. Al-induced root growth inhibition, Al uptake, damage of plasma-membrane (PM) permeability of root cells, as well as elevated oxalate oxidase - OxO (EC 1.2.3.4) activity were significantly correlated. While 1 mM Al concentration had no effect on barley roots growing on filter paper, 5 to 100 mM Al concentration inhibited root growth, enhanced cell death and induced oxalate oxidase activity with increasing intensity. The time course analysis of OxO gene expression and OxO activity showed that 10 mM Al increased OxO activity as soon as 3 h after exposure of roots to Al reaching its maximum at about 18 h after Al application. These results indicate that expression of OxO is activated very early after exposure of barley to Al, suggesting its role in oxidative stress and subsequent cell death caused by Al toxicity in plants.     

Studies on the respiratory system of Aspergillus oryzae. V. Some properties of the respiratory system of mitochondria from mycelia grown in the presence of chloramphenicol.

Presence of chloramphenicol in the growth medium for mycelia of Aspergillus oryzae was without effect on the oxidative activity, respiratory control, or P/O ratio of isolated mitochondria. The mitochondria oxidized Krebs cycle intermediates even in the presence of cyanide at the concentration markedly inhibiting the normal mitochondrial oxidation. However, the P/O ratio during the mitochondrial oxidation decreased by about 1.0 on addition of cyanide. The c-type cytochromes, shown to occur in large amounts than in normal mitochondria (Wakiyama and Ogura, 1972), were suggested to act as electron carriers in this cyanide-resistant oxidation. A novel pigment, demonstrated only in the mitochondria prepared from chloramphenicol-treated mycelia by a CO-difference spectrum, was presumed to be the terminal oxidase of the respiration in the presence of cyanide.     

The effect of kinetin on the indoleacetic acid level and indoleacetic acid oxidase activity in roots of young plants

Kinetin treatment increased the extractable IAA content in roots of young plants of Phaseolus vulgaris L., Zea mays L. and Avena sativa L. The highest increase was obtained with roots of beans and the lowest with oat roots. Maize was intermediate between these two species. Kinetin treatment decreased the activity of IAA-oxidase but the correlation between the decrease of the activity of this enzyme and the increase in the level of IAA was not good. The decrease of the oxidase activity was greatest in oat roots where kinetin had very little effect on the IAA level, and was rather small in bean roots, where kinetin treatment significantly increased the IAA level.     

根际低氧胁迫对黄瓜幼苗根系呼吸代谢的影响

采用营养液栽培方法,研究了低氧胁迫对两个耐低氧能力不同的黄瓜品种根系呼吸代谢的影响.结果表明：低氧胁迫下,两个黄瓜品种根系三羧酸循环显著受阻,无氧呼吸代谢被促进.与耐低氧能力较弱的中农8号相比,耐低氧能力较强的绿霸春4号根系琥珀酸脱氢酶和异柠檬酸脱氢酶活性的降低幅度较小,乳酸脱氢酶活性、乳酸和丙酮酸含量的增加幅度较小,而丙酮酸脱羧酶、乙醇脱氢酶活性及乙醇、丙氨酸含量的增加幅度较大;低氧胁迫8 d时,与相应对照相比,绿霸春4号根系乙醇脱氢酶活性及乙醇和丙氨酸含量分别增加了409.30%、112.13%和30.64%,中农8号根系分别增加了110.42%、31.84%和4.78%,这是两个黄瓜品种耐低氧能力差异的主要生理原因.两品种幼苗根系丙氨酸氨基转移酶活性和乙醛含量没有显著差异.表明低氧胁迫下黄瓜根系乙醇发酵代谢途径的增强和丙氨酸的积累有利于防御低氧伤害.     

Alcohol dehydrogenase and its relation to respiratory pathways in lupine root nodules.

Changes in the isoenzymatic patterns of alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) accompanying ageing of the lupine root nodules were observed. Ethanol and other products of anaerobic metabolic pathways (lactate and malate) are better respiratory substrates for bacteroids and symbiosomes (peribacteroid units, PBUs) than glucose and pyruvate. It is postulated that fermentative processes in lupine root nodule provide energy and substrates for bacteroids.     

The effect of root temperature on rose plants in relation to air temperature

Rose plants (Rosa hybrida ‘Sonia’=‘Sweet Promise’) were grown in heated (minimum night temperature 17°C), and unheated greenhouses with or without root heating to 21°C. These trials covered 6 growth cycles extending over two winter seasons. In the heated greenhouse, root heating did not increase yield, flower quality or plant development. In the unheated greenhouse, root-heated plants grew as well as those in the air-heated greenhouse as long as the air temperature did not fall below 6°C. When minimum night temperatures fell below 6°C, growth, yield and quality were reduced, irrespective of root temperature. Daytime plant water relations were studied in plants growing at 6 different root temperatures in the unheated greenhouse. Leaf resistance to water diffusion was lowest at optimal root temperature. Total leaf water potential was not significantly affected by root temperature.