A re-examination of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis by isolated intact,developing chloroplasts: The O2 requirement in the light

Synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in organello was re-examined with developing chloroplasts isolated from greening cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. var. Beit Alpha) cotyledons. In the dark, ALA accumulated in the presence of ATP, reducing power (NADPH and glucose-6-phosphate), glutamate and levulinic acid (or 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid).Under continuous illumination there was no requirement for added ATP and reducing power, unless DCMU was added or O₂ was removed, indicating that ATP and reducing power could be supplied endogenously by photosynthesis in the presence of O₂. No mitochondrial involvement could be demonstrated in this system. Under anaerobic conditions in the light oxaloacetic acid (OAA) could replace O₂ and permit a high accumulation of ALA. The fact that OAA could replace O₂ suggests that an acceptor of non-cyclic electron flow may be required to provide ATP or some other cofactor of ALA synthesis. The phosphorylation uncoupler, 2,4-dinitrophenol, inhibited ALA synthesis. Light-dependent ALA in air was strongly inhibited by methylene blue (MB) and NaN₃, but only very slightly by KCN.     

Effect of light/dark cycles on wastewater treatments by microalgae

Chlorella kessleri was cultivated in artificial wastewater using diurnal illumination of 12 h light/12 h dark (L/D) cycles. The inoculum density was 10⁵ cells/mL and the irradiance in light cycle was 45 μmol m² s⁻¹ at the culture surface. As a control culture, another set of flasks was cultivated under continuous illumination. Regardless of the illumination scheme, the total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was reduced below 20% of the initial concentration within a day. However, cell concentration under the L/D lighting scheme was lower than that under the continuous illuminating scheme. Thus the specific removal rate of organic carbon under L/D cycles was higher than that under continuous illumination. This result suggested thatC. kessleri grew chemoorganotrophically in the dark periods. After 3 days, nitrate was reduced to 136.5 and 154.1 mg NO₃ ⁻-N/L from 168.1 mg NO₃ ⁻-N/L under continuous illumination and under diurnal cycles, respectively. These results indicate nitrate removal efficiency under continuous light was better than that under diurnal cycles. High-density algal cultures using optimized photobioreactors with diurnal cycles will save energy and improve organic carbon sources removal.     

Labeling of porphobilinogen deaminase by radioactive 5-aminolevulinic acid in isolated developing pea chloroplasts

A protein had been previously described, which was labeled by radioactive 5-aminolevulinic acid in isolated developing chloroplasts. In the present study we have shown that this protein (Mr approximately equal to 43,000) probably exists as a monomer in the chloroplast stroma. The labeling is blocked if known inhibitors of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase are added to the incubation mixture, and is markedly decreased in intensity if nonradioactive 5-aminolevulinate or porphobilinogen are added to the incubation mixture; other intermediates in the porphyrin biosynthetic pathway, uroporphyrinogen III, uroporphyrin III, and protoporphyrin IX, do not decrease the labeling of the 43-kDa protein appreciably. Nondenaturing gels of the proteins isolated from the incubation with radioactive 5-aminolevulinic acid were stained for porphobilinogen deaminase activity. A series of red fluorescent bands was obtained which coincided with the radioactive bands visualized by autoradiography. It is concluded that the soluble chloroplast protein that is labeled in organello by radioactive 5-aminolevulinic acid is porphobilinogen deaminase.     

Disturbed structure and function of chloroplasts during blocked biosynthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid in the light

Xantha-702 mutant of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) proved to have blocked synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid in the light. Accordingly, mutant leaves accumulated 2–5% chlorophyll of baseline. Mutant plants demonstrated disturbed production of pigment-protein complexes of photosystems I (PSI) and II (PSII) and generation of the chloroplast membrane system blocked at the early stages, largely, at the stages of vesicles and single short thylakoid. The functional activity of the PSI and PSII reaction centers was close to zero. Only the chlorophyll a/b light-harvesting complexes of PSI and PSII with the chlorophyll fluorescence peaks at 728 and 681 nm, respectively, were produced in the xantha-702 mutant. We propose that the genetic block of 5-aminolevunilic acid biosynthesis in the light in the xantha-702 mutant disturbs the formation and activity of the complexes of the reaction centers of PS-I and PS-II and inhibits the development of the whole membrane system of chloroplasts.     

On the light dependence of Fatty Acid synthesis in spinach chloroplasts

The capacity of intact chloroplasts to synthesize long chain fatty acids from acetate depends on the stroma pH in Spinacia oleracea, U. S. hybrid 424. The pH optimum is close to 8.5. Lowering of the stroma pH leads to a reduction of acetate incorporation but does not suffice to eliminate fatty acid synthesis completely. Chain elongation from palmitic to oleic acid shows the same pH dependence. Fatty acid synthesis is activated in the dark upon the simultaneous addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate and orthophosphate supplying ATP and oxaloacetate for reoxidation of NADPH in the stroma. Under these conditions both dark fatty acid synthesis and synthesis of oleate from palmitate show the same pH dependence as in the light. Dark fatty acid synthesis is further stimulated by increasing the stromal Mg²⁺ concentration with the ionophore A 23187. In contrast to CO₂ fixation, dark fatty acid synthesis is considerably reduced by dithiothreitol (DTT). This observation may be due to an acetyl-CoA deficiency, caused by a nonenzymic acylation of DTT, and a competition for ATP between DTT-activated CO₂ fixation and fatty acid synthesis. Because d,l-glyceraldehyde as inhibitor of CO₂ fixation compensates the DTT effect on dark fatty acid synthesis, reducing equivalents may be involved in the light dependence of acetate activation.     

Protein synthesis in chloroplasts. Characteristics and products of protein synthesis in vitro in etioplasts and developing chloroplasts from pea leaves.

The function of plastid ribosomes in pea (Pisum sativum L.) was investigated by characterizing the products of protein synthesis in vitro in plastids isolated at different stages during the transition from etioplast to chloroplast. Etioplasts and plastids isolated after 24, 48 and 96h of greening in continuous white light, use added ATP to incorporate labelled amino acids into protein. Plastids isolated from greening leaves can also use light as the source of energy for protein synthesis. The labelled polypeptides synthesized in isolated plastids were analysed by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate-ureapolyacrylamide gels. Six polypeptides are synthesized in etioplasts with ATP as energy source. Only one of these polypeptides is present in a 150 000g supernatant fraction. This polypeptide has been identified as the large subunit of Fraction I protein (3-phospho-D-glycerate carboxylyase EC 4.1.1.39) by comparing the tryptic 'map' of its L-(35S)methionine-labelled peptides with the tryptic 'map' of large subunit peptides from Fraction I labelled with L-(35S)methionine in vivo. The same gel pattern of six polypeptides is seen when plastids isolated from greening leaves are incubated with either added ATP or light as the energy source. However, the rates of synthesis of particular polypeptides are different in plastids isolated at different stages of the etioplast to chloroplast transition. The results support the idea that plastid ribosomes synthesize only a small number of proteins, and that the number and molecular weight of these proteins does not alter during the formation of chloroplasts from etioplasts.     

5-氨基乙酰丙酸对辣椒植株低温胁迫伤害的缓解效应

以‘超越五号'辣椒品种为试材,研究了低温胁迫期间及随后的常温恢复过程中5-氨基乙酰丙酸(ALA 25 mg·L-1)处理对始花期辣椒植株生长量,叶片中脯氨酸、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量,超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性和电解质渗透率及丙二醛(MDA)含量的影响,以探讨ALA提高辣椒抗寒性的生理机制.结果表明,低温胁迫下叶面喷施25 mg·L-1的ALA可显著提高辣椒植株生长量,增加叶片中脯氨酸、可溶性糖及可溶性蛋白含量,增强其POD、CAT及APX活性,并显著降低辣椒叶片中SOD活性、电解质渗透率和MDA含量.叶面喷施ALA也显著降低了恢复过程中辣椒叶片中的渗透调节物质含量和抗氧化酶活性,使膜伤害基本恢复到对照水平.可见,外源ALA处理可通过提高低温胁迫下辣椒叶片的渗透调节能力和抗氧化能力,促进植株生长,缓解低温胁迫对植株的伤害.     

The effect of light on the tricarboxylic Acid cycle in green leaves: I. Relative rates of the cycle in the dark and the light

Excised green leaves of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus L. var. Mungo) were used to determine the effect of light on the rate of endogenous respiration via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Illumination with white light at an intensity of 0.043 gram calories cm⁻²min⁻¹ (approximately 8600 lux) of visible radiation (400-700 nm) gave a rate of apparent photosynthesis, measured as net CO₂ uptake, of 21 mg CO₂ dm⁻²hr⁻¹ which was about 11-fold greater than the rate of dark respiration. The feeding of ¹⁴CO₂ or ¹⁴C-labeled acids of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the dark for 2 hours was established as a suitable method for labeling mitochondrial pools of cycle intermediates.     

Pigment systems and electron transport in chloroplasts I. Quantum requirements for the two light reactions in spinach chloroplasts

From studies of electron-transport reactions of isolated spinach chloroplasts, we observe the following quantum requirements: (A) For the photoreduction of NADP⁺, measured both aerobically and anaerobically, in a 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (DCMU) poisoned system with ascorbate and reduced 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIPH₂) present as electron donors, the quantum requirements are 1.0 ± 0.05 at wavelengths longer than 700 nm of actinic light, and 1.5–2.5 for wavelengths between 620 and 680 nm. (B) For the photoreduction of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) with water as the electron donor, the quantum requirements are 1.0 ± 0.05 in the range 630–660 nm. (C) For the photoreduction of NADP⁺ with water as the electron donor, the quantum requirements are 2.0 ± 0.1 in the wavelength range 640–678 nm of actinic light, increasing to 6 or greater at wavelengths beyond 700 nm. These results are shown to be inconsistent with the “separate package” model for the two pigment systems in higher plant photosynthetic electron transport. The evidence is most easily interpreted using a “controlled spillover” model, in which the transfer of electronic excitation energy from one pigment system to the other is under the control of incompletely identified factors in the reaction mixture.

At moderate light intensities the steady state rate of the [ascorbate + DCIPH₂ → NADP⁺] reaction (A) in the presence of DCMU and added ferredoxin can be increased more than 3 times when saturating amounts of plastocyanin and ferredoxin-NADP reductase are added to the chloroplasts. Similarly, the steady-state rate of the [H₂O → DCIP] Hill reaction (B) is increased about 3-fold by added MgCl₂ and plastocyanin, but added ferredoxin or ferredoxin-NADP reductase have no effect on this reaction. Plastocyanin appears to be the electron transport component which couples to DCIP, either in the oxidized or in the reduced form, in the reaction media. The steady-state rate of the [H₂O → NADP⁺] reaction (C) with saturating amounts of ferredoxin can be further increased more than 3-fold when MgCl₂, plastocyanin and ferredoxin-NADP reductase are added.     

外源5-氨基乙酰丙酸对盐胁迫下黄连幼苗光合参数及其叶绿素荧光特性的影响

该实验以2年生黄连幼苗为材料,在100mmol·L-1的NaCl模拟盐胁迫条件下,经不同浓度的外源5-氨基乙酰丙酸(ALA)处理后,测定黄连幼苗光合色素含量、叶绿素荧光参数及气体交换参数等光合生理指标的变化,探寻提高黄连幼苗在盐胁迫条件下抗性能力的途径。结果显示:(1)NaCl胁迫下黄连幼苗的光合生理受到显著抑制,在经过不同浓度的ALA处理后,显著提高了叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素和类胡萝卜素等光合色素的含量。(2)盐胁迫下,黄连植株的的净光合速率(Pn)、气孔导度(Gs)及叶片蒸腾速率(Tr)均发生下降,并且随着胁迫时间和胁迫浓度的增加下降幅度逐渐增大,胞间CO2浓度(Ci)则呈上升趋势,说明盐胁迫下黄连净光合速率降低的主要影响因素是非气孔因素。(3)用ALA处理后,黄连的Pn、Gs及Tr均有不同程度的提高,Ci也有不同程度的降低,并且不同的浓度梯度存在着显著的效果差异。(4)ALA处理还提高了最大荧光(Fm,1.234)、最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm,0.849)、PSⅡ有效光化学效率(Fv′/Fm′,0.685)、PSⅡ实际光化学效率(ΦPSⅡ,0.545)和光化学淬灭系数(qP,0.872)的水平,有效降低了初始荧光(F0,0.211)和非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ,0.251)的水平。研究表明,外源ALA通过提高黄连幼苗叶片的光合色素含量,减少过剩激发能的耗散,提高光合电子传递效率,有效缓解了盐胁迫对黄连叶片PSⅡ的伤害,提高了植株的抗盐能力。     

Effect of enrichment on variation and results in the light/dark test

Several confounding factors may influence the outcome of an experiment and the extent of inter-individual variation. The aim of this study was to investigate if cage enrichment induces an effect on experimental mean values and on inter-individual variation in the light/dark paradigm using diazepam as the anxiolytic drug. The behaviour of 216 naive adult male mice of two different strains (BALB/c and C57BL/6) was studied. The animals were housed in groups of four in 'non-enriched', 'enriched' (nesting material) or 'super-enriched' (nest-box, nesting material, wooden gnawing stick and PVC tube) cages. After 5 weeks the animals were assigned to one of three treatments: control (no injection), sham (saline injection i.p.) or diazepam (1 mg/kg bw i.p.) and tested in the light/dark test for 5 min. Variation data were analysed using three different methods (mean absolute deviation, coefficient of variation and power analysis). The C57BL/6 mice scored higher than BALB/c mice in activity related measurements and showed a less 'emotional' behaviour profile in the pharmacological control situation of the light/dark test. In this study the anxiolytic effect of diazepam was clear in BALB/c mice but absent in C57BL/6 mice. Mice housed in enriched and super-enriched cages gained more weight than mice in non-enriched cages, although food intake was not affected. Generally, the strain of mouse had the greatest impact on both mean values and variation. However, there was no consistent increase for one particular strain. The choice of statistical method for analysing variation may influence the interpretation of within-group variability, but none of the methods showed any significant differences between standard and enriched conditions on variability in any of the parameters measured.     

Regulation of macromolecular synthesis in reovirus-infected L-929 cells I. Effect of L-histidinol.

The histidine analogue L-histidinol, reported by Vaughan and Hansen (1973) to establish a potent, readily reversible inhibition of eukaryotic protein synthesis in vivo, was used to investigate the regulation of macromolecular synthesis in reovirus-infected L-929 cells. The addition of L-histidinol to normal L cells led to a total inhibition of protein synthesis. The inhibition appeared to be a consequence neither of isotope dilution resulting from elevated endogenous amino acids nor of an inability of treated cells to accumulate exogenous amino acids. Addition of L-histidine to histidinol-arrested cells resulted in a complete recovery of protein synthesis. Similarly, protein synthesis in reovirus-infected L cells examined 17 h postinfection (31 C) was totally inhibited by histidinol treatment and was readily reversed by the addition of histidine. Reovirus-infected cells treated with histidinol had an essentially unaltered capacity to synthesize reovirus single-stranded RNA relative to unperturbed cultures but a diminishing ability to maintain genome RNA synthesis. Addition of L-histidine to arrested cultures led to a complete recovery of genome RNA synthesis. The L-histidinol-mediated arrest of protein synthesis was both very effective and easily reversed, suggesting the general applicability of this novel inhibitor to investigations of regulation of macromolecular synthesis in both normal and virus-infected eukaryotic cells.