Photoperiodic control of cytokinin transport and metabolism in Chenopodium rubrum

Cytokinin (CK) levels in the short-day plant Chenopodium rubrum L. are known to fluctuate diurnally. The aim of this work was to investigate if the diurnal changes are brought about by changes in transport and/or metabolism of CKs. The effect of photo-period on cytokinin transport was studied by analysing CK concentrations in root, leaf and apical exudates, respectively, under constant light (CL), a 12-h photoperiod (DL) inductive for flowering, DL in which darkness was interrupted at the end of hour 6 by 15 min red light (R), or by 15 min R followed by 30 min far-red irradiation (R/FR). The concentrations of cytokinins (zeatin, zeatin riboside, isopentenyladenine, isopen-tenyladenosine) in all three types of exudates were significantly higher in the first 12-h period after the end of 12 h darkness than in CL. The R break almost fully negated the effect of darkness and its effect was reversed by FR, showing the involvement of phytochrome in the regulation of CK transport. In the next 12-h interval, i.e. 12–24 h after the end of darkness, the CK level remained high in the leaf exudate only, but to a much lower extent than in the previous 12 h. The highest CK concentration (increase by 108%) was observed in apical exudates during inductive darkness. A comparison of the CKs present in the individual exudates indicates that those arriving at the apical part are derived mostly from leaves with varying contributions by the xylem. The metabolism of applied [³H]-zeatin riboside (ZR) was studied using HPLC separation of the metabolites. Metabolism was found to be very rapid and different glucosides, adenine and adenosine were the main metabolites after 12 h incubation with labelled ZR in all regimes tested. The only metabolite that seems to be under photoperiodic control is ZR-5′-monophosphate. It is as yet not clear if photoperiod controls the phosphorylation or dephosphorylation reaction. The activity of the main cytokinin degradative enzyme, cytokinin oxidase, did not change during the photoperiodic regimes tested.     

Ultrastructure of Chenopodium rubrum L. apices during the effect of fusicoccin and photoperiodic induction

Plant transition from vegetative to reproductive development is associated with ultrastructural changes in stem apices. Those seen in Chenopodium rubrum L. under the influence of fusicoccin in many ways resemble those induced by a short-day treatment favourable to flowering. This suggests that fusicoccin can play a definite (physiological) role in plant development.     

Light acclimation potential and xanthophyll cycle pigments in photoautotrophic suspension cells of Chenopodium rubrum

The present study investigates the light acclimation potential of photoautotrophic suspension culture cells of Chenopodium rubrum L. grown in 16 h light/8 h dark cycles. Typical features of sun/shade acclimation could be demonstrated in cultures grown at photon flux densities of 30 and 150 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Low light grown cells had lower chlorophyll a/b ratios, lower respiration rates and lower light compensation points than high light grown cells. Maximum photosynthetic rate per cell dry weight was highest in low light conditions, indicating that the cells did not enlarge their photosynthetic machinery upon exposure to high light. Transfer of cultures to 800 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ caused photoinhibition as indicated by a decrease in photosynthetic efficiency and by the occurrence of a slowly reversible quenching of variable chlorophyll fluorescence. Extension of the photoinhibitory treatment over six light dark cycles did not result in further dramatic changes of these parameters, whereas the chlorophyll content per dry weight and the chlorophyll a/b ratio decreased. Measurements of photochemical quenching showed that the capability of the cells to dissipate excessive energy had increased during the acclimation process. The presence of the xanthophyll cycle pigments and the operation of the cycle could be demonstrated. In agreement with the putative photoprotective function of antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin these pigments could only be detected under photoinhibitory conditions. Prolonged photoinhibitory treatment resulted in increases in the xanthophyll pigment concentration but not of the potential to deepoxidate violaxanthin. The limited potential of the cells to accumulate zeaxanthin and antheraxanthin might indicate that the xanthophyll cycle is not the main factor determining their resistance to high light stress.     

Timing of Photoperiodic Flowering:Light Perception and Circadian Clock

Flowering symbolizes the transition of a plant from vegetative phase to reproductive phase and is controlled by fairly complex and highly coordinated regulatory pathways. Over the last decade, genetic studies in Arabidopsis have aided the discovery of many signaling components involved in these pathways. In this review, we discuss how the timing of flowering is regulated by photoperiod and the involvement of light perception and the circadian clock in this process. The specific regulatory mechanisms on CONSTANS expression and CONSTANS stability by the circadian clock and photoreceptors are described in detail. In addition, the roles of CONSTANS, FLOWERING LOCUS T, and several other light signaling and circadiandependent components in photoperiodic flowering are also highlighted.     

Timing of Photoperiodic Flowering：Light Perception and Circadian Clock

Flowering symbolizes the transition of s plant from vegetative phase to reproductive phase and is controlled by fairly complex and highly coordinated regulatory pathways. Over the last decade, genetic studies in Arabidopsis have aided the discovery of many signaling components involved in these pathways. In this review, we discuss how the timing of flowering is regulated by photoperiod and the involvement of light perception and the circadian clock in this process. The specific regulatory mechanisms on CONSTANS expression and CONSTANS stability by the circadian clock and photoreceptors are described in detail. In addition, the roles of CONSTANS, FLOWERING LOCUS T, and several other light signaling and circadian-dependent components in photoperiodic flowering are also highlighted.     

Imaging of the Blue,Green, and Red Fluorescence Emission of Plants: An Overview

An overview is given on the fluorescence imaging of plants. Emphasis is laid upon multispectral fluorescence imaging in the maxima of the fluorescence emission bands of leaves, i.e., in the blue (440 nm), green (520 nm), red (690 nm), and far-red (740 nm) spectral regions. Details on the origin of these four fluorescence bands are presented including emitting substances and emitting sites within a leaf tissue. Blue-green fluorescence derives from ferulic acids covalently bound to cell walls, and the red and far-red fluorescence comes from chlorophyll (Chl) a in the chloroplasts of green mesophyll cells. The fluorescence intensities are influenced (1) by changes in the concentration of the emitting substances, (2) by the internal optics of leaves determining the penetration of excitation radiation and partial re-absorption of the emitted fluorescence, and (3) by the energy distribution between photosynthesis, heat production, and emission of Chl fluorescence. The set-up of the Karlsruhe multispectral fluorescence imaging system (FIS) is described from excitation with UV-pulses to the detection with an intensified CCD-camera. The possibilities of image processing (e.g., formation of fluorescence ratio images) are presented, and the ways of extraction of physiological and stress information from the ratio images are outlined. Examples for the interpretation of fluorescence images are given by demonstrating the information available for the detection of different developmental stages of plant material, of strain and stress of plants, and of herbicide treatment. This novel technique can be applied for near-distance screening or remote sensing.     

Adaptation of the Photosynthetic Apparatus of Chlorella and Ankistrodesmus to Blue and Red Light

The mode of adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus of three unicellular green algae, Ankistrodesmus braunii, Chlorella fusca and Chlorella saccharophila to red and blue light are documented by the fluence-rate curves of photosynthetic oxygen evolution. For all three algae tested photosynthetic capacity, respiration and light compensation point were higher for cells grown under red light, while the chlorophyll content increased in blue light-grown cells. Blue light-adapted cells have a lower chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ratio and more chlorophyll in the light-harvesting system than red light-adapted cells, as shown in the electrophoretic profile of the pigment-protein complexes. It is concluded that the action of red light resembles that of high levels of white light, while blue light causes the same effects as low levels of white light. In agreement with previous publications these findings indicate that the mode of adaptation to different light qualities is ubiquitous in unicellular green algae.     

Glucose feeding results in coordinated changes of chlorophyll content, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase activity and photosynthetic potential in photoautrophic suspension cultured cells of Chenopodium rubrum

The effects of an excessive supply of carbohydrates on the photosynthetic apparatus of photoautotrophic suspension cultured cells of Chenopodium rubrum were analysed. Glucose feeding resulted in a massive intracellular accumulation of carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch) and a delayed but pronounced reduction of the chlorophyll content. Maximum photosynthetic efficiency (determined as relative photon yield of oxygen evolution or calculated from fluorescence parameters) was only slightly affected by this treatment. The maximum values of photosynthetic oxygen evolution and of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase activity also did not change significantly when expressed on a chlorophyll basis, thus indicating that membrane and stroma components were reduced to the same extent. Growth analysis demonstrated that even with an excessive supply of carbohydrates the contribution of photosynthesis to growth was still significant (about 35% of total DW production). The results support the hypothesis that accumulation of carbohydrates leads to a coordinated reduction of the photosynthetic machinery. Comparable changes possibly occur during source/sink transitions in green plant tissues.     

不同LEDs光质下普通白菜开花以及花期生理特性的动态变化

以普通白菜品种‘苏州青’为试材,采用单因素随机区组设计的盆栽试验,将基质育苗后长至子叶展平时的幼苗转入荧光灯(FL,对照)、蓝光(B)发光二极管（LEDs）、蓝红复合光(BR)和红光（R）下进行照射处理至开花,考察不同光质对普通白菜开花以及花期光合色素含量、品质和碳代谢等的光效应,为利用人工光源调节普通白菜的育种周期提供理论指导。结果显示：（1）随着开花时间延长,普通白菜的开花数目均以R和BR处理显著高于FL;花蕾数目在处理100 d时R和BR处理显著多于FL,但是在110和120 d时B处理下明显多于FL。（2）随着花期延长,白菜叶片中的光合色素含量呈降低趋势,其在处理100 d时表现为BR处理显著高于FL,而在110 d时B处理最高,在120 d时BR处理最高。（3）随着花期延长,叶片中可溶性蛋白和抗坏血酸含量也呈逐渐降低的趋势;可溶性蛋白含量均在B处理下较大,而抗坏血酸含量在100 d时在B处理下最高,但是在110和120 d时B和BR处理下较高。（4）随着花期延长,叶片中碳水化合物含量也逐渐降低,其中可溶性糖、蔗糖和淀粉含量均以R处理下最高。研究表明,与荧光对照相比,LEDs光源对普通白菜幼苗的营养生长和生殖生长更有效,其中蓝光有利于普通白菜的营养生长,而红光和蓝红复合光则有利于其生殖生长;可采用红光和蓝红复合光作为普通白菜育种的人工光源,有效促进其工厂化生产进程。     

红蓝光质对芹菜碳氮代谢及其关键酶活性的影响

为了探明红蓝光对芹菜生长的调控机理,以‘津南实芹1号’为试材,白光(W)处理为对照(CK),研究红蓝LED光质对芹菜碳氮代谢及其相关酶活性的影响。结果表明：白+红(WR)和白+红+蓝(WRB)处理芹菜的光合速率(Pn)及RuBP羧化酶(RuBPCase)活性显著高于CK,白+蓝(WB)处理的Pn低于CK,但RuBPCase活性高于CK。各处理相比,碳代谢产物多以WR处理的最高, WRB处理的其次, WB处理的最低。WR处理的蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)活性显著高于CK,蔗糖合成酶(SS)活性明显低于CK;WB处理的SS活性较高。WR处理的总氮含量及谷氨酰胺酶(GS)活性显著高于CK,而蛋白质和氨基酸含量明显低于CK; WB处理的蛋白质含量较高,氨基酸含量较低,硝酸还原酶(NR)、GS和谷氨酸合成酶(GOGAT)活性明显高于CK;WRB处理的总氮和蛋白质含量及NR和GS活性均高于CK。可见,增加红光比例可促进芹菜碳的同化、转化及氮的吸收,加速物质积累,但对蛋白质的合成有一定的抑制作用;增加蓝光比例可使芹菜氮代谢增强,但碳的积累代谢下降,因此叶柄伸长受抑,单株产量降低。     

Light-quality effects on Arabidopsis development. Red, blue and far-red regulation of flowering and morphology

Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. race Columbia plants were grown in red. blue, red + far-red, blue + far-red and various light mixtures of red + blue + far-red light under 14 h light/10 h dark photoperiods. Each single light source and light mixture maintained a constant irradiance (50 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) and the mixtures of red + blue + far-red maintained a constant ratio of red/far-red light, but varied in the ratio of blue to red + far-red light. Depending on the method used for calculation, values of the fraction of phytochrome in the far-red absorbing form (P_fr/P_tot) for these light mixtures were either constant or decreased slightly with increasing percentage of blue light in the mixtures. Arabidopsis flowered early (20 days) in blue, blue + far-red and red + far-red light and late (55 days) in red light. In mixtures of red + blue + far-red light, each of which established a nearly constant P_fr/P_tot flowering was in direct relation to time and irradiance level of blue light. Leaf area and petiole length were also correlated with blue light irradiance levels.     

RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals Differential Responses of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Plantlets Cultured in vitro to Red,Blue, Green,and White Light-emitting Diodes (LEDs)

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), morphological changes, and leaf ultrastructure alterations of “Zhong Shu 3” potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)...     

Effect of Phytochrome Deficit on Activity of Ascorbate Peroxidase and Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase and Expression of Genes APX1, tAPX,sAPX, and PAL in the Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana Plants Exposed to UV-A and Red Light

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Effect of UV-A radiation (10 W/m2, 2 h) and modifying effect of brief exposure to red light (RL) (1.8 W/m2, 20 min) on photochemical activity of photosystem II...