How does seed heteromorphism influence the life history stages of Atriplex sagittata (Chenopodiaceae)?

Atriplex sagittata is an annual, heterocarpic species producing three types of fruits, (i) dormant ebracteate (further termed type A), (ii) dormant bracteate (type B) and (iii) non-dormant bracteate (type C). In this study, we investigated populations grown from particular fruit types under different density regimes, and assessed their fate in particular life stages throughout a complete growing season. Differences in germination date among populations grown from seeds of the three fruit types were found, followed by differences in population density and plant size. Low population density and total biomass was recorded in populations of types A and B fruit (which are smaller and exhibit less germination), but the low density was not associated with faster growth of individual plants. Type C fruit, with bigger seeds and higher germinability, generated populations with higher densities and higher total biomass than populations generated from type A and B. There was a significant effect of plant density on dry weight of individual plants, regardless of the fruit type from which they were grown. Under both density regimes, plants grown from types A and B fruit were lighter than those grown from type C fruit. Plants grown from different fruit types produced dispersal units (fruits+bracteoles) of different mean weight which increased from A to B to C. However, the total fruit weight was not significantly different when plant size was used as a covariate. Maternal effect on seed germinability, exhibited by plants grown from the three fruit types, was not significant. However, a remarkable trend was found. Lower germination was recorded in type A and B fruits produced by plants which grew under higher densities. It is concluded that plants derived from different fruit types differ in growth characteristics and population parameters which can have pronounced effect on the life cycle and population regeneration in successive years.     

滨藜（Atriplex patens）核糖体失活蛋白基因的克隆和分析

为开发利用新疆野生植物滨藜,采用反转录-多聚酶链式反应(RT-PCR),从滨藜（Atriplex patens）叶中克隆核糖体失活蛋白（ribosome inactivating proteins ,RIPs）基因的完整读码框ORF片段.序列分析表明,该片段大小为843 bp,编码1 条长280个氨基酸肽链, 其中N 端的26个氨基酸是信号肽.滨藜核糖体失活蛋白（ApRIP）属Ⅰ型核糖体失活蛋白.同源性比较分析显示,滨藜RIP与藜科植物藜的核糖体失活蛋白,天花粉蛋白（TCS）和美洲商陆蛋白（PAP）基因序列的同源性分别为82%,41%和55%.氨基酸序列比对和SWISS-MODEL同源模建分析表明,滨藜RIP的3′端氨基酸肽链具有与其它RIP相同的活性中心位点"EAARXKXI".     

野榆钱菠菜（Atriplex aucheri）的种子多型性及生态型

对野榆钱菠菜的花、果实及种子进行了观察,表明野榆钱菠菜具有1种雄花、2种雌花,却产生3种果实和种子。这3种种子在形状、大小、颜色、着生方式及包被其苞片的大小上均有差异。且该种植物种内的生态型在生长习性、结实率和种子类型上都存在很大的差异。     

Is osmotic adjustment required for water stress resistance in the Mediterranean shrub Atriplex halimus L?

The effect of water stress was investigated in plants from two populations of Atriplex halimus L: Tensift issued from a salt-affected coastal area and Kairouan, originating from an inland dried site. Water deficit was applied by withholding water for 22 days. Shoot dry weight (shoot DW), leaf relative water content (RWC), turgid weight to dry weight ratio (TW/DW), osmotic potential (psis), osmotic adjustment (OA), proline, glycinebetaine, and sugar content were determined 1, 8, 15 and 22 days after withholding watering. Water stress induced a decrease in shoot DW, RWC, psis, and TW/DW, but an increase in glycinebetaine and sugar leaf contents. The decrease of psis and TW/DW was more marked in Kairouan than in Tensift. At the end of the stress period, Kairouan showed a greater OA compared with Tensift. However, the contribution of net solute accumulation (OAacc) was similar in both populations in response to stress. Water stress resistance could thus not be associated with higher OA, although the ability of plants to regulate these metabolic and physiological functions could play an important role under harmful conditions. The possible roles of osmolyte accumulations are discussed in relation to the specific physiological strategy of water-stress-resistance in this species.     

How do population genetic parameters affect germination of the heterocarpic species Atriplex tatarica (Amaranthaceae)?

Background and Aims

The heterocarpic species Atriplex tatarica produces two types of seeds. In this study, how basic population genetic parameters correlate with seed germinability under various experimental conditions was tested.

Methods

Population genetic diversity was ascertained in eight populations of A. tatarica by assessing patterns of variation at nine allozyme loci. Germinability of both seed types from all sampled populations was determined by a common laboratory experiment under different salinity levels. Basic population genetic parameters, i.e. percentage of polymorphic loci, average number of alleles per locus and observed heterozygosity were correlated with observed population germination characteristics.

Key Results

Atriplex tatarica possesses a remarkable heterocarpy, i.e. one type of seed is non-dormant and the other shows different dormancy levels in relation to experimental conditions. Significant negative correlations have been detected between germination of both seed types and the coefficient of inbreeding, and a significant negative correlation between germination of dormant seeds and other population genetic parameters, i.e. percentage of polymorphic loci and average number of alleles per polymorphic locus. Moreover, populations from the region characterized by a shorter growing season manifested higher germinability, i.e. had lower dormancy, than those from the lower-latitude one.

Conclusions

In general, germination of non-dormant seeds is probably not under strong genetic control. Hence, they germinate as soon as conditions are favourable, thus ensuring survival in the short term, but populations risk local extinction if conditions become adverse (i.e. a high-risk strategy). In contrast, germination of the dormant type of seeds is under stronger genetic control and is significantly correlated with basic population genetic parameters. These seeds ensure long-term reproduction and survival in the field by protracted germination, albeit in low quantities (i.e. A. tatarica also adopts a low-risk strategy).Key words: Amaranthaceae, Atriplex, inbreeding depression, population genetics, seed dimorphism     

How much sodium accumulation is necessary for salt tolerance in subspecies of the halophyte Atriplex canescens?

Two sympatric subspecies of the xerohalophyte Atriplex canescens Pursh. (Nutt.) were compared for 84 d in outdoor salinity trials in their native coastal desert environment in Sonora, Mexico. Subspecies linearis grows naturally on sea water in the high intertidal zone of estuaries while subspecies canescens grows on dunes. In lysimeter pot experiments, ssp. linearis exhibited 50% growth reduction when the mean root zone salinity reached 1160 mol m⁻³ NaCl compared to just 760 mol m⁻³ for ssp. canescens. When irrigated with sea water in a flood plot, ssp. linearis had 50% higher growth rates than ssp. canescens. The specialization of ssp. linearis for a saline environment was associated with greater net transport of Na⁺ from root to shoot, greater Na⁺ accumulation in the leaves and a higher Na:K ratio in the leaves compared to ssp. canescens. On the other hand, the two subspecies achieved approximately the same degree of osmotic adjustment in the leaves, equal to two to three times the external salinity, and had similar water use efficiencies. Even at relatively low salinities, both subspecies accumulated larger quantities of Na⁺ for osmotic adjustment than K⁺. The results suggest that breeding for Na⁺ accumulation rather than exclusion might be the more effective strategy for improving salt tolerance of conventional crop plants.     

How much genetic variation is stored in the seed bank? A study of Atriplex tatarica (Chenopodiaceae)

We investigated to what extent the soil seed bank differed genetically and spatially in comparison to three consecutive life history stages (seedlings, mature plants, and fruiting plants) in a natural population of Atriplex tatarica. Representatives of particular life history stages from twenty subunits within a large population were randomly collected and subjected to allozyme analysis. Comparison of population polymorphism among various life history stages showed significant differences in observed heterozygosity (H(O)) and F statistics (F(IS) and F(ST)), but nonsignificant ones in the cases of number of alleles per polymorphic locus (A) and gene diversity (H(S)). These results indicate an increasing number of heterozygotes, a decreasing level of inbreeding and an increase of the partitioning genetic diversity among populations with increasing population age. Spatial autocorrelation was used to calculate f, the average co-ancestry coefficient between individuals within distance intervals of two meters along a 39 m long transect. Significant positive fine scale genetic structure was detected in mature and fruiting plants but not in soil seeds and seedlings stages. The results of the presented study on A. tatarica indicated that significant differences exist in genetic differentiation, differentiation in allele frequencies and spatial autocorrelation among early (soil seeds and seedlings) and late (mature and fruiting plants) life history stages but not within early and late ones. This pattern suggests that, rather than storing genetic variability in the soil or germination and establishment success, self-thinning might be the major microselective force in populations of A. tatarica.     

Der Gehalt an Plastidenchinonen und Pigmenten von Zea mays und Atriplex rosea in Abhängigkeit von der Lichtintensität und dem Alter der Pflanzen

Summary The concentration of lipophilic plastid quinones (plastoquinone, plastoquinol, -tocopherol, -tocoquinone) in the C₄-plants Zea mays and Atriplex rosea is lower than in the already studied C₃-plants.In Zea mays the concentration of plastid quinones increases only a little with the age of the plant and then decreases again, while the concentration of quinones in Atriplex rosea constantly rises during the whole test period of 10 weeks.The ratio of chlorophyll a:b is 3,5 in Zea mays and 3,6 in Atriplex rosea.The data lead to the supposition that the concentration of photosystem-II-components is lower than the concentration of photosystem-I-components. We assume that especially in the bundle sheath chloroplasts there is a lack of quinones. In the case of Zea mays this could be the reason for the low system-II-activity which has been found by Anderson et al. (1971).

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Abkürzungen Chl Chlorophyll - Car Carotinoide - PQ 45 Plastochinon - PQH₂ 45 Plastohydrochinon - -T -Tocopherol - -TQ -Tocochinon     

Does habitat of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atriplex halimus</Emphasis> L. affect plant strategy for osmotic adjustment?

The impact of water stress was analysed in the xero-halophyte Mediterranean shrub Atriplex halimus using two Tunisian populations originating from a sub-humid coastal site (Monastir) or from a semi-arid area (Kairouan). Seedlings were exposed for 10 days to nutrient solution containing either 0 or 15% polyethylene glycol. Water potential (Ψ_w), osmotic potential (Ψ_s), osmotic potential at full turgor [Ψ_s(100)], relative water content (RWC), shoot dry weight (DW) and changes in solute concentrations were quantified every 2 days throughout the stress period and inorganic solutes contents were determined at the end of the treatment. The water deficit induced a decrease in Ψ_w, Ψ_s and RWC in both populations, recorded changes being higher in plants of Monastir than those of Kairouan while the shoot dry weight was reduced in a similar extent in stressed plants from both populations. Water deficit induced an increase in proline, glycinebetaine and sugar concentrations. Proline accumulated as early as after the 24-h stress treatment while, glycinebetaine required more than 6 days of stress to accumulate. At the end of the stress period, the plants of Kairouan population accumulated higher amounts of proline than those of Monastir, while an opposite trend was reported for glycinebetaine. Both populations specifically accumulated Na⁺ in response to drought stress, suggesting that this element could play a physiological role in the stress response of this xero-halophyte species. Presented results suggest that the non-recyclable osmotic solute glycinebetaine does not necessarily preferentially accumulates in population facing permanent water stress and that other strategy than osmotic adjustment might be involved in drought tolerance of A. halimus.     

Leaf–water relations and ion concentrations of the halophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Atriplex hortensis</Emphasis> in response to salinity and water stress

The impact of salinity and water stress was analyzed in the xero-halophyte Atriplex hortensis using two varieties: green orach (A. hortensis var. purpurea) and red orach (A. hortensis var. rubra). A. hortensis L. is a C₃ species well adapted to salt and drought conditions. To collect information on the physiological impact of different salt and water deficit levels on their water stress resistance, plants were exposed for 3 months to solution containing four levels of NaCl or to water stress regimes including four levels of field capacity. Osmotic potential at zero turgor Ψ_s⁰, osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψ_s¹⁰⁰), relative water content (RWC), ion concentration (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Cl⁻), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined at the end of the treatment. The salinity and water stress induced a decrease in Ψ_s¹⁰⁰, Ψ_s⁰, and RWC in both varieties, recorded changes being higher in plants of red variety than those of green variety. Both varieties specifically accumulated Na⁺ in response to drought and salt stress, suggesting that this element could play a physiological role in the stress response of this xero-halophyte species. In contrast, the presence of NaCl and water stress induced a decrease in K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ concentration in both varieties. Salinity clearly induced an increase in Cl^– concentration in all tissues, but water stress had no impact on this parameter. MDA concentration increased in response to water stress and exogenous NaCl. Based on these findings the more drought-tolerant red orach may be grown in water-limiting soils.     

3,5-dicaffeoyl‑epi-quinic acid from Atriplex gmelinii enhances the osteoblast differentiation of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stromal cells via WnT/BMP signaling and suppresses adipocyte differentiation via AMPK activation

BackgroundImpaired bone formation is one of the reasons behind osteoporosis. Alterations in the patterns of mesenchymal stromal cell differentiation towards adipocytes instead of osteoblasts contribute to osteoporosis progression. Natural anti-osteoporotic agents are effective and safe alternatives for osteoporosis treatment.PurposeIn this context, 3,5-dicaffeoyl‑epi-quinic acid (DCEQA) which is a derivative of chlorogenic acid with reported bioactivities was studied for its osteogenic differentiation enhancing potential in vitro.MethodsAnti-osteoporotic effects of DCEQA were investigated in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) which were induced to differentiate into osteoblasts or adipocytes with or without DCEQA treatment. Changes in the osteogenic and adipogenic markers such as ALP activity and lipid accumulation, respectively, were observed along with differentiation-specific activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways.ResultsAt 10 μM concentration, DCEQA increased the proliferation of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stromal cells (hBM-MSCs) during osteoblast differentiation. The expression of osteogenic markers ALP, osteocalcin, Runx2, BMP2 and Wnt 10a was upregulated by DCEQA treatment. The ALP activity and extracellular mineralization were also increased. DCEQA elevated the phosphorylation levels of p38 and JNK MAPKs as well as the activation of β-catenin and Smad1/5. DCEQA suppressed the lipid accumulation and downregulated expression of adipogenic markers PPARγ, C/EBPα and SREBP1c in adipo-induced hBM-MSCs. DCEQA also decreased the phosphorylation of p38 and ERK MAPKs and stimulated the activation of AMPK in hBM-MSC adipocytes.ConclusionDCEQA was suggested to enhance osteoblast differentiation via stimulating Wnt/BMP signaling. The adipocyte differentiation inhibitory effect of DCEQA was suggested to arise from its ability to increase AMPK phosphorylation. Overall, DCEQA was shown to possess osteogenesis enhancing and adipogenesis inhibitory properties which might facilitate its use against osteoporotic conditions.