Absorption of Naphthalene by Leaves and Its Interaction with Chlorophyll–Protein Complexes of Pea Plants

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Mechanisms of photosynthesis inhibition by vaporous naphthalene, its permeation into thylakoids, and interactions with chlorophyll–protein complexes were...     

Effect of β-Cyclodextrin on the Quality of Wheat Flour Dough and Prebaked Bread

Food Biophysics - This work investigated the effects of the addition of different concentrations (0–3.0 wt%) of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) on the properties of wheat dough and...     

Light Scattering as an Indicator of the Energy State in Leaves of the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plant Kalanchoë pinnata

Both transmittance changes in a weak beam of green light (light scattering) and the slow decay of chlorophyll a fluorescence were used as indicators of the energy state of leaves of a Crassulacean acid metabolism plant, Kalanchoë pinnata, at frequent intervals during 12-hour light/12-hour dark cycles. To induce light scattering and fluorescence changes, leaves were exposed to red light for 6 minutes. When measurements were made during the light period, the leaves were kept in darkness for 6 minutes before illumination. In the middle of the light period, when malic acid decarboxylation was very active and stomatal conductance was low, light scattering changes were small and indicated that the energy state of leaves was low. This result was supported by determination of adenylate levels. Light scattering and ATP/ADP ratios increased during the late light period when the tissue was deacidified. Illumination produced maximum light scattering changes between the 2nd and 5th hour of the dark period, when rates of dark CO₂ fixation were highest. Light scattering and fluorescence measurements taken from leaves, which were illuminated with red or far-red light in the presence or absence of O₂ showed that, in addition to linear electron transport, K. pinnata has the potential for both cyclic and pseudocyclic electron transport. The results are relevant with regard to the high ATP demand during Crassulacean acid metabolism.     

Effect of β-Aminobutyrie Acid on Anthocyanin of Leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana (Cruciferae)

To analyze the effect of β aminobutyrie acid (BABA) on anthocyanin of leaves of Arabidopsis, 30 old plants were sprayed with BABA while the control were sprayed with water. After treated with BABA, the content of anthocyanin was significantly lower than that of control. Furthermore, the results from RT PCR showed that CHS, LDOX, UF3GT were down regulated compared with contro1, while PAL showed an opposite trend. At the same time, the activity of PPO, which played an important role in the degradation of anthocyanin, showed higher level than control. In addition, the antioxidant capacity, the death rate of cells and electrical conductivity of leaves were also decreased with BABA treatment. All results suggested that BABA might inhibit the accumulation of anthocyanin in leaves of Arabidopsis in vitro.     

Effect of Environmental Conditions on the α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Mulberry Leaves

Mulberry leaves have been used as the sole food for silkworms in sericulture, and also as a traditional medicine for diabetes prevention. Mulberry leaf components, for example 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ), inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase and prevent increased blood glucose levels, and they are highly toxic to caterpillars other than silkworms. The α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of mulberry leaves changes with the season, but it is unknown which environmental conditions influence the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. We investigated in this study the relationship between the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and environmental conditions of temperature and photoperiod. The results demonstrate that low temperatures induced decreasing α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, while the induction of newly grown shoots by the scission of branches induced increasing α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. These results suggest that the α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was related to the defense mechanism of mulberry plants against insect herbivores.     

Effect of elevated CO2 on growth and crassulacean-acid-metabolism activity of Kalanchoë pinnata under tropical conditions

 Kalancho? pinnata (Lam.) Pers. (Crassulaceae), a succulent-leaved crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant, was grown in open-top chambers at ambient and elevated (two times ambient) CO₂ concentrations under natural conditions at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Republic of Panama. Nocturnal increase in titratable acidity and nocturnal carbon gain were linearly related, increased with leaf age, and were unaffected by CO₂ treatments. However, under elevated CO₂, dry matter accumulation increased by 42–51%. Thus, the increased growth at elevated CO₂ was attributable entirely to increased net CO₂ uptake during daytime in the light. Malic acid was the major organic acid accumulated overnight. Nocturnal malate accumulation exceeded nocturnal citrate accumulation by six-to eightfold at both CO₂ concentrations. Basal (predawn) starch levels were higher in leaves of plants grown at elevated CO₂ but diurnal fluctuations of starch were of similar magnitude under both ambient and elevated CO₂. In both treatments, nocturnal starch degradation accounted for between 78 and 89% of the nocturnal accumulation of malate and citrate. Glucose, fructose, and sucrose were not found to exhibit marked day-night fluctuations. Received: 4 March 1996 / Accepted: 25 May 1996     

Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis δ-Endotoxins on the Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)

Four Bacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxins, Cry3A, Cry4Aa, Cry11Aa, and Cyt1Aa, were found to exhibit low to moderate toxicity on the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, in terms both of mortality and growth rate. Cry1Ab was essentially nontoxic except at high rates. To demonstrate these effects, we had to use exhaustive buffer-based controls.Many species of aphids are important sucking-insect pests that feed on plant vascular fluids. Their feeding mechanism makes these insects excellent vectors for many plant pathogens, especially viruses, yet less amenable to standard, nonsystemic chemical control by insecticides. Minor effects on the survival and fecundity of aphids reared on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops have been noted in some studies but not in others (1, 3, 6). However, the sensitivity of aphids to Bt toxins, or the lack thereof, has not been previously tested through artificial-diet bioassays with exhaustive buffer-based controls.Bt δ-endotoxins Cyt1A, Cry4A/Cry4B, and Cry11, obtained from three recombinant strains of B. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis, as well as Cry1Ab and Cry3A, obtained from recombinant Escherichia coli, were purified by ultracentrifugation in a discontinuous sucrose gradient as described previously (9). Cry proteins were solubilized in solubilization buffer (50 mM Na₂CO₃, 100 mM NaCl, pH 10) with dithiothreitol (10 mM) added before use. Cyt1A was first solubilized on 10 mM Na₂CO₃ (pH 11) buffer and then neutralized at pH 7.5 to 8 with 10 μl HCl (1 N). Both solubilized and trypsin-digested samples (1:30 over toxin weight) were used at different concentrations (32, 125, and 500 μg/ml; trypsin-activated toxin concentrations were calculated on the basis of the preactivation concentrations of the protoxins) to supplement the AP3 aphid synthetic diet (7) used to feed Acyrthosiphon pisum (LL01 green clone). Ampicillin (100 μg/ml), an ineffective antibiotic for A. pisum or its obligate symbiont Buchnera, was added to the medium to avoid bacterial growth. For each concentration, 30 nymphs (10 nymphs/box and three repetitions) were bioassayed at 20°C and under a 16:8 (light-dark) photoperiod. Survival time was calculated from aphid deposition on the test diet (day 0). Mortality was surveyed daily, and body weights of survivors were noted at day 7. ST₅₀ (median survival time after challenge) was calculated by using an actuarial survival analysis (Statview) with censoring values of survivors at the end of the experiments. The approximate concentrations resulting in a 50% decrease in mean body weight (IC₅₀) and killing of 50% of the insects tested (LC₅₀) were calculated at the end of the experiments from the growth reduction and mortality data, respectively, derived with the three doses by using Statview and the censoring values of survivors.All of the Cry δ-endotoxins tested were lethal to A. pisum and retarded the growth of survivors (Fig. ​(Fig.11 and ​and2).2). Mortalities ranged from only 25% (Cry1Ab) to 100% (Cry4 and Cry11) after 3 to 6 days of exposure to 500 μg/ml of solubilized protein (Fig. ​(Fig.1).1). When significant mortalities were achieved (Cry3A, Cry4, and Cry11), trypsin activation enhanced toxicity. Activation of Cry4 at the intermediate concentration tested (125 μg/ml) resulted in a twofold increase in mortality (Fig. ​(Fig.1D).1D). ST₅₀s were calculated for both solubilized protoxins and activated Cry3A, Cry4, and Cry11. The ST₅₀s (at 500 μg/ml) ranged from 1.8 ± 0.14 days for solubilized Cry4 and Cry11 to 3.7 ± 1.2 days for trypsin-activated Cry3A (Table ​(Table1).1). Control aphids fed buffer all survived for >8 days. The LC₅₀ of Cry1Ab was not calculated, since mortality associated with Cry1Ab reached a plateau at 500 μg/ml. The LC₅₀ of Cry4 was estimated to be 70 to 100 μg/ml (data not shown).Open in a separate windowFIG. 1.Mortality assays over the nymphal life stage of the pea aphid, A. pisum, upon ingestion of artificial diets containing purified Bt toxins after either solubilization (open symbols) or solubilization and trypsin activation (solid symbols). The toxins used were Cry1Ab (circles), Cry3A (squares), a mixture of Cry4A and Cry4B (diamonds), and Cry11A (triangles). The soluble-toxin doses used were low at 32 μg/ml (blue), intermediate at 125 μg/ml (violet), and high at 500 μg/ml (red). Assays were carried out with 30 initial neonate insects in three batches of 10 individuals.Open in a separate windowFIG. 2.Growth inhibition assays with purified Bt toxins Cry3A, Cry4, and Cry 11 (A) and Cry1Ab and Cyt1A (B) on the pea aphid, A. pisum. Toxins were added to the diet either after solubilization (open symbols) or after solubilization and trypsin activation (solid symbols). Error bars show the standard errors (SE) of individual weights at day 7 of experiments, standardized by the control group mean weight (toxin dose, 0; initial number, 30). Color coding of toxins: Cry3A, red squares; Cry4A and Cry4B mixture, violet diamonds; Cry11A, blue triangles; Cry1Ab, green circles; Cyt1A, yellow squares. In the experiment with Cry1Ab (B), the toxin was purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and activated toxin was provided as a salt-free lyophilisate by W. Moar (Auburn University, Auburn, AL).

TABLE 1.

ST₅₀s of pea aphids feeding on solubilized Cry toxins and solubilized Cry toxins activated with trypsin

Effect of Varying CO(2) Partial Pressure on Photosynthesis and on Carbon Isotope Composition of Carbon-4 of Malate from the Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plant Kalanchoë daigremontiana Hamet et Perr

Intact leaves of Kalanchoë daigremontiana were exposed to CO₂ partial pressures of 100, 300, and 1000 microbars. Malic acid was extracted, purified, and degraded in order to obtain isotopic composition of carbon-1 and carbon-4. From these data, it is possible to calculate the carbon isotope composition of newly fixed carbon in malate. In all three treatments, the isotopic composition of newly introduced carbon is the same as that of the CO₂ source and is independent of CO₂ partial pressures over the range tested. Comparison with numerical models described previously (O'Leary 1981 Phytochemistry 20: 553-567) indicates that we would expect carbon 4 of malate to be 4‰ more negative than source CO₂ if diffusion is totally limiting or 7‰ more positive than source CO₂ if carboxylation is totally limiting. Our results demonstrate that stomatal aperture adjusts to changing CO₂ partial pressures and maintains the ratio of diffusion resistance to carboxylation resistance approximately constant. In this study, carboxylation and diffusion resistances balance so that essentially no fractionation occurs during malate synthesis. Gas exchange studies of the same leaves from which malate was extracted show that the extent of malate synthesis over the whole night is nearly independent of CO₂ partial pressure, although there are small variations in CO₂ uptake rate. Both the gas exchange and the isotope studies indicate that the ratio of external to internal CO₂ partial pressure is the same in all three treatments. Inasmuch as a constant ratio will result in constant isotope fractionation, this observation may explain why plants in general have fairly invariable ¹³C contents, despite growing under a variety of environmental conditions.     

Effect of Seedling Transplantation on the14CO2 Assimilation and the Apportionment of 14C ssimilations Within the Cotton Plant Interplanted in Standing Wheat

Using 14C tracer technique, the effect of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L. ) seedling transplantation on the 14C assimilates and 14CO2 assimilate distribution as well as redistribution were studied. It was shown that transplantation of seedlings increased both 14C assimilates and their retmnslocation in cotton seedling markedly. The distribution of 14C assimilates in the plant organs 3 days after labelling indicated that transplantation could increase the translocation of 14C assimilates into the roots and main stem, but decrease it into the tip of cotton seedling, which benefited in establishing good quality of the seedling. Furthermore, the apportionment of 14C assimilates into growing points decreased, in favor of avoiding or reducing spindling of stead growth and improving the developement of florat buds. From bloom to boll great increase of the apportionment of 14C assimilates into bolls of the transplanted plant could promote the growth and the development of squares and bolls.     

Effect of Globotriaosyl Ceramide Fatty Acid α-Hydroxylation on the Binding by Verotoxin 1 and Verotoxin 2

Variation in the lipid moiety of the verotoxin (VT) receptor glycosphingolipid, globotriaosyl ceramide (Gb₃) can modulate toxin binding. The binding of VT1 and VT2 to C18 and C22 ahydroxy and nonhydroxy fatty acid isoforms of Gb₃ were compared using a receptor ELISA and a ¹²⁵l-labeled toxin/glycolipid microtitre plate direct binding assay. Increased binding to the hydroxylated species, particularly C22OH, was observed for both toxins. Increased RELISA binding at low glycolipid concentrations only, suggested the binding affinity is increased following Gb₃ fatty acid hydroxylation. Nonlinear regression analysis of direct binding assay to these Gb₃ isoforms confirmed the increased affinity of both toxins for the C22 hydroxylated Gb₃. The capacity was also significantly increased. The increased binding of VTs for hydroxylated fatty acid Gb₃ isoforms may be a factor in the selective renal pathology which can follow systemic verotoxemia, particularly in the mouse model. The more pronounced effect at lower glycolipid concentrations prompted investigation of VT1 binding affinity at different Gb₃ concentrations. Unexpectedly, the VT1 Kd for Gb₃ was found to decrease as an inverse function of the Gb₃ concentration. This shows that glycolipids have nonclassical receptor properties.     

Effect of Dephosphorylation on the Self-association and the Precipitation of β-Casein

The pyrolyzate of the nondialyzable melanoidin prepared from glucose-ammonia reaction system (kept in pH 5.3~6.0 during the reaction) was fractionated to volatile fraction and nonvolatile fraction. Among the volatile components, two pyridines and four alkylpyrazines were identified. On the other hand, one imidazole compound and two β-hydroxypyridines isolated from the nonvolatile fraction were identified as 4(5)-methylimidazole, 3-hydroxypyridine and 2-methyl-5-hydroxypyridine, respectively. It is inferred that these compounds are not produced by the fission of the main skeleton in the melanoidin molecule, but formed by pyrolysis of the heterocyclic compounds present as a small moiety in the melanoidin.     

Effect of complex formation by taxifolin and naringenin with Cu(i) ions on the distribution of the components of complexes in the octanol–water system

The interaction of two structurally close flavanones: taxifolin and naringenin with copper(I) ions and its effect on the distribution of flavonoids and the corresponding ions in a biphasic system octanol–water have been studied. It has been shown that these polyphenols form complexes with copper ions of different stoichiometric ratio depending on the pH of medium (5.4, 7.4, and 9.0). The interaction of the flavonoids with copper ions leads to an increase in the fraction of polyphenols in the water phase at all pH values examined. The fraction of metal ions in octanol in the presence of both taxifolin and naringenin is maximal in the range of neutral pH values. The parameters obtained in the study, such as the partition coefficient and the coefficient of distribution in a biphasic system octanol–water (logP and logD) form the physicochemical basis necessary for the estimation of the bioavailability of flavonoids and the corresponding metal ions upon their combined consumption.     

Effect of glutathione and uridine-5′-diphosphoglucuronic acid on the mutagenicity of tryptophan pyrolysis products (Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2) by rat-liver and -intestine S9 fraction

In the Ames test, after the addition of glutathione (GSH) or uridine-5′ diphosphoglucuronic acid (UD-PGA), we observed for Trp-P-1 an unchanged or a reduced mutagenicity by both the liver and intestine S9 fraction. For Trp-P-2, the same was true when we used the intestine S9 fraction. In the presence of liver S9 fraction, Trp-P-2 mutagenicity was also decreased by the addition of UDPGA but was increased by the addition of GSH. These results show that cofactors for glucuronide and GSH conjugation may alter the metabolic activation of Trp-P-1 and Trp-P-2 and consequently their mutagenicity.     

Effect of the ω-acylceramides on the lipid organization of stratum corneum model membranes evaluated by X-ray diffraction and FTIR studies (Part I)

The lipid organization in the outermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, is important for the skin barrier function. The stratum corneum lipids are composed of ceramides (CER), free fatty acids (FFA) and cholesterol (CHOL). In the present study Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques were utilized to evaluate the effect of three C18 fatty acid esterified ω-acylceramides (CER EOS) on the lipid organization of stratum corneum model membranes. FTIR spectra (scissoring and rocking bands) showed as a function of temperature significant line-shape changes for both components assigned to the orthorhombic phase. Second-derivative analyzes revealed a significant decrease in the interchain coupling strength (Δν values) for the samples formed by CER EOS with the linoleate (CER EOS-L) and oleate (CER EOS-O) moiety around 28.5 °C. However, only a gradual decrease in the Δν values was noticed for the mixture formed with CER EOS with the stearate moiety (CER EOS-S) over the whole temperature range. In the absence of CER EOS the decrease started already at 25.5 °C, demonstrating that CER EOS stabilized the orthorhombic lattice. This stabilization was most pronounced for the CER EOS-S. Spectral fittings allowed to evaluate the orientation changes of the skeletal plane within the orthorhombic unit cell (θ values) for a given temperature range. From the best-fit parameters (peak area values), a decrease in the orthorhombic phase contribution to the scissoring band was also monitored as a function of the temperature. SAXS studies showed the coexistence of two lamellar phases with a periodicity of ∼5.5 nm (short periodicity phase, SPP) and ∼12 nm (LPP) in the presence of the CER EOS-L and CER EOS-O. However, no diffraction peaks associated to the LPP were detected for CER EOS-S. While CER EOS-S most efficiently stabilized the orthorhombic phase, CER EOS-L and CER EOS-O promoted the presence of the LPP. Therefore, the presence of all three CER EOS as observed in human stratum corneum may contribute to a proper skin barrier function.     

Effect of pH and Glucose on the Stability of α-lactalbumin

The objective of this study is to understand the influence of pH and effect of cosolvent (glucose) on the stabilization of bovine α-lactalbumin by using ultrasonic techniques. Values of density, ultrasonic velocity and viscosity were measured for bovine α-lactalbumin (5 mg/ml) dissolved in phosphate buffer (pH 2, 5, 7, 9 and 12) solutions mixed with and without the cosolvent at 30 °C. These measurements were used to calculate few thermo-acoustical parameters such as adiabatic compressibility, intermolecular free length, acoustic impedance, relaxation time, relative association constant, the partial apparent specific volume and the partial apparent specific adiabatic compressibility for the said systems. The obtained results revealed a strong comparison between the effects of acidic and alkaline pH values on protein denaturation, i.e., the acidic pH are instantaneous and are of less magnitude whereas alkaline pH are slower but sharper. Further the present study supports the fact that the presence of glucose stabilizes α-lactalbumin against denaturation due to pH variation, which may be due to the strengthening of non-covalent interactions and the steric exclusion effect.     

Effect of the alkaline cations on the stability of the model polynucleotide poly(dG-dC)·poly(dG-dC)

When the model polynucleotide poly(dG-dC)?poly(dG-dC) [polyGC] is titrated with a strong acid (HCl) in unbuffered aqueous solutions containing the chlorides of the alkali metals in the concentration range 0.010?M-0.600?M, two transitions in the absorbance vs. pH plots are evidenced, characterized by the constants pK(a(?)) and pK(a(?)). The limiting values at infinite saline concentrations of these two constants, namely pK(∞)(a(?)) and pK(∞)(a(?)) obtained making use of the "one site saturation constant" equation or, in turn, of the double logarithmic plot: pK(a) vs. log([salt]?1), exhibit a clear dependence on the nature of the cations. The effects of the different alkali cations on the pK(∞)(a) values follow the Hofmeister series. In fact, the pK(∞)(a(?)) and the pK(∞)(a(?)) values are smaller for Li+ and Na+ than for Rb+ and Cs+, with K+ at the border between the two, showing that the transitions require higher concentrations of protons to occur in the presence of high concentrations of the cosmotropic ions.