Root respiration rate before and just after clear-felling in a mature,deciduous, broad-leaved forest

Soil respiration was measured throughout the year (June 1992 to May 1993) in a mature, deciduous, broad-leaved forest and an adjacent, clear-felled stand which was made in November 1991, in Hiroshima Prefecture, west Japan. The same soil temperature and soil moisture content as those in the forest stand were maintained in two frame boxes covered with sheets of white netting in the clear-felled stand to observe soil respiration. A herbicide was applied to the cut end of all stumps in one of the two frame boxes in order to kill the root system. There was no significant difference in the aboveground biomass and soil environmental conditions between the forest and the frame boxes in the clear-felled stands. The difference in soil respiration rate between the forest and the frame box, in which the root system was killed by the herbicide, was considered to be due largely to the contribution of root respiration. Taking into consideration CO₂ evolution due to the decomposition of roots killed and the change in A₀ layer respiration rate after clear-felling, the proportion of root respiration to the total soil respiration before clear-felling was estimated to be 51% annually, which coincides closely with those values estimated previously in mature forests by other methods. The difference in the soil respiration rate between the two frame boxes (one with killed roots and the other with undisturbed roots) suggested that the annual root respiration rate just after clear-felling dropped to about two-thirds (70%) of that before clear-felling.     

The flagellar apparatus ofDunaliella: Isolation of basal body-flagellar root complex

Summary InDunaliella bioculata, a biflagellate wall-less unicellular alga, the cytoskeleton is organized around the two basal bodies. Each basal body is associated with two dissymetric flagellar roots and numerous micro tubules which constitue a regular frame around the cell. We isolated the basal body-flagellar-root apparatus and studied its ultrastructure after negative staining. The two different flagellar roots are formed of microtubules and bundles of twisted filaments 3,5–4 nm in diameter. The proximal end of each root fans out and envelopes the basal body. We have shown preliminary results on the protein composition of basal body-flagellar roots fraction.     

Oscillatory growth movements of roots in weightlessness

The gravitropic curvature of lentil roots ( Lens culinaris L. cv. Verte du Puy), grown in near weightlessness and stimulated on a 1-g centrifuge for 5 to 60 min was followed by time lapse photography. The experiment was carried out in the frame of the IML 1 Mission of Spacelab. Due to the applied acceleration field, the tip of the roots bent and reoriented with respect to the acceleration vector. However, visual inspection of the data could indicate an oscillatory movement superimposed on the gravitropic reorientation.
We applied two signal processing techniques, fast Fourier transform (FFT) and maximum entropy spectral analysis (MESA), to provide quantitative data about the oscillatory movements of the lentil roots under gravity free conditions. In the case with very few data points in the time series the MESA method is superior to the conventional FFT. In the lentil root movements, the Fourier analysis could not extract and resolve the oscillatory signals present in the time series. The MESA approach revealed oscillations with periods around 35 and 50 min for the present lentil roots.
Circumnutations are, therefore, present in roots also in weightlessness.     

野生茄子（Solanum torvum）抗黄萎病相关基因Sto Vel的克隆与分析

采用RT—PCR和RAcE技术从野生茄子中扩增克隆到一个抗黄萎病相关基因,命名为StoVel,其cDNA全长3400bp,含有3153bp的完整开放阅读框,编码1051个氨基酸,该基因编码的蛋白序列与刚果野茄、类番茄和番茄Vel编码的氨基酸序列同源性分别为82％、81％和80％,且有很高的功能区段保守性。将该cDNA全长序列提交Gen Bank,登陆号为DQ020574。半定量PCR表明该基因为组成型表达,在根中表达最多,叶中最少。     

麻疯树中ADP核糖基化因子基因的克隆和表达

从麻疯树cDNA文库中筛选到包含完整编码序列的ADP核糖基化因子的cDNA序列,命名为Jc-arf．其长度为887bp,开放阅读框546bp,推测的编码蛋白含181个氨基酸残基,具有典型的GTP结合蛋白家族的特点：P框（GLDAAGKT）、G’框（DVGGQ）和G框（NKQDL）。序列分析显示,Jc-arf矿接近于人类ClassI型arf基因,其蛋白序列与多种植物ARF有很高的同源性。半定量RT-PCR结果显示,Jc-arf的表达具有一定的组织特异性,在花中最丰富。PEG、低温、NaCl胁迫下,Jc-arf的表达受PEG和低温的诱导,而对NaCl胁迫不敏感。     

二色补血草液泡膜H^＋-ATP酶C亚基（LbVHA-C）基因克隆和表达分析

从二色补血草cDNA文库中分离出一个V-H^＋-ATP酶C亚基（LbVHA-C）基因全长cDNA序列。该基因全长为729bp。其中,开放读码框（ORF）为498bp,编码165个氨基酸,预测编码蛋白的分子量为16.6kDa,理论等电点为8.62。用实时定量RT-PCR方法进一步研究二色补血草在NaCl、NaHCO3和NaCO3胁迫下的不同时间内该基因表达模式的结果表明,NaCl强烈诱导二色补血草叶组织中LbVHA-C基因的表达,但其根部的表达变化不明显。NaHCO3胁迫下LbVHA-C基因在根部组织的表达受抑制。Na2CO3胁迫24h时的LbVHA-C基因在根和叶部组织中的表达都强烈受抑制,随后在根和叶组织的表达量逐步升高。     

Higher rates of nitrogen fertilization decrease soil enzyme activities, microbial functional diversity and nitrification capacity in a Chinese polytunnel greenhouse vegetable land

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is considered a model system for understanding plant acclimation to nutrient deficiency. It acclimates to phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) deficiency by the development of short, densely clustered lateral roots called proteoid (or cluster) roots; proteoid-root development is further influenced by nitrogen (N) supply. In an effort to better understand proteoid root function under various nutrient deficiencies, we used nylon filter arrays to analyze 2,102 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from proteoid roots of P-deficient white lupin. These have been previously analyzed for up-regulation in ?P proteoid roots, and were here analyzed for up-regulation in proteoid roots of N-deprived plants. We identified a total of 19 genes that displayed up-regulation in proteoid roots under both P and N deprivation. One of these genes showed homology to putative formamidases. The corresponding open reading frame was cloned, overexpressed in E. coli, and the encoded protein was purified; functional characterization of the recombinant protein confirmed formamidase activity. Though many homologues of bacterial and fungal formamidases have been identified in plants, to our knowledge, this is the first report of a functional characterization of a plant formamidase.     

Pattern Formation in Cluster Roots: Some Developmental and Evolutionary Considerations

Cluster roots, also known as proteoid roots, are one of themajor adaptations for nutrient acquisition in terrestrial vascularsporophytes, occurring in many important plant families, inkey areas of biodiversity, and in significant ecological niches.Their development and function are closely linked and presentan ideal experimental system with which to investigate the basisof pattern and its morphogenetic amplification. Both meristemfunction and root initiation are controlled within a spatialand temporal framework, resulting in predictive phenotypic expression.In this paper, these patterns of development are described withinthe context of our knowledge of lateral root initiation anddevelopment. Recent work is summarized in an attempt to highlightthe issues of most importance for future research. The caseof the genus Lupinus is taken as a means of exploring the phylogeneticrelationships of species with cluster roots. The first evidenceof cluster roots having arisen only once within the Lupinusgenus is presented. Copyright 2000 Annals of Botany Company Cluster root, development, lateral root, lupin evolution, nutrient acquisition, pattern, proteoid root     

甘草肌动蛋白基因GuActin2的克隆和表达分析

以乌拉尔甘草根为材料,从中提取总RNA,根据植物肌动蛋白的5’和3＇末端设计简并引物。采用RT-PCR技术和5’RACE试剂盒,从乌拉尔甘草根中克隆到一个肌动蛋白基因编码区全长cDNA序列（GenBank登录号GQ404511）,长度为1137bp。该基因编码一个由377个氨基酸残基组成的蛋白质。甘草GuActin2具有肌动蛋白（YVGDEAQs．KRG和WISKgEYDE）和肌动蛋白类似物（LLTEApLNPkaNR）的特征信号序列。Northern blot分析表明,GuActin2在甘草的根、茎、叶组织中都有表达,在根中,尤其在胚根中的表达强于茎和叶中的表达。该基因属于营养型亚类。     

Evidence that RNA silencing-mediated resistance to beet necrotic yellow vein virus is less effective in roots than in leaves

In plants, RNA silencing is part of a defense mechanism against virus infection but there is little information as to whether RNA silencing-mediated resistance functions similarly in roots and leaves. We have obtained transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants encoding the coat protein readthrough domain open reading frame (54 kDa) of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), which either showed a highly resistant or a recovery phenotype following foliar rub-inoculation with BNYVV. These phenotypes were associated with an RNA silencing mechanism. Roots of the resistant plants that were immune to foliar rub-inoculation with BNYVV could be infected by viruliferous zoospores of the vector fungus Polymyxa betae, although virus multiplication was greatly limited. In addition, virus titer was reduced in symptomless leaves of the plants showing the recovery phenotype, but it was high in roots of the same plants. Compared with leaves of silenced plants, higher levels of transgene mRNAs and lower levels of transgene-derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) accumulated in roots. Similarly, in nontransgenic plants inoculated with BNYVV, accumulation level of viral RNA-derived siRNAs in roots was lower than in leaves. These results indicate that the RNA silencing-mediated resistance to BNYVV is less effective in roots than in leaves.     

番茄交替氧化酶基因的克隆和表达

利用简并PCR扩增产物做探针筛选番茄cDNA基因文库获得一个全长交替氧化酶cDNA基因LeAoxlau.经序列分析得出,该基因全长1 418bp,编码区序列长1 077 bp,编码约40 kD的前体蛋白.该蛋白在转运到线粒体时被加工成32kD的成熟蛋白.Southern印迹杂交分析结果显示该基因以单拷贝形式存在于番茄的基因组中RT-PCR显示,该基因在在番茄植株的根、茎、叶和子叶中表达.重组表达实验表明该基因能在大肠杆菌中表达.     

丹参多酚氧化酶基因的克隆及表达分析

前期研究发现多酚氧化酶(PPO)能正向调控丹酚酸B合成,该研究运用RACE技术,从丹参毛状根中克隆到多酚氧化酶基因(SmPPO,GenBank登录号为KF712274)全长序列,其cDNA全长1 930bp,开放阅读框为1 770bp,编码589个氨基酸。将SmPPO与管状花目其它4个物种进行氨基酸序列比对,在N端类囊体转移结构域中发现都存在2个N-豆蔻酰化位点。在丹参毛状根培养液中加入不同诱导因子,利用实时荧光定量PCR检测,发现该基因在酵母提取物处理中表达量显著上调,但在银离子、抗坏血酸和L-半胱氨酸处理中表达受到明显抑制。运用HPLC技术同步检测毛状根中丹酚酸B含量,显示出与基因表达相同的变化趋势。研究表明,丹参中多酚氧化酶基因(SmPPO)对丹酚酸B的合成具有正向调控作用。     

Molecular cloning of hyoscyamine 6 beta-hydroxylase, a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, from cultured roots of Hyoscyamus niger

Roots of several solanaceous plants produce anticholinergic alkaloids, hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Hyoscyamine 6 beta-hydroxylase, a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (EC 1.14.11.11), catalyzes hydroxylation of hyoscyamine in the biosynthetic pathway leading to scopolamine. We report here on the isolation of cDNA clones encoding the hydroxylase from a cDNA library made from mRNA of the cultured roots of Hyoscyamus niger. The library was screened with three synthetic oligonucleotides that encode amino acid sequences of internal peptide fragments of the purified hydroxylase. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the cloned cDNA revealed an open reading frame that encodes 344 amino acids (Mr = 38,999). All 12 internal peptide fragments determined in the purified enzyme were found in the amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA. With computer-aided comparison to other proteins we found that the hydroxylase is homologous to two synthases involved in the biosynthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics in some microorganisms and the gene products of tomato pTOM13 cDNA and maize A2 locus which had been proposed to catalyze oxidative reactions in the biosynthesis of ethylene and anthocyan, respectively. RNA blotting hybridization showed that mRNA of the hydroxylase is abundant in cultured roots and present in plant roots, but absent in leaves, stems, and cultured cells of H. niger.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a nonsymbiotic hemoglobin gene (GLB1) from Malus hupehensis Rehd. with heterologous expression in tomato

Nonsymbiotic hemoglobins (nsHbs) are involved in a variety of cellular processes in plants. Previous studies indicate that nsHb expression improves plant tolerance during waterlogging and hypoxia. In the present work, the nsHb class-1 coding sequence was cloned from Malus hupehensis Rehd. var. pinyiensis Jiang and subsequently named MhGLB1. The results elucidated the expressed characteristics and physiological effects of MhGLB1. The full-length cDNA contained a 477 bp open reading frame encoding a protein with a molecular mass of 17.8 KDa with 158 amino acids. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that MhGLB1 expresses in roots, stems and leaves growing under normal and nitrate-induced conditions. Hypoxic stress induced accumulation of MhGLB1 within 12 h, and abscisic acid significantly induced expression of MhGLB1 in roots. The photosynthetic, transpiration and stomatal conductance rates of transgenic MhGLB1 tomato plants decreased more slowly than that of wild-type plants under waterlogging treatment. These results indicated that the MhGLB1 gene has an important role in hypoxia.     

An inflatable minirhizotron system for stony soils

Commonly used minirhizotron methodologies imply the introduction of rigid frames into the soil. This can be a problem if the hole presents an irregular surface, because the presence of gaps can modify the normal behaviour of roots growing along the soil-tube interface. Some authors have developed inflatable adaptations of the technique, but some of these still need the introduction of a rigid frame and others have the often added problem of the wall opaqueness. An inflatable adaptation of the minirhizotron technique has been developed to be used in stony soils. These kind of soils, common in many forests, as in mediterranean forested areas, would present too irregular surface holes to place rigid frames inside. The adaptation proposed allows the use of minirhizotrons in stony soils, with the added advantage of not having anything between the endoscope and the roots when recordings are made, which highly improves the image quality.