THE RESPONSE OF POPILLIA JAPONICA TO LIGHT AND THE WEBER-FECHNER LAW

Light and a temperature above 23°C. are necessary for the activity of Popillia. The effect of light as indicated by the rate of locomotor response is related to light intensity according to Fechner''s expression of Weber''s law.     

LACK OF CALBINDIN-D28K ALTERS RESPONSE OF THE MURINE CIRCADIAN CLOCK TO LIGHT

A strong stimulus adjusting the circadian clock to the prevailing light-dark cycle is light. However, the circadian clock is reset by light only at specific times of the day. The mechanisms mediating such gating of light input to the CNS are not well understood. There is evidence that Ca²⁺ ions play an important role in intracellular signaling mechanisms, including signaling cascades stimulated by light. Therefore, Ca²⁺ is hypothesized to play a role in the light-mediated resetting of the circadian clock. Calbindin-D28k (CB; gene symbol: Calb1) is a Ca²⁺ binding protein implicated in Ca²⁺ homeostasis and sensing. The absence of this protein influences Ca²⁺ buffering capacity of a cell, alters spatio-temporal aspects of intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling, and hence might alter transmission of light information to the circadian clock in neurons of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). We tested mice lacking a functional Calb1 gene (Calb1^?/?) and found an increased phase-delay response to light applied at circadian time (CT) 14 in these animals. This is accompanied by elevated induction of Per2 gene expression in the SCN. Period length and circadian rhythmicity were comparable between Calb1^?/? and wild-type animals. Our findings indicate an involvement of CB in the signaling pathway that modulates the behavioral and molecular response to light. (Author correspondence: urs.albrecht@unifr.ch)     

PHOTOSYNTHETIC RESPONSE OF STREAM PERIPHYTON TO FLUCTUATING LIGHT REGIMES

  An experiment was conducted on intact algal assemblages of stream periphyton to test their response to fluctuating and constant light regimes having the same mean intensity. The light regimes (in μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹) were constant light at 100, light fluctuating between 50 and 150 with a period of 5 min, and light fluctuating between 10 and 460 with periods of either 4:1 or 8:2 min. Compared to the rates measured under 100 in μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ constant light conditions, fluctuations ranging between 50 and 150 in μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ with a 5-min period produced a 23% greater rate of photosynthesis. Conversely, fluctuations between 10 and 460 in μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ led to a 59%–74% decrease in photosynthetic activity. Detailed examination of periphytic algal responses to fluctuating light revealed that higher light intensities produced steeper photosynthesis/time slopes, but it was the combined interaction with lower light intensity that ultimately determined overall photosynthetic rate for a given light regime. This study offers compelling evidence that variable light regimes have important consequences for algal photosynthesis in natural streams.     

THE RESPONSE OF PER1 TO LIGHT IN THE SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS OF THE DIURNAL DEGU (OCTODON DEGUS)

Several studies suggest that the circadian systems of diurnal mammals respond differently to daytime light than those of nocturnal mammals. We hypothesized that the photosensitive “clock” gene Per1 would respond to light exposure during subjective day in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the diurnal rodent, Octodon degus. Tissue was collected 1.5–2?h after a 30?min light pulse presented at five timepoints across the 24?h day and compared to controls maintained under conditions of constant darkness. Per1 mRNA was quantified using in situ hybridization. Results showed that the rhythmicity and photic responsiveness of Per1 in the degu resembles that of nocturnal animals. (Author correspondence: hagenaue@umich.edu)     

THE LIGHT GROWTH RESPONSE AND THE GROWTH SYSTEM OF PHYCOMYCES

1. The Roscoe-Bunsen law holds for the light growth response of Phycomyces if the time component of stimulation is short. With exposures longer than a few seconds, the reaction time to light is determined by the intensity and not by the energy of the flash. 2. The possible nature of the very long latency in the response to light is considered in terms of the structure of the cell and its mechanism of growth. It is suggested that during the latency some substance produced by light in the protoplasm is transported centrifugally to the cell wall or outermost layer of protoplasm. 3. The total elongation occurring over a period of 1 to 2 hours is independent of flashes of light or temporary darkening. Light acts by facilitating some change already under way in the growth system, and during the principal phase of elongation is not a necessary or limiting factor for growth. 4. Judged by the reaction time, the original sensitivity is restored in the light system following exposure to light in about one-third the time required for equilibrium to be reattained in the growth system.     

多甲藻对不同光照强度的反应:色素沉着及暗光适应的可能性

在ＨＰＬＣ色素分析的基础上,研究了多甲藻对不同光照强度（１６．６～２５０μ．Ｅｍ＾０２ｓ＾－１）的反应。类胡萝卡素中最重要的多甲藻素和硅甲藻黄素占叶黄素总量的９０％,随着光照强度的逐步增加,多甲藻细胞中叶绿素ａ含量呈现明显的下降趋势。结果表明硅甲藻黄素和β胡萝卜素具有光作用：１）当多甲藻暴露于较强光下时,硅甲藻黄素／叶绿素ａ之比呈现出明显增加的趋势,β胡萝卜素／叶绿素ａ之比也显现出明显的增加趋势;     

水稻幼苗叶片光合作用和量子产额对低温强光的响应

水稻(Oryza sativa)幼苗叶片光合作用及 CO_2吸收的量子产额有不同的最适温度。20℃以下,光合速率和量子产额降低,两者的变化趋势相似。6—12℃抑制量子产额34—74%、抑制光合速率46—89%。低温弱光不抑制量子产额,但处理后给予强光(低温),抑制率达33%。经强光(1000μmol m~(-2)s~(-1))低温(8℃)处理2小时的叶片,转入高温(30℃)弱光(120μmol m~(-2)s~(-1))中,出现了量子产额的可逆变化,从0.018(对照0.049)提高到0.034(恢复1小时)及0.039(恢复2小时)。低氧(2%)可减弱在大气中因强光低温产生的抑制作用。结果表明,高光强和高氧是与低温共同作用的重要因子。低温强光引起光氧化损伤,表现光抑制现象。     

KINETICS OF CHLOROPHYLL a AND PLASTOQUINONE A: CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO LIGHT INTENSITY1

The thermophilic blue-green Synechococcus lividus Y52 was grown at several light intensities between 200 and 2400 ft-c. A 3.4-fold change of cellular chlorophyll (Chl) a content was found. The concentration of Plastoquinone A (PQA) per Chl a varied by a factor of 7, whereas PQA per cell varied by 1.4. Adaptation to light intensity appeared to occur through changes in size of the light-gathering antenna of chlorophyll and phycocyanin while the concentration of PQA remained nearly constant.     

卷柏属单裂缝大孢子的观察

本文报道了卷柏履翠云草〔Selaginella uncinata(Desv.)Spring)大孢子中有单裂缝类型,并描述了单裂缝大孢子在扫描电子显微镜下的形态特征。     

Studies in Stomatal Behaviour: II. THE ROLE OF STARCH IN THE LIGHT RESPONSE OF STOMATA

The relationship between starch-content and aperture in thestomata of Pelargonium has been investigated by a quantitativetechnique. Heath's suggestion of an inherent diurnal rhythmin starch-content is confirmed, and the light effect which hasbeen the subject of previous contradictory reports is foundto be dependent on external humidity. When humidity is high,light (which in these experiments is confounded with reducedC0₂-content) causes a striking reduction in stomatal starch;when humidity is low, light has no effect on starch, but itseffect on aperture is unchanged. No evidence for any dependenceof aperture on carbohydrate status was obtained, and it is suggestedthat the function of carbohydrate changes in stomata is, asearlier suggested by Kisselew, the amplifying and stabilizingof changes primarily controlled by other factors.