STRUCTURE OF THE LEAF OF PYROSSIA LONGIFOLIA—A FERN EXHIBITING CRASSULACEAN ACID METABOLISM

The leaf of Pyrossia longifolia (Burm.) Morton, an epiphytic fern known to exhibit CAM, was examined by light and electron microscopy. The relatively thick leaf contains a single-layered epidermis, “water-storage” tissue, and a reticulate vascular system embedded in mesophyll tissue not differentiated into palisade and spongy layers. Mesophyll is composed of large, slightly elongate cells each with a thin, parietal layer of cytoplasm and a large central vacuole. The chloroplast-microbody ratio in mesophyll cells indicates that Pyrossia may be a high photorespirer and thus similar in that sense to C₃ plants. Mesophyll is separated from the vascular tissue by a tightly-arranged layer of endodermal cells with Casparian strips. The inner layer of mesophyll cells and the endodermal cells lack suberin lamellae. The collateral veins contain sieve elements, tracheary elements, pericycle and vascular parenchyma cells, the latter conspicuously larger than the sieve elements. The vascular parenchyma is the only cell type in the leaf which contains plastids with a peripheral reticulum. The parenchymatic elements of the leaf are connected by plasmodesmata, all of which lack neck constrictions and sphincters, or sphincter-like structures. The connections between sieve elements and adjacent parenchymatic elements are pore-plasmodesmata characterized by prominent wall thickenings on the parenchymatic-element side of the wall. The distribution and relative frequencies of plasmodesmata between the various cell types of the leaf indicate photoassimilates may move either symplastically or by a combination of symplast and apoplast from the mesophyll to the site of phloem loading in the veins.     

CYCLING OF STOMATAL APERTURE IN LEAVES OF PLANTS WITH CRASSULACEAN ACID METABOLISM UNDER CONSTANT CONDITIONS

When leaves of plants with C₃ metabolism are detached and held in darkness, they senesce and the stomata close. Because the relation of senescence and stomatal closure is very close, if not actually causal, the question arose as to whether in the leaves of plants with Crassulacean acid metabolism whose stomata open at night the relationship to senescence would be reversed. Detached leaves of four species of Hoya, floated on water in constant darkness or constant light, were found to show no large differences in stomatal aperture (measured as diffusion resistance) between those in the light or dark, but the aperture changed in a regular circadian rhythm. In some leaves the rhythm was simple, in others the peak showed small secondary peaks, but in all cases the values were nearly the same in the light as in the dark, throughout the cycle. Previous culture of the intact plants under normal day/night conditions gave results similar to those with plants that had had prolonged culture under constant light or darkness. In those cases when the stomata were more open in the dark, the chlorophyll content was greater than when the stomata were more open in the light; but when they were more open in the light, the chlorophyll content showed little difference between light and dark. When the leaves had only their petioles in water they showed greater senescence in the light than in the dark, and the stomata were more tightly closed in the light, especially at the apical ends. All four species of Hoya gave similar results. We deduce that senescence of these leaves is modified by stomatal aperture, and generally in the same direction as in C₃ leaves, but that in continuous light or darkness the primary control over the aperture is the endogenous cycle.     

Water Relations of Tropical Epiphytes: III. EVIDENCE FOR CRASSULACEAN ACID METABOLISM

Five tropical epiphytes were examined for evidence of CrassulaceanAcid Metabolism (CAM), namely the orchids Eria velutina Lindl.,Dendrobium tortile Lindl. and Dendrobium crumenatum Sw., andthe ferns Pyrrosia adnascens (Forst.) Ching and Pyrrosia angustata(Sw.) Ching, family Polypodiaceae. Diurnal variations in leaftitratable acidity, diffusive conductance and water potentialwere measured at various levels of water stress. The three orchidsshowed typical CAM behaviour, namely large diurnal fluctuationsin leaf acidity, day-time closure and night opening of stomataand a very slow decline in water potential under stress. Theferns showed some evidence of CAM, but this was not as well-developedas had been reported for two other tropical epiphytic membersof the same family. Key words: Crassulacean acid metabolism, Tropical epiphytes, Water stress     

不同碱度条件下中华水韭昼夜CO_2气体交换的特征

运用pH-drift的方法研究了在不同碱度条件下中华水韭(Isoetes sinensis)的沉水叶片昼夜CO_2吸收的特征.结果表明中华水非的沉水叶片具有昼夜吸收水中CO_2的能力,而不具备利用水中的HCCO3的能力,进一步证明了水生植物中华水韭的光合碳同化途径具有景天酸代谢(CAM)的特征.中华水韭沉水叶片光照条件下对水中CO_2的吸收速率在一定的浓度范围内正相关于水中的CO_2浓度.光照条件下,中华水韭的pH-drift实验的pH补偿点分别为(8.1±0.3)和(7.9±0.1)mmol·L~(-1),最终[C_T]/Alk值为(1.009±0.01)和(1.022±0. 004).碱度对中华水韭夜晚CO_2的吸收速率有显著的影响(F=38.73,P<0.0001).总碱度1.70mmol·L~(-1)溶液中的中华水韭沉水叶片在相对较低的CO_2浓度(0.04±0.001mmol·L~(-1))水平下即表现出对CO_2的净吸收.调查了野外一处中华水韭沉水种群的生境pH值及CO_2浓度的昼夜变化,发现水体碱度约为1.59mmol·L~(-1),一昼夜的pH值波动不大,平均为(6.1±0.04),昼夜CO_2浓度存在波动,午夜水中的CO_2浓度是午后的近3倍.     

DISTRIBUTION OF DIURNAL ACID METABOLISM IN THE GENUS ISOETES

Previous studies have revealed a crassulacean acid metabolism-like pathway in the submerged aquatic Isoetes howellii (Isoetaceae). A survey of 11 other species in this largely aquatic genus showed all had diurnal fluctuations in titratable acidity and malic acid concentration. The magnitude of the diurnal fluctuation in titratable acidity varied from 119 (μeq g^–1 fresh weight) for I. bolanderi to 44 for I. engelmanni. Although these species were grown under similar conditions in a greenhouse, it is questionable whether or not any significance can be attached to observed species specific differences in magnitude of diurnal acid fluctuation. This is suggested by a single species comparison of plants in the field with greenhouse grown plants which indicated nearly as much variation in magnitude of acid fluctuations as observed across all species in the greenhouse. Much of this variation may be due to seasonal differences. Substrate appears to have very little effect on magnitude of acid fluctuations. Since this survey covered most of the range of the latitudinal, elevational, habitat, and morphological variation in the genus, it is likely that diurnal acid metabolism will prove to be common in the genus Isoetes.     

不同碱度条件下中华水韭昼夜CO2气体交换的特征

 运用pH-drift的方法研究了在不同碱度条件下中华水韭(Isoetes sinensis)的沉水叶片昼夜CO₂吸收的特征。结果表明中华水韭的沉水叶片具有昼夜吸收水中CO₂的能力, 而不具备利用水中的HCO ₃^–的能力, 进一步证明了水生植物中华水韭的光合碳同化途径具有景天酸代谢(CAM)的特征。中华水韭沉水叶片光照条件下对水中CO₂的吸收速率在一定的浓度范围内正相关于水中的CO₂浓度。光照条件下, 中华水韭的pH-drift实验的pH补偿点分别为(8.1±0.3)和(7.9±0.1) mmol·L^–1, 最终[CT]/Alk值为(1.009±0.01)和(1.022±0.004)。碱度对中华水韭夜晚CO2的吸收速率有显著的影响(F = 38.73, p < 0.000 1)。总碱度1.70 mmol·L^–1溶液中的中华水韭沉水叶片在相对较低的CO₂浓度(0.04±0.001 mmol·L^–1)水平下即表现出对CO₂的净吸收。调查了野外一处中华水韭沉水种群的生境pH值及CO₂浓度的昼夜变化, 发现水体碱度约为1.59 mmol·L^–1, 一昼夜的pH值波动不大, 平均为(6.1±0.04), 昼夜CO₂浓度存在波动, 午夜水中的CO₂浓度是午后的近3倍。     

COMPARTMENTATION OF AMINO ACID METABOLISM IN THE RAT POSTERIOR PITUITARY

—Isolated rat posterior pituitary glands were incubated with [¹⁴C]glucose or [¹⁴C]acetate and the incorporation of radioactivity into several amino acids was followed. The results indicated that radioactivity was incorporated from [¹⁴C]glucose into a large pool of glutamate which appeared to be responsible for a large proportion of GABA synthesis in the gland. The specific activity of glutamine was always less than that of glutamate when [¹⁴C]glucose was the precursor employed, whereas [¹⁴C]acetate labelled a glutamate pool which had approximately the same specific activity as that of glutamine. The results are discussed with reference to the compartmentation of amino acid metabolism in the nervous system.     

METABOLISM OF THE ASPARTYL MOIETY OF N-ACETYL-l-ASPARTIC ACID IN THE RAT BRAIN

The metabolism of N-acetyl-l -aspartic acid (NAA) was studied in rat brain. [Aspartyl-U-¹⁴C]NAA was metabolized predominantly by deacylation. Studies of NAA biosynthesis from l -[U-¹⁴C]aspartic acid have confirmed previous reports that NAA turns over slowly in rat brain. However, intracerebrally-injected N-acetyl-l -[U-¹⁴C]asparticacid was rapidly metabolized. Exogenous NAA appears to be taken up rapidly into a small, metabolically-active pool. This pool serves as substrate for a tricarboxylic acid cycle associated with the production of glutamate for the biosynthesis of glutamine. The bulk of the NAA content in brain appears to be relatively inactive metabolically.     

THYMIDINE METABOLISM AND DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHESIS IN THE DEVELOPING RAT BRAIN

—In growing rat brain, the specific activity of DNA at 12 h after the subcutaneous injection of [³H]thymidine underwent a sharp rise during the first 6 days of life, dropping just as precipitously by 15 days, thereafter continuing to decrease with increasing age. When [³H]thymidine was given to 6-day-old rats, a considerable amount was taken up immediately into the brain. Thymidine taken up into the acid-soluble fraction was readily phosphorylated to its nucleotides, thymidine mono-, di-, and triphosphate (TMP, TDP and TTP) within only 30 min following injection. The highest specific activity was found in TTP. The incorporation of of [3H]thymidine into DNA took place over a longer period of time after injection.