模拟微重力对拟南芥幼苗的生物学效应

对正常条件和模拟微重力条件下生长的拟南芥幼苗进行比较试验,结果表明模拟微重力会产生如下影响:(1)影响拟南芥幼苗的生长发育;(2)影响拟南芥光合特性;(3)影响拟南芥的生理特性;(4)影响拟南芥植株的钙离子分布。此外,运用基因芯片技术探讨模拟微重力对拟南芥基因表达的影响。     

微重力及模拟微重力对植物生长的影响

重力对地球上生物的生长、发育、代谢及繁殖等具有重要影响.植物细胞的重力敏感性已被众多研究所证明,在空间微重力环境或地面模拟微重力环境下,植物表现特殊的微重力反应.微重力或模拟微重力会对植物体生长产生一系列的影响.综述微重力及模拟微重力对植物生长的影响,并对近期这一领域的研究进行了概括.     

模拟微重力诱导PC12细胞衰老的初步探讨

目的：构建模拟微重力条件下PC12细胞的培养体系,探讨模拟微重力对PC12细胞衰老的影响。方法：用Cytodex-3型微载体作为PC12细胞的贴附载体,旋转细胞培养系统所提供10-2g的微重力环境进行模拟微重力条件下的细胞培养。在倒置显微镜下观察PC12细胞的生长情况;用扫描电镜观察PC12细胞超微结构的变化;衰老相关β半乳糖苷酶（SA-β-gal）特异性染色对衰老的PC12细胞进行评估。结果：光镜下模拟微重力培养的PC12细胞表现出类衰老细胞的形态,扫描电子显微镜下观察发现其微绒毛增多。SA-β-gal染色的结果显示在模拟微重力的作用下,PC12细胞SA-β-gal的活性升高。结论：模拟微重力可以引起PC12细胞衰老样的形态变化,以及SA-β-gal的活性升高。     

模拟微重力诱导PC12 细胞衰老的初步探讨

目的:构建模拟微重力条件下PC12细胞的培养体系,探讨模拟微重力对PC12细胞衰老的影响。方法:用Cytodex-3型微载体作为PC12细胞的贴附载体,旋转细胞培养系统所提供10-2g的微重力环境进行模拟微重力条件下的细胞培养。在倒置显微镜下观察PC12细胞的生长情况;用扫描电镜观察PC12细胞超微结构的变化;衰老相关β半乳糖苷酶(SA-β-gal)特异性染色对衰老的PC12细胞进行评估。结果:光镜下模拟微重力培养的PC12细胞表现出类衰老细胞的形态,扫描电子显微镜下观察发现其微绒毛增多。SA-β-gal染色的结果显示在模拟微重力的作用下,PC12细胞SA-β-gal的活性升高。结论:模拟微重力可以引起PC12细胞衰老样的形态变化,以及SA-β-gal的活性升高。     

2-吗啉乙磺酸(MES)对拟南芥幼苗生长的影响

本实验研究0.05% MES对野生型拟南芥生长的影响。结果表明,含有MES的培养基pH变化较小,其培养10 d的拟南芥幼苗干重、鲜重、叶绿素含量和含水量均高于对照组,而叶片PAL和POD活性却低于对照组,说明MES通过影响培养基的pH变化促进拟南芥生长。     

在不同营养条件下铜绿微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫的响应

通过测定在不同重力水平和营养条件下培养的铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)的各项生理生化指标,研究了培养基的营养物质浓度对微囊藻细胞响应模拟微重力胁迫的影响。结果表明,在正常浓度的BG-11(富营养)和营养盐浓度减为1/10的BG-11(贫营养)培养基中培养的微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫都很敏感,培养2d后多项生理生化指标显著改变;但是在富营养和贫营养条件下,模拟微重力的作用效果是截然不同的。对培养在BG-11中的微囊藻细胞来说,模拟微重力抑制其生长和光合活性,导致细胞内色素(叶绿素a和类胡萝卜素)、蛋白(藻蓝蛋白和可溶性蛋白)和毒素含量显著升高,向外分泌的毒素含量降低;而对培养在1/10BG-11中的藻细胞来说,模拟微重力促进其生长和光合活性,导致细胞内色素、蛋白和毒素含量降低,并使得毒素分泌增强。模拟微重力或营养限制单独作用所造成的影响相似,且后者的作用效果强于前者。当二者同时存在时,模拟微重力可以部分抵消营养限制对微囊藻生长和代谢的影响,这可能是由于模拟微重力下藻细胞的生长受到抑制而导致营养需求降低,也可能是由于模拟微重力提高了藻细胞利用营养物质的效率。总之,微囊藻对模拟微重力胁迫的响应与培养基的营养条件有关。     

镉诱导拟南芥幼苗DNA损伤

采用随机扩增多态性DNA(random amplified polymorphic DNA,RAPD)标记技术,并结合幼苗的形态和生理指标,研究镉(Cd)胁迫对拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)幼苗基因组DNA损伤的影响.结果表明,不同浓度(0.25 ～5.0 mg·L-1)Cd处理24 d后,拟南芥幼苗根生长受到显著抑制,地上部分可溶性蛋白质含量呈先升高后降低的趋势,但对拟南芥幼苗叶片数、鲜重及叶绿素含量影响不大.选用12条寡核苷酸引物对拟南芥幼苗地上部分与根系基因组DNA进行PCR( polymerase chain reaction)扩增,发现处理组与对照组RAPD图谱之间存在明显差异,且与镉浓度之间存在剂量-效应关系.基因组模板的稳定性(genomic template stability,GTS)随着Cd浓度的增加而降低.3个处理组幼苗地上部分GTS分别为91％、89％和80％;相应根部GTS分别为71％、67％和60％.研究表明,利用RAPD技术获得的拟南芥DNA多态性变化可作为检测镉遗传毒性效应的生物标记物.比照其他几个指标,拟南芥幼苗根部RAPD谱带变化的敏感性更为优异,具有较好的应用前景.     

生境和降温对高寒草甸6种优势禾本科植物幼苗生长和生物量分配的影响

以青藏高原东部高寒草甸6种优势禾本科植物为研究对象,分析了不同生境和降温对幼苗形态特征、生物量分配和存活率的影响,为研究高寒草甸优势植物在不同生境下生长策略提供一定的基础。结果表明:在模拟覆盖地环境条件下,6个物种的幼苗将更多的资源分配给地上部分来增加对光资源的竞争,而在模拟裸露地环境条件下,幼苗有较大的生物量和生长速率,长势较好;幼苗生长初期的两次降温对其后的幼苗生长起着显著的作用,降温处理过的幼苗将更多的资源分配给根部;模拟覆盖地条件下的幼苗存活率显著高于模拟裸露地条件的幼苗存活率,但降温对幼苗存活率无显著影响。因此,本研究中所用的6种禾本科植物对环境条件的变化均表现出明显的形态可塑性特征,其存活率对异常降温的不显著变化可能是对青藏高原长期以来多变环境的适应性选择。     

聚乙二醇模拟水分胁迫筛选拟南芥突变体的新方法

在以聚乙二醇（PEG）模拟水分胁迫的条件下,分别在拟南芥种子萌发期和幼苗期以25％和30％为选择浓度,根据一种子是否萌发和幼苗能否存活为指标,筛选拟南芥抗水分胁迫突变体。此法操作简单,方便快捷,特别适合实验室进行大规模筛选。我们用这种方法筛选了T—DNA插入的拟南芥突变体库,得到78株可能是拟南芥抗水分胁迫的突变体。     

模拟增温和功能群去除对岷江冷杉幼苗存活和生长的影响

通过模拟增温和功能群去除试验,研究不同功能群的草本植物在岷江冷杉幼苗更新定植过程的作用,分析其在温度升高条件下生理指标的变化.结果表明:增温提高了岷江冷杉幼苗的存活率和植物体内非结构性碳水化合物含量,但抑制了幼苗的生长和根冠比.岷江冷杉幼苗的非结构性碳水化合物含量,尤其是可溶性糖含量与存活率呈显著正相关.不增温处理中,草本植物降低了幼苗的存活率,促进幼苗的株高生长和地上生物量积累,禾本科植物和杂类草抑制了幼苗根系生长和地下生物量的积累;增温处理中,杂类草的存在提高了幼苗的存活率,莎草科则显著抑制了幼苗根系生长和地下生物量的积累,禾本科植物和杂类草抑制了幼苗的高生长和地上生物量积累.模拟增温提高了林线树种岷江冷杉幼苗的存活率,但使其面临来自草本植物更剧烈的竞争,抑制其生长.     

Effect of simulated microgravity on auxin polar transport in inflorescence axis of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The morphology, growth and development of higher plants are strongly influenced by environmental stimuli on the earth, which affect the changes in the dynamics of plant hormones in plants. Qualitative and quantitative changes in plant hormones are the most important internal factor to regulate plant growth and development. Among them, auxin (IAA) is of most significant. There are numerous reports concerning the physiological roles of auxin in plant growth and development (Matthysse and Scott 1984). One of the characteristics of auxin is to have the ability of polar transport along the vector of gravity on the earth (Schneider and Wightman 1978), suggesting that the activity of auxin polar transport is also important for the growth and development of plants. It has recently been reported that the normal activity of auxin polar transport in inflorescence axis of Arabidopsis thaliana was required for flower formation (Okada et al. 1991, Ueda et al. 1992). Considering the above evidence together with the fact that gravity affects the morphology, growth and development of higher plants, gravity might affect the qualitative and quantitative changes in plant hormones including the activity of auxin polar transport. In this paper, we report the effect of microgravity condition simulated by a three-dimensional (3-D) or a horizontal clinostat on the activity of auxin polar transport in inflorescence axis of Arabidopsis thaliana.     

The lack of mitochondrial AtFtsH4 protease alters Arabidopsis leaf morphology at the late stage of rosette development under short-day photoperiod

AtFtsH4 is one of four inner membrane-bound mitochondrial ATP-dependent metalloproteases in Arabidopsis thaliana , called AAA proteases, whose catalytic site is exposed to the intermembrane space. In the present study, we used a reverse-genetic approach to investigate the physiological role of the AtFtsH4 protease. We found that loss of AtFtsH4 did not significantly affect Arabidopsis growth under optimal conditions (long days); however, severe morphological and developmental abnormalities in late rosette development occurred under short-day conditions. The asymmetric shape and irregular serration of expanding leaf blades were the most striking features of the ftsh4 mutant phenotype. The severe abnormal morphology of the leaf blades was accompanied by ultrastructural changes in mitochondria and chloroplasts. These abnormalities correlated with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and carbonylated mitochondrial proteins. We found that two classes of molecular chaperones, Hsp70 and prohibitins, were over-expressed in ftsh4 mutants during late vegetative growth under both short- and long-day conditions. Taken together, our data indicate that lack of AtFtsH4 results in impairment of organelle development and Arabidopsis leaf morphology under short-day conditions.     

Growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana through an entire life cycle under simulated microgravity conditions on a clinostat.

The effects of simulated microgravity conditions produced by a horizontal clinostat on the entire life cycle of Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia and Landsberg erecta were studied. Horizontal clinorotation affected little germination of seeds, growth and development of rosette leaves and roots during early vegetative growth stage, and the onset of the bolting of inflorescence axis and flower formation in reproductive growth stage, although it suppressed elongation of inflorescence axes. The clinorotation substantially reduced the numbers of siliques and seeds in Landsberg erecta, and completely inhibited seed production in Columbia. Seeds produced in Landsberg erecta on the clinostat were capable of germinating and developing rosette leaves normally on the ground. On the other hand, growth of pin formed mutant (pin/pin) of Arabidopsis ecotype Enkheim, which has a unique structure of inflorescence axis with no flower and extremely low levels of auxin polar transport activity, was inhibited and the seedlings frequently died during vegetative stage on the clinostat. Seed formation and inflorescence growth of the seedlings with normal shape (pin/+ or +/+) were also suppressed on the clinostat. These results suggest that the growth and development of Arabidopsis, especially in reproductive growth stage, is suppressed under simulated microgravity conditions on a clinostat. To complete the life cycle probably seems to be quite difficult, although it is possible in some ecotypes.     

N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones: a class of bacterial quorum-sensing signals alter post-embryonic root development in Arabidopsis thaliana

N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) belong to a class of bacterial quorum-sensing signals important for bacterial cell-to-cell communication. We evaluated Arabidopsis thaliana growth responses to a variety of AHLs ranging from 4 to 14 carbons in length, focusing on alterations in post-embryonic root development as a way to determine the biological activity of these signals. The compounds affected primary root growth, lateral root formation and root hair development, and in particular, N-decanoyl-HL (C10-HL) was found to be the most active AHL in altering root system architecture. Developmental changes elicited by C10-HL were related to altered expression of cell division and differentiation marker lines pPRZ1:uidA, CycB1:uidA and pAtEXP7:uidA in Arabidopsis roots. Although the effects of C10-HL were similar to those produced by auxins in modulating root system architecture, the primary and lateral root response to this compound was found to be independent of auxin signalling. Furthermore, we show that mutant and overexpressor lines for an Arabidopsis fatty acid amide hydrolase gene (AtFAAH) sustained altered growth response to C10-HL. All together, our results suggest that AHLs alter root development in Arabidopsis and that plants posses the enzymatic machinery to metabolize these compounds.     

Growth regulation mechanisms in higher plants under microgravity conditions - changes in cell wall metabolism.

During Space Shuttle STS-95 mission, we cultivated seedlings of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Koshihikari and cv. Tan-ginbozu) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana L. cv. Columbia and cv. etr1-1) for 68.5, 91.5, and 136 hr on board, and then analyzed changes in the nature of their cell walls, growth, and morphogenesis under microgravity conditions. In space, elongation growth of both rice coleoptiles and Arabidopsis hypocotyls was stimulated. Also, the increase in the cell wall extensibility, especially that in the irreversible extensibility, was observed for such materials. The analyses of the amounts, the structure, and the physicochemical properties of the cell wall constituents indicated that the decreases in levels and molecular masses of cell wall polysaccharides were induced under microgravity conditions, which appeared to contribute to the increase in the wall extensibility. The activity of certain wall enzymes responsible for the metabolic turnover of the wall polysaccharides was increased in space. By the space flight, we also confirmed the occurrence of automorphogenesis of both seedlings under microgravity conditions; rice coleoptiles showed an adaxial bending, whereas Arabidopsis hypocotyls elongated in random directions. Furthermore, it was shown that spontaneous curvatures of rice coleoptiles in space were brought about uneven modifications of cell wall properties between the convex and the concave sides.     

The effect of marine bioactive substances (N PRO) and exogenous cytokinins on nitrate reductase activity in Arabidopsis thaliana

We investigated the effect of exogenous cytokinins and marine bioactive substances containing seaweed extracts (marketed by the ROULLIER Group under the trade name N PRO^TM.) on nitrate reductase activity in Arabidopsis . Cytokinins, applied either directly in the growth medium or as a foliar spray, did not significantly influence nitrate reductase activity in extracts from in vitro grown Arabidopsis plants. Conversely, Arabidopsis grown in the presence of or sprayed with N PRO had increased nitrate reductase activity. This stimulatory effect of N PRO was even higher when the plants were grown on low nitrate concentration, suggesting that these marine bioactive substances may be beneficial for plant growth in adverse nutritional conditions.     

Quantitative proteomics of Arabidopsis shoot microsomal proteins reveals a cross‐talk between excess zinc and iron deficiency

Iron (Fe) deficiency significantly effects plant growth and development. Plant symptoms under excess zinc (Zn) resemble symptoms of Fe‐deficient plants. To understand cross‐talk between excess Zn and Fe deficiency, we investigated physiological parameters of Arabidopsis plants and applied iTRAQ‐OFFGEL quantitative proteomic approach to examine protein expression changes in microsomal fraction from Arabidopsis shoots under those physiological conditions. Arabidopsis plants manifested shoot inhibition and chlorosis symptoms when grown on Fe‐deficient media compared to basal MGRL solid medium. iTRAQ‐OFFGEL approach identified 909 differentially expressed proteins common to all three biological replicates; the majority were transporters or proteins involved in photosynthesis, and ribosomal proteins. Interestingly, protein expression changes between excess Zn and Fe deficiency showed similar pattern. Further, the changes due to excess Zn were dramatically restored by the addition of Fe. To obtain biological insight into Zn and Fe cross‐talk, we focused on transporters, where STP4 and STP13 sugar transporters were predominantly expressed and responsive to Fe‐deficient conditions. Plants grown on Fe‐deficient conditions showed significantly increased level of sugars. These results suggest that Fe deficiency might lead to the disruption of sugar synthesis and utilization.     

Members of the tomato LeEIL (EIN3-like) gene family are functionally redundant and regulate ethylene responses throughout plant development

The plant hormone ethylene regulates many aspects of growth, development and responses to the environment. The Arabidopsis ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3) protein is a nuclear-localized component of the ethylene signal-transduction pathway with DNA-binding activity. Loss-of-function mutations in this protein result in ethylene insensitivity in Arabidopsis. To gain a better understanding of the ethylene signal-transduction pathway in tomato, we have identified three homologs of the Arabidopsis EIN3 gene (LeEILs). Each of these genes complemented the ein3-1 mutation in transgenic Arabidopsis, indicating that all are involved in ethylene signal transduction. Transgenic tomato plants with reduced expression of a single LeEIL gene did not exhibit significant changes in ethylene response; reduced expression of multiple tomato LeEIL genes was necessary to reduce ethylene sensitivity significantly. Reduced LeEIL expression affected all ethylene responses examined, including leaf epinasty, flower abscission, flower senescence and fruit ripening. Our results indicate that the LeEILs are functionally redundant and positive regulators of multiple ethylene responses throughout plant development.