Early-stage iron deficiency alters physiological processes and iron transporter expression,along with photosynthetic and oxidative damage to sorghum

Iron (Fe) starvation in Strategy II plants is a major nutritional problem causing severe visual symptoms and yield reductions. This prompted us to investigate the physiological and molecular consequences of Fe deficiency responses at an early stage in sorghum plants. The Fe-starved sorghum did not show shoot biomass reduction, but the root length, biomass, and chlorophyll synthesis were severely affected. The chlorophyll a fluorescence analysis showed that the quantum yield efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm) and photosynthesis performance index (Pi_ABS) in young leaves significantly reduced in response to low Fe. Besides, Fe concentration in root and shoot significantly declined in Fe-starved plants relative to Fe-sufficient plants. Accordingly, this Fe reduction in tissues was accompanied by a marked decrease in PS-release in roots. The qPCR experiment showed the downregulation of SbDMAS2 (deoxymugineic acid synthase 2), SbNAS3 (nicotianamine synthase 3), and SbYSL1 (Fe-phytosiderophore transporter yellow stripe 1) in Fe-deprived roots, suggesting that decreased rhizosphere mobilization of Fe(III)-PS contributes to reduced uptake and long-distance transport of Fe. The cis-acting elements of these gene promoters are commonly responsive to abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate, while SbYSL1 additionally responsive to salicylic acid. Further, antioxidant defense either through metabolites or antioxidant enzymes is not efficient in counteracting oxidative damage in Fe-deprived sorghum. These findings may be beneficial for the improvement of sorghum genotypes sensitive to Fe-deficiency through breeding or transgenic approaches.     

Differential response of salt-marsh species to variation of iron and manganese

Salt-marsh plants of the lower, middle and upper marsh were compared in their response to iron and manganese. The species studied showed differential sensitivity to high concentrations of Fe (1 000 μM) and Mn (10 000 μM) in hydroculture experiments, species of the lower marsh being more resistant than species of the upper marsh. Fe and Mn concentrations in the root were higher than in the shoot, which was also found in plants inundated with seawater. High Fe and Mn concentrations in the root are probably the result of the oxidizing power of plant roots with a subsequent low translocation of Fe (II) and Mn (II) to the shoot. At high (toxic) Fe and Mn levels in the nutrient solution, Fe and Mn concentrations were much higher in the shoots of sensitive species than in resistant species. The P content of roots and shoots was not influenced by increased Fe and Mn concentrations. Fe and Mn resistance in Spartina anglica and Juncus gerardii, may be in part due to a high root porosity. Other species, however, that are similarly resistant to Fe and Mn lack a well-developed aerenchym. Root porosity, radial oxygen loss and Fe (II) and Mn (II) exclusion by oxidation to Fe (III) (hydr)oxides deposited on the roots form part of the resistance mechanism of hygrohalophytes to Fe and Mn; the differences in this respect between the species may also be due to other metabolic aspects.     

Nickel(II) and iron(II) mononuclear complexes with 1-methylimidazole-2-aldoximate: New building units for molecule-assembled magnetic materials

A new class of mononuclear metal complexes with 1-methylimidazole-2-aldoximate (miao) has been synthesized and characterized: trans-Ni^II(Cl)₂(Hmiao)₂ (1), trans-Ni^II(miao)₂(py)₂ (2), NO-trans-Ni^II(miao)₂(phen) (3), and NO-trans-Fe^II(miao)₂(phen) (4). The crystal structures of 2, 3, and 4 have been determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Compound 1 having the protonated miao ligand (i.e., Hmiao) is a precursor for synthesizing 2 and 3. Compound 2 is an octahedral Ni^II complex surrounded by two miao bidentate ligands and two monodentate ligands of pyridine in a trans-arrangement. Compound 3 is a cis-type octahedral Ni^II complex with two miao ligands and a bidentate ligand of 1,10-phenanthroline, in which the ligand arrangement around Ni^II center is found in an NO-trans form. Compound 4 is an isostructural Fe^II derivative of 3. Compounds 1, 2, and 3 exhibit paramagnetic nature with an S = 1 spin and a positive zero-field splitting, among which it for 3 is overlapped with intermolecular ferromagnetic interaction (zJ/k_B = +0.16 K). Compound 4 is diamagnetic due to the existence of low-spin Fe^II ion.     

Contribution of ferrous iron to maintenance of the gastric colonization of Helicobacter pylori in miniature pigs

Our previous study showed that the colonization levels of Helicobacter pylori were higher in the stomachs of 5-day-old miniature pigs than in 2-week-old ones. As dietary factors can cause these differences, we compared two diets, i.e., Weanymilk and a similar formula with a higher concentration of Fe(II), Weanylobulin. The colonization levels in the fundic mucosa were significantly higher in 2-week-old pigs fed Weanylobulin than in those fed Weanymilk. Supplementing Weanylobulin with an iron chelator, deferoxamine mesylate, significantly lowered the bacteria counts in the gastric mucosa. Normal diets supplemented with Fe(II) in 2-month-old pigs caused significantly more sites of bacteria in the antrum compared with normal diets alone. In addition, ranitidine, an inhibitor of gastric acid secretion that reduces Fe(III) to Fe(II) in the stomach, decreased the bacteria counts in 10-month-old pigs. These results suggested that Fe(II) maintained the colonization levels of H. pylori in the stomach of the miniature pigs.     

Electrochemical synthesis and crystal structure of iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of dianionic tetradentate N4 Schiff base ligand

The electrochemical oxidation of anodic metal (iron, cobalt, nickel and copper) in an acetonitrile solution of the potentially chelating Schiff base N,N(dithiodiethylenebis-(aminylydenemethylydene)-bis(1,2-phenylene)ditosylamide (H₂L) afforded stable complexes of empirical formula [ML]. The compounds obtained have been characterized by microanalysis, IR spectroscopy and ES-MS mass spectrometry. The crystal and molecular structures of [FeL]·CH₃CN (1) [CoL]·CH₃CN (2), [NiL]·CH₃CN (3) and [CuL]·CH₃CN (4) have been determined by X-ray diffraction in all complexes, the metal atom is in a distorted tetrahedral environment with the Schiff base acting as a tetradentate N4 donor.     

Selective addressing of heteroditopic ligands by iron(II) and platinum(II)

The heteroditopic ligand 4′-(4,7,10-trioxadec-1-yn-10-yl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, 2, contains an N,N′,N″-donor metal-binding domain that recognizes iron(II), and a terminal alkyne site that selectively couples to platinum(II). This selectivity has been used to investigate routes to the formation of heterometallic systems. The single crystal structures of ligand 2 and the complex [Fe(2)₂][PF₆]₂ are reported.     

Enantioselective DNA binding of iron(II) complexes of methyl-substituted phenanthroline

The enantioselective binding of [Fe(4,7-dmp)₃]²⁺ (dmp: 4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenantroline) and [Fe(3,4,7,8-tmp)₃]²⁺ (tmp: 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) to calf-thymus DNA (ct-DNA) has been systematically studied by monitoring the circular dichroism (CD) spectral profile of the iron(II) complexes in the absence and presence of ct-DNA. The effect of salt concentration and temperature on the degree of enantioselectivity of the ct-DNA binding of the iron(II) complexes, i.e. the molar ratio of Δ- to Λ-enantiomer in the solution or vice versa has been rigorously evaluated. It is noticeable that Δ-[Fe(4,7-dmp)₃]²⁺ and Λ-[Fe(3,4,7,8-tmp)₃]²⁺ are preferentially bound to ct-DNA as reflected in their opposite CD spectral profiles. The preferential binding of the Λ-enantiomer of [Fe(3,4,7,8-tmp)₃]²⁺ to ct-DNA compared to that of the Δ-enantiomer is associated with the bulkiness of the ancillary ligands due to substitution of four hydrogen atoms in 1,10-phenanthroline for four methyl groups. The determination of enantiomeric inversion constant (K_inv) at various salt concentrations has revealed that the degree of enantioselectivity is salt concentration dependent, indicating that electrostatic interaction is involved in the enantioselective binding of the iron(II) complexes to ct-DNA. Although [Fe(4,7-dmp)₃]²⁺ and [Fe(3,4,7,8-tmp)₃]²⁺ exhibit an opposite pattern in the CD spectra, the degree of their enantioselectivity (K_inv) is not different from each other significantly. A thermodynamic study on the enantioselective binding of [Fe(4,7-dmp)₃]²⁺ to ct-DNA using the van’t Hoff plot of ln K_inv versus 1/T has demonstrated that the enthalpy change (ΔH°) in the inversion process from the Λ- to Δ-enantiomer of [Fe(4,7-dmp)₃]²⁺ ct-DNA is positive, indicating that the process is endothermic and thus entropically driven.     

Phytotoxins from stemphylium botryosum: structural determination of stemphyloxin II,production in culture and interaction with iron

Stemphyloxin II, a new phytotoxic compound isolated from liquid cultures of Stemphylium botryosum f. sp. lycopersici has been identified as a tricyclic compound derived from stemphyloxin I. Production of stemphyloxins I and II increases by 4-6 fold in the presence of succinate, fumarate or malonate. The secretion of stemphyloxins is iron-regulated and both compounds act as ferric chelates. The phytotoxicity of stemphyloxin I is approximately 100-fold higher than that of stemphyloxin II. The possible role of stemphyloxins in iron acquisition by S. botryosum is discussed.     

Study of anti-fibrillogenic activity of iron(II) clathrochelates

The macrocyclic compounds mono- and bis-iron(II) clathrochelates were firstly studied as potential anti-fibrillogenic agents using fluorescent inhibitory assay, atomic force microscopy and flow cytometry. It is shown that presence of the clathrochelates leads to the change in kinetics of insulin fibrillization reaction and reduces the amount of formed fibrils (up to 70%). The nature of ribbed substituent could determine the activity of clathrochelates—the higher inhibitory effect is observed for compounds containing carboxybenzenesulfide groups, while the inhibitory properties only slightly depend on the size of complex species. The mono- and bis-clathrochelate derivatives of meta-mercaptobenzoic acid have close values of IC₅₀ namely 16 ± 2 and 24 ± 5 μM, respectively. The presence of clathrochelates decreases the fibril diameter from 5-12 nm for free insulin fibrils to 3–8 nm for these formed in the clathrochelate presence, it also prevents the lateral aggregation of mature fibrils and formation of superfibrillar clusters. However the addition of clathrochelate results in more heterogeneous (both by size and structure) insulin aggregates population as compared to the free insulin. This way, cage complexes—iron(II) clathrochelates are proposed as efficient agents able to suppress the protein aggregation processes.     

Diffusion of Fe(II) from an iron propagation cage and its effect on tissue iron and pigments of macroalgae on the cage

Iron propagation cages were settled on sand and/or rock beds in coastal areas of Hokkaido. The cage was oxidized by dissolved oxygen and the released Fe(II) diffused into the seawater around the cage. Fe(II) concentrations in the range of 10–50 nM were detected within a 20-m distance around the cage. For comparison, in the Japan Sea, the total iron concentration is less than 2 nM.Laminaria japonica was grown in an indoor semi-continuous culture system. The critical Fe level for maintaining maximum growth, and the subsistence Fe level for survival were measured. The concentrations obtained were 14–21 and 8 g Fe g^–1 tissue, respectively. Iron found inL. japonica growing on rocks and/or rock beds in the Japan Sea was close to the subsistence level. However, the Fe level inL. japonica on the cage in the Japan Sea was considerably higher. The concentrations of chlorophyll-a and fucoxanthin collected from the cage were significantly higher for sporophytes, demonstrating that iron is a very important element for the growth of seaweeds.     

Discovering the role of mitochondria in the iron deficiency-induced metabolic responses of plants

In plants, iron (Fe) deficiency-induced chlorosis is a major problem, affecting both yield and quality of crops. Plants have evolved multifaceted strategies, such as reductase activity, proton extrusion, and specialised storage proteins, to mobilise Fe from the environment and distribute it within the plant. Because of its fundamental role in plant productivity, several issues concerning Fe homeostasis in plants are currently intensively studied. The activation of Fe uptake reactions requires an overall adaptation of the primary metabolism because these activities need the constant supply of energetic substrates (i.e., NADPH and ATP). Several studies concerning the metabolism of Fe-deficient plants have been conducted, but research focused on mitochondrial implications in adaptive responses to nutritional stress has only begun in recent years. Mitochondria are the energetic centre of the root cell, and they are strongly affected by Fe deficiency. Nevertheless, they display a high level of functional flexibility, which allows them to maintain the viability of the cell. Mitochondria represent a crucial target of studies on plant homeostasis, and it might be of interest to concentrate future research on understanding how mitochondria orchestrate the reprogramming of root cell metabolism under Fe deficiency. In this review, I summarise what it is known about the effect of Fe deficiency on mitochondrial metabolism and morphology. Moreover, I present a detailed view of the possible roles of mitochondria in the development of plant responses to Fe deficiency, integrating old findings with new and discussing new hypotheses for future investigations.     

Redox potential of the non-heme iron complex in bacterial photosynthetic reaction center

In bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (bRC), the electron is transferred from the special pair (P) via accessory bacteriochlorophyll (B_A), bacteriopheopytin (H_A), the primary quinone (Q_A) to the secondary quinone (Q_B). Although the non-heme iron complex (Fe complex) is located between Q_A and Q_B, it was generally supposed not to be redox-active. Involvement of the Fe complex in electron transfer (ET) was proposed in recent FTIR studies [A. Remy and K. Gerwert, Coupling of light-induced electron transfer to proton uptake in photosynthesis, Nat. Struct. Biol. 10 (2003) 637-644]. However, other FTIR studies resulted in opposite results [J. Breton, Steady-state FTIR spectra of the photoreduction of Q_A and Q_B in Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centers provide evidence against the presence of a proposed transient electron acceptor X between the two quinones, Biochemistry 46 (2007) 4459-4465]. In this study, we calculated redox potentials of Q_A/B (E_m(Q_A/B)) and the Fe complex (E_m(Fe)) based on crystal structure of the wild-type bRC (WT-bRC), and we investigated the energetics of the system where the Fe complex is assumed to be involved in the ET. E_m(Fe) in WT-bRC is much less pH-dependent than that in PSII. In WT-bRC, we observed significant coupling of ET with Glu-L212 protonation upon oxidation of the Fe complex and a dramatic E_m(Fe) downshift by 230 mV upon formation of Q_A⁻ (but not Q_B⁻) due to the absence of proton uptake of Glu-L212. Changes in net charges of the His ligands of the Fe complex appear to be the nature of the redox event if we assume the involvement of the Fe complex in the ET.     

Electrostatic role of the non-heme iron complex in bacterial photosynthetic reaction center

To elucidate the role of the non-heme iron complex (Fe-complex) in the electron transfer (ET) events of bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers (bRC), we calculated redox potentials of primary/secondary quinones Q(A/B) (E(m)(Q(A/B))) in the Fe-depleted bRC. Removing the Fe-complex, the calculated E(m)(Q(A/B)) are downshifted by approximately 220 mV/ approximately 80 mV explaining both the 15-fold decrease in ET rate from bacteriopheophytin (H(A)(-)) to Q(A) and triplet state occurrence in Fe-depleted bRC. The larger downshift in E(m)(Q(A)) relative to E(m)(Q(B)) increases the driving-energy for ET from Q(A) to Q(B) by 140 meV, in agreement with approximately 100 meV increase derived from kinetic studies.     

One-dimensional helical coordination polymers of cobalt(II) and iron(II) ions with 2,2′-bipyridyl-3,3′-dicarboxylate (BPDC)

One-dimensional (1-D) helical coordination polymers, [M^II(H₂O)₃(BPDC)]_n · nH₂O (M = Co (1), Fe (2)), have been prepared by the self-assembly of cobalt(II) and iron(II) ions, respectively, with 2,2′-bipyridyl-3,3′-dicarboxylic acid (H₂BPDC) in an aqueous solution. X-ray crystal structures of compounds 1 and 2 show that each metal ion displays a distorted octahedral coordination geometry including three water oxygen atoms, one oxygen atom of the carboxylate of a BPDC²⁻ belonging to the adjacent metal ion and two nitrogen atoms from the BPDC²⁻ acting as a chelating ligand. In 1 and 2, one carboxylate oxygen atom of coordinated BPDC²⁻ binds to the neighboring metal ion, which give rise to 1-D helical coordination polymers. The helical chains of 1 and 2 are linked by the hydrogen bonding interactions between the carboxylate oxygen atom of the BPDC²⁻ ion belonging to a chain and the water molecule of the adjacent helical chain, which lead to 2-D networks extending along the ab plane. The supramolecules 1 and 2 show isomorphous structures regardless of the metal ions.     

Effect of formate on Mössbauer parameters of the non-heme iron of PS II particles of cyanobacteria

Mössbauer spectra were measured for PSII particles having an active water-splitting system. The particles were isolated from the thennophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus enriched in⁵⁷Fe. The Mössbauer resonance absorption spectrum is a superposition of 3 doublets with the following quadrupole splitting and chemical shift: 1, δ = 0.40, Δ = 0.85; II, δ = 1.35,Δ =2.35; III, δ = 0.25, Δ = 1.65. The δ and Δ values of doublets I, II, III are characteristic of proteins with iron-sulphur center, non-heme iron of the reaction center of higher plants and of the oxidized cytochrome 6–559. Treatment with sodium formate to remove bicarbonate affects only the doublet of non-heme iron, causing its quadrupole splitting to reduce to 1.75 and the chemical shift to reduce to 0.90. After washing out the formate, the Mossbauer spectrum of non-heme iron is restored. The data suggest that bicarbonate is a ligand for the non-heme iron of the reaction center of cyanobacteria.     

嗜中性微好氧铁氧化菌研究进展

在弱酸至近中性微氧条件下,嗜中性微好氧铁氧化菌能够通过依赖氧气的呼吸机制将二价亚铁氧化成三价铁,并获得生长所需能量。这一生物铁氧化过程的主要产物之一是无定形羟基氧化铁——一种异化铁还原作用(铁呼吸)的理想底物,故可加速铁元素在氧化还原分界层的地质循环。有关嗜中性微好氧铁氧化菌的记载可追溯到19世纪30年代,但对其生理、生态与系统发育学的研究自20世纪90年代中期才取得显著进展,主要得益于专性铁氧化菌新种、属的成功培养与分离。已知微好氧铁氧化菌广泛分布于弱酸及近中性富铁地下水、湿地和深海等环境,其参与调控的铁氧化过程对铁及其他元素(如碳、氮、磷、锰和砷等)的生物地球化学循环具有重要意义。这类古老微生物在金属成矿、地壳演变、全球气候变化及其它生源要素地球化学过程中的作用研究已逐渐受到关注,正成为地质与环境微生物学领域的研究热点。主要总结国外近15a对嗜中性微好氧铁氧化菌的研究进展,包括其代谢机理、种类和分布、生态学研究方法和技术、以及细菌铁氧化作用的实际应用和环境意义等,并对今后研究方向提出展望。     

Template synthesis, structure and spectra of the semiclathrochelate and clathrochelate 1,4-pentadienylboron-capped iron(II) oximehydrazonates

The direct template condensation of diacetylmonooxime hydrazone with the 1,4-pentadienylboronates as Lewis acids on an iron(II) ion matrix led to the 1,4-pentadienylboron-capped semiclathrochelate iron(II) oximehydrazonates. The H⁺-ion-catalyzed macrocyclization of these precursors with an excess of triethyl orthoformate resulted in macrobicyclic complexes with a single apical 1,4-pentadienyl substituent. The complexes obtained were characterized using elemental analysis, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, IR, UV-Vis, ¹H, ¹¹B{¹H} and ¹³C{¹H} NMR, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopies, and X-ray crystallography. The X-ray diffraction and NMR data for complexes obtained showed the syn,syn,syn-orientation of all ethoxy substituents in 1,3,5-triazacyclohexane capping fragment in relation to a clathrochelate framework.     

A dual-mode optical assay for iron(II) and gallic acid based on Fenton reaction

The hydroxyl radicals ( · OH) produced by the Fenton reaction of iron(II) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) can oxidize the colorless 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to blue oxidized TMB (Ox-TMB), resulting in a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of the reaction system and an increase in ultraviolet absorption. Ox-TMB had a visible absorption peak at 625 nm and a fluorescence peak around 420 nm. When gallic acid (GA) was added to the system, Ox-TMB was reduced to TMB, which made the color of the system disappear and the fluorescence recover. The linear ranges for determination of iron(II) were 0.5–10 μM (fluorometric) and 0.5–20 μM (colorimetric), and the detection limits were 0.25 μM (fluorometric) and 0.28 μM (colorimetric). The linear ranges for determination of GA were 0–80 μM (fluorometric) and 0–60 μM (colorimetric), and the detection limits were 0.31 μM (fluorometric) and 0.8 μM (colorimetric). The results of anti-interference experiments shew that this dual-mode assay had very good selectivity for the determination of iron(II) and GA.     

Squarato-bridged polymeric networks of iron(II) with N-donor coligands: Syntheses, crystal structures and magnetic properties

Two new squarato-bridged Fe(II) polymeric networks of molecular formula [Fe(squarate)(bpp)₂(H₂O)₂] (1) and [Fe(squarate)(bpee)(H₂O)₂] (2) [bpp = 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane; bpee = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene; ] have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and low temperature (300-2 K) magnetic measurements. Complex 1 is a 1D coordination chain of Fe(H₂O)₂ units connected by μ-O,O″ squarate dianions with monocoordinated bpp ligands dangling from the polymer. These 1D chains ultimately transform to a thick 2D layer through π-π interaction of pyridyl rings as well as through hydrogen bonds. Whereas structural determination of complex 2 reveals an inclined interpenetrated 3D architecture. Magnetic data for both the complexes 1 and 2 have been fitted using the Fisher formula for S = 2 system and show antiferromagnetic coupling for both the complexes. The best fit parameters are J = −0.40 cm⁻¹, g = 2.30 and R = 0.01 for complex 1 and J = −0.49 cm⁻¹, g = 2.08 and R = 1.9 × 10⁻³ for complex 2.