The effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride on chlorophyll synthesis in barley leaves

Summary 2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2.4-D) and (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) inhibit chlorophyll synthesis and protochlorophyllide ₆₅₂ regeneration in 6–8 day old barley leaves whilst having little effect on the rates of protochlorophyll ₆₃₂ synthesis from exogenous -aminelevulinic acid (ALA) and ALA-dehydratase activity. Longer pretreatments with 2.4-D and CCC show it is only after 50 to 60 hr that the rates of P₆₃₂ production from exogenous ALA and ALA-dehydratase activity are affected. Similar response times were obtained for chloramphenicol (CAP). The results indicate that 2.4-D and CCC may act by directly inhibiting specific plastid-protein synthesis similar to CAP. Hence it seems that it is only those proteins (enzymes) having a rapid turnover that are affected first i.e. the enzymes necessary for ALA synthesis in the plastid.Abbreviations used ALA -aminolevulinic acid - CAP chloramphenicol - CCC (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride - 2.4-D 2-4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - P₆₅₂ prodochlorophyllide with maximum in-vivo absorption at 652 nm - P₆₈₄ chlorophyllide absorbing at 684 nm - P₆₇₀ chlorophyllide absorbing at 670 nm - P₆₃₂ pigment absorbing at 632 nm synthesised from exogenous ALA - PBG Porphobilinogen P. R. Shewry is in receipt of a Science Research Council Studentship award.     

The influence of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride on the carotenoid content of tobacco tissue in suspension culture

Carotenoid content of tobacco tissue grown in suspension culture was significantly affected by 2 mg . 1-¹ I-naphthaleneacctic acid (NAA) and 500 mg . 1-¹ (2-chloroethyl)-trimethyl-ammonium chloride (CCC). CCC caused a 4-fold increase of carotenoid concentration in the tissue and a 2-fold increase of carotenoid accumulation per one cultural flask mainly due to the appearance of significant amounts of lycopene. In the absence of NAA the tissue contained a much smaller amount of carotenoids and CCC failed to induce lycopene accumulation.     

The Inhibitory Effect of (2-Chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium Chloride on Chlorophyll and Protein Synthesis in Lettuce Cotyledons, and its Reversal by Potassium

Germinated seeds of Lactuca sativa (L.) were placed in Petri-dishesin (2-chloroethyl)-trimethyl-ammonium chloride (CCC; 0.005–0.05M), KN0₃ (0.01 M), and KC1 (0.01 M) solutions, and incubatedfor 2 or 5 days under continuous light. CCC strikingly arrestedchlorophyll accumulation, and retarded cotyledon growth relativelylittle. The retardant inhibited ¹⁴C-leucine incorporation intobulk proteins of the cotyledons. KN0₃ and KC1 promoted cotyledongrowth and chlorophyll synthesis per cotyledon by about 150per cent, and about doubled protein synthesis. Potassium saltscompletely reversed the inhibitory effects of CCC on chlorophylland protein synthesis. It is suggested that the inhibition ofgreening by CCC is dependent on a prior inhibition of proteinsynthesis.     

The inhibition by high concentrations of (2-chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) of chlorophyll and protein synthesis in excised barley leaf sections

Summary CCC at concentrations of 10^-3 M and higher inhibits chlorophyll synthesis and ³H-leucine incorporation into a protein fraction by barley leaf sections. Neither of these effects is reversed by exogenous GA₃. No effect of CCC was observed on oxygen uptake by the leaf sections. The results indicate that high concentrations of CCC may act through an inhibition of protein synthesis, rather than through a direct effect on endogenous gibberellin production.     

The Effects of Foliar Applications of (2-Chloroethyl)-trimethylammonium Chloride on Leaf Area and Dry Matter Production by the Brussels Sprout Plant

When CCC was applied as a spray to the leaves of Brassica oleraceaL. (Brussels sprout) grown in pots, plant height and mean internodelength were reduced. The effects appeared more slowly and wereless pronounced than those previously observed when CCC hadbeen applied to the soil; other differences were that root growthwas not inhibited, stem weight was only significantly reducedat the highest rate of application (2 per cent), and stomatalnumber per unit area of lower leaf epidermis was not affected.In common with soil applications, leaf thickness, stem diameter,and the percentage moisture contents of the leaves were allincreased by foliar applications.In a further experiment theprogress of wilting was observed in untreated plants and inplants treated with CCC applied either to the leaves or to thesoil. The rates of water loss and the moisture contents of theleaf laminae of the treated plants, after a period of wilting,were not significantly different from the controls. The treatedplants, however, looked less ‘wilted‘ for the changein angle of the leaf lamina to the stem was less and their leaveswere therefore held more upright.     

Growth Regulators and the Effect of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus on Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Estimation of cell number in the third leaf of barley (Hordeumvulgare L. C I 666) infected with barley yellow dwarf virus(BYDV) showed a marked decrease in the mitotic activity of theinfected plants Assay of endogenous gibberellins revealed adecrease in the level of a substance corresponding to gibberellicacid (GA₃) in BYDV-infected plants No significant differencein the level of endogenous auxins was observed Application ofgibberellic acid to infected plants reversed the dwarfing effectbut the response was not significantly different from the responseof healthy plants and was found to be due to increased cellelongation. It is suggested that the dwarfing of BYDV-infectedplants is a result of reduced mitotic activity This may be relatedto the reduced level of endogenous gibberellins.     

Influence of Chlorocholine Chloride on Grain Growth of Winter Barley (Hordeum distichon L. cv. Igri) in the Field

Green, C. F., Dawkins, T. C. K. and McDonald, H. G. 1985. Influenceof chlorocholine chloride on grain growth of winter barley (Hordeumdistichon L. cv. Igri) in the field.–J. exp. Bot. 36:1126–1133. Chlorocholine chloride was applied to winter barley either inthe Spring or Autumn. It increased grain number per unit croparea. Rates of incorporation of dry matter into the grain weredecreased, but the period of growth was extended by the treatments.Overall the final mean grain weight was reduced so that no advantagesin terms of yield resulted from the increased grain numbers. Key words: —Chlormequat, chlorocholine chloride, CCC, Hordeum distichon L., barley, grain growth, grain weight, senescence, grain yield     

Effect of calcium, (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid and ethylene on bean leaf abscission

Summary The effects of CaCl₂, (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (Ethephon) and ethylene on leaf abscission of debladed and intact bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were studied. Ethephon (1000 g/l) and ethylene (8 l/l) induced abscission in debladed and intact plants in 24–72 h whereas IAA (10^-5M), cycloheximide (10^-5M) and CaCl₂ (0.068M) delayed abscission in debladed plants. CaCl₂ completely inhibited the abscission-enhancing effect of Ethephon in intact bean leaves. When CaCl₂ and Ethephon were applied simultaneously to separate halves of the leaf blade, leaves with Ethephon applied closest to the pulvinus abscised rapidly; when CaCl₂ was applied closest to the pulvinus, abscission was prevented. Calcium pre-treatment prior to ethylene (8 l/l) treatment of debladed plants delayed abscission as compared to those treated with ethylene alone.Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Article No. 6299.     

The Effect of 2-Chloroethyltrimethyl Ammonium Chloride (CCC) on Stomatal Diffusive Resistance in Tomato

CCC (2-chloroethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride) at a concentration of 6.3 mM was applied to tomato plants (cv. Grosse Lisse) grown in a controlled environment. There was an increase in adaxial leaf diffusive resistance but not in abaxial resistance, the effect being apparent before any growth retardation was measurable. The partial closure of adaxial stomata in response to CCC reduced transpiration from that leaf surface. In plants deprived of water, leaf water potential was higher when CCC was applied and both adaxial and abaxial stomatal closure was delayed. The data do not suggest that CCC influenced the relationship between leaf water potential and conductance for either abaxial or adaxial stomata.     

Interactive Effects of CO(2) and O(2) in Soil on Root and Top Growth of Barley and Peas

Barley and pea plants were grown under several regimens of different compositions of soil atmosphere, the O₂ concentration varying from 0 to 21% and the CO₂ concentration from 0 to 8%. In absence of CO₂, the effect of O₂ on root length in barley was characterized by equal root lengths within the range of 21 to 7% O₂ and a steep decline between 7 and 0%. In peas, while showing the same general response, the decline occurred between 14 and 7% O₂. Root numbers of the seminal roots of barley decreased already with reduction in O₂ concentration from 21 to 14%. Dry matter production was affected somewhat differently by O₂ and CO₂ concentration. Dry matter production in barley was reduced at 14% O₂ while root length decreased between 7 and 0%. In peas, dry matter production was favored by low CO₂ concentrations except where there was no oxygen. At 21% O₂, increasing CO₂ concentrations did not seem to affect root length up to concentrations of 2% CO₂. At 8% CO₂, root length was decreased. The inter-active effects of CO₂ and O₂ are characterized by a reduced susceptibility to CO₂ at O₂ values below 7%, and a very deleterious effect of 8% CO₂ at 7% O₂.     

Effect of (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and gibberellic acid (GA3) on the flowering ofChenopodium rubrum L.

U rostliny krátkého dne Chenopodium rubrum L. se dá kvetení indukovat íty?mi 16hodinovými cykly tmy ji? 5 dní po vyklí?ení. Aplikace CCC v koncentraci 2.10^-3mvpr?běhu indukce kvetení zadr?uje a toté? piatí pro GA₃ i tehdy, je-li podáván ve velmi nízkých koncentracích (0,1 a? 0,01 mg/l). Av?ak sou?asná aplikace obou těchto látek v uvedených koncentracích vede k úplné reversi inhibice. Po p?enesení rostlin z média, obsahujícího CCC, na ?istý ?ivný roztok, inhibi?ní ú?inek CCC rychle zmizí a p?echází v slabou stimulaci. Na?e výsledky ukazují, ?e giberelin se zú?astňuje proces? kvetení i u rostliny krátkého dne.     

Effect of S-(2-chloroethyl)-DL-cysteine on the transport of p-aminohippurate ion in renal plasma membrane vesicles

The effects of S-(2-chloroethyl)-DL-cysteine (CEC) (a potent nephrotoxin) on the transport of p-aminohippurate ion (PAH) in renal plasma membrane vesicles isolated from rat renal cortex were studied in vitro. The uptake of PAH was significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner in both the brush border membrane (BBM) and basolateral membrane (BLM) vesicles. These results demonstrate that CEC is capable of interfering with the accumulation of PAH (a model organic anion for renal tubular transport system) by both energy-independent and energy-dependent carrier-mediated transport processes. Probenecid, a typical inhibitor of the organic anion transport system, showed the highest inhibition of PAH uptake in both the membranes vesicles. These data indirectly suggest that transport by renal tubular cells may result in the accumulation of CEC in renal cellular organelles eventually in toxic concentrations. Thus, CEC showed both dose- and time-dependent inhibition of the activities of gamma-glutamyl transferase (a BBM marker enzyme) and Na+, K(+)-ATPase (a BLM marker enzyme), while no such inhibition was noticed with probenecid. Pretreatment with probenecid prevented the inhibition of the gamma-glutamyl transferase activity due to CEC in BBM, but failed to do so for the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in BLM vesicles. Thus, the data suggest that the inhibition of the activities of these membrane-specific enzymes by CEC could lead to the initial development of its nephrotoxicity.