Photosynthetic and Respiratory Activity in Anacystis nidulans Adapted to Osmotic Stress

Anacystis nidulans cultures growing photoautotrophically in a minimal medium were exposed to different concentrations of NaCl, up to 0.4 molar. Initially, a marked decrease in photosynthetic activity took place, which was in direct relation to the salt concentration and which was not associated with a change in endogenous respiratory activity. After a period of exposure to salinity, a process of adaptation became apparent, being manifested in a partial reversal of the decline in photosynthesis and a marked increase in endogenous respiration.     

Effects of divalent cations and sodium taurocholate on pancreatic lipase activity with gum arabic-emulsified tributyrylglycerol substrates.

The effects of Ca2+ and/or sodium taurocholate on lipase activity with gum arabic-emulsified tributyrylglycerol substrates were investigated. Calcium was found to slightly increase lipase activity while bile salts showed marked inhibition except at very low concentrations. Calcium eliminated inhibition seen with low concentrations of bile salts and reduced the inhibition seen at higher bile shift of the enzyme from the alkaline region in the absence of bile salt to the slightly acidic region in the presence of bile salt. Calcium was shown to eliminate the time lag periods between enzyme addition and maximum rate of hydrolysis seen at low substrate concentrations and the time lag noted when bile salts were included with normal (substrate concentration not limiting) assay concentrations of substrate. Zeta potential measurements indicated that Ca2+ reduced the negative charge on the gum arabic-emulsified particle while bile salts did not increase the negative charge. Commercial preparations of gum arabic were found to have significant concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+.     

蕾期土壤盐度降低后棉花叶片的生理功能恢复

试验于2011—2012年在江苏南京江苏省农业科学院经济作物研究所试验田进行,采用盆栽方法,以鲁棉研37号和苏棉22号为供试材料,设置土壤盐度降低试验(初始土壤含盐量为0.2%,棉花进入二叶期后每7d加入混合盐1次,每次增加0.1%,使土壤含盐量逐渐达到0.5%,蕾期进行盐度降低处理,使土壤含盐量降低到0.2%左右),研究蕾期土壤盐度降低后棉花叶片的生理代谢动态特征。结果表明:土壤盐度降低后,棉花叶片叶绿素(Chl)、类胡萝卜素(Car)含量和Chl/Car升高;净光合速率和气孔导度升高,且分别在土壤盐度降低后第14天和7天接近于低盐对照;土壤盐度降低后棉花叶片超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)活性升高,过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和丙二醛(MDA)含量降低,MDA含量在土壤盐度降低后第14天接近于低盐对照;土壤盐度降低后棉花叶片中可溶性糖、游离氨基酸和脯氨酸含量降低,且接近于低盐对照。上述结果表明土壤盐度降低后,棉花叶片生理功能逐渐恢复,进而实现棉花生长发育的恢复补偿。棉花叶片生理功能在土壤盐度降低后的恢复能力存在品种间差异,鲁棉研37号较苏棉22号叶片生理功能表现出更强的恢复能力。     

Effects of cholinium-based ionic liquids on Aspergillus niger lipase: Stabilizers or inhibitors

Lipases are well-known biocatalysts used in several industrial processes/applications. Thus, as with other enzymes, changes in their surrounding environment and/or their thermodynamic parameters can induce structural changes that can increase, decrease, or even inhibit their catalytic activity. The use of ionic compounds as solvents or additives is a common approach for adjusting reaction conditions and, consequently, for controlling the biocatalytic activity of enzymes. Herein, to elucidate the effects of ionic compounds on the structure of lipase, the stability and enzymatic activity of lipase from Aspergillus niger in aqueous solutions (at 0.05, 0.10, 0.50, and 1.00 M) of six cholinium-based ionic liquids (cholinium chloride [Ch]Cl; cholinium acetate ([Ch][Ac]); cholinium propanoate ([Ch][Prop]); cholinium butanoate ([Ch][But]); cholinium pentanoate ([Ch][Pent]); and cholinium hexanoate ([Ch][Hex])) were evaluated over 24 hr. The enzymatic activity of lipase was maintained or enhanced in the lower concentrations of all the [Ch]⁺-ILs (below 0.1 M). [Ch][Ac] maintained the biocatalytic behavior of lipase, independent of the IL concentration and incubation time. However, above 0.1 M, [Ch][Pent] and [Ch][Hex] caused complete inhibition of the catalytic activity of the enzyme, demonstrating that the increase in the anionic alkyl chain length strongly affected the conformation of the lipase. The hydrophobicity and concentration of the [Ch]⁺-ILs play an important role in the enzyme activity, and these parameters can be controlled by adjusting the anionic alkyl chain length. The inhibitory effects of [Ch][Pent] and [Ch][Hex] may be of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry to induce pharmacological inhibition of gastric and pancreatic lipases.     

Triacylglycerol metabolism in rat skeletal muscle after exercise

The temporal relationships between triacylglycerol (TG) content and TG lipase activity in slow-twitch (STR) and fast-twitch red (FTR) muscles were determined in rats during recovery from a 2-h swim. Immediately after the exercise, plasma free fatty acid (FFA) was elevated and glycogen concentrations were decreased. TG content was decreased 40% in STR muscle and reduced 45% in FTR muscle. The TG concentration of STR muscle increased in a linear fashion throughout recovery so that control levels were reached within the first 24 h after exercise. TG lipase activity of STR muscle was elevated 36% above control immediately after the swim and continued to increase to 84% above control 24 h after the work. In STR muscle there was a net synthesis of TG, while lipase activity was elevated above that measured in muscle of control rats. TG content of FTR muscle remained 45% below control throughout the first 24 h of recovery, and TG lipase activity increased from 26% (P greater than 0.05) greater than control immediately after exercise to threefold above control 24 h after work. All parameters returned to control levels by 48 h of recovery. These data indicated that a net TG synthesis occurs in STR muscle when lipolytic activity is elevated. In FTR muscle, however, a gradual increase in TG lipase activity that occurs during the first 24 h of recovery accompanies a TG concentration well below the control level throughout this same time frame.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Lignin deficiency in transgenic flax resulted in plants with improved mechanical properties

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a very important source of natural fibres used by the textile industry. Flax fibres are called lignocellulosic, because they contain mainly cellulose (about 70%), with hemicellulose, pectin and lignin. Lignin is a three-dimensional polymer with a high molecular weight, and it gives rigidity and mechanical resistance to the fibre and plant. Its presence means the fibres have worse elastic properties than non-lignocellulosic fibres, e.g. cotton fibres, which contain no lignin. The main aim of this study was to produce low-lignin flax plants with fibres with modified elastic properties. An improvement in the mechanical properties was expected. The used strategy for CAD down-regulation was based on gene silencing RNAi technology. Manipulation of the CAD gene caused changes in enzyme activity, lignin content and in the composition of the cell wall in the transgenic plants. The detected reduction in the lignin level in the CAD-deficient plants resulted in improved mechanical properties. Young's modulus was up to 75% higher in the generated transgenic plants (CAD33) relative to the control plants. A significant increase in the lignin precursor contents and a reduction in the pectin and hemicellulose constituents was also detected. A decrease in pectin and hemicellulose, as well as a lower lignin content, might lead to improved extractability of the fibres. However, the resistance of the transgenic lines to Fusarium oxysporum was over two-fold lower than for the non-transformed plants. Since Fusarium species are used as retting organisms and had been isolated from retted flax, the increased sensitivity of the CAD-deficient plant to F. oxysporum infection might lead to improved flax retting.     

亚麻耐盐性愈伤组织的生理生化特性

以亚麻(双亚5号)耐盐愈伤组织为材,以同种亚麻普通愈伤组织为对照,分别经含0~250 mmol·L^-1 NaC1的培养基培养20 d后,比较含水量、MDA含量、POD酶活、SOD酶活、EST同工酶谱、POD同工酶谱及SOD同工酶谱。结果表明：亚麻耐盐组愈伤组织与对照组愈伤组织在多方面存在明显差异,前者含水量均高于后者;丙二醛含量也高于后者,但变化幅度不大;POD酶活均高于对照组;酯酶同工酶谱不同于对照组,酯酶酶活量均高于对照组;POD同工酶谱比对照组多一条带,且酶活均高于对照组;SOD同工酶谱与对照组一样多,但酶活均高于对照组,且平稳。这为进一步筛选亚麻耐盐突变细胞系奠定了良好的基础。     

Interference with the transport of heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase in the perfused rat heart by colchicine and vinblastine.

The effect of pretreatment with colchicine or vinblastine on the lipoprotein lipase activity of rat heart was studied. Administration of colchicine or vinblastine 4 h prior to perfusion of the heart caused a very marked reduction in lipoprotein lipase activity released into the perfusate within 1 min of heparin perfusion. At the same time an increase in residual heart lipase occurred so that total lipoprotein lipase content of the heart (heparin releasable plus residual) did not change. The colchicine effect was dose and time dependent; no decrease in heparin-releasable enzyme activity occurred after only 30 min of pretreatment or upon addition of colchicine into the perfusate. These results indicate that colchicine did not impede enzyme synthesis or its release from the cell surface, but may have interfered with the transport of lipoprotein lipase from the site of its synthesis to the endothelial cell surface.     

盐胁迫下两草种SOD和POD及脯氨酸动态研究

在NaCl、KCl、MgSO₄及其复合盐胁迫下, 研究草坪草-金牌美达丽(Lolium perenne)和猎狗(Fesluca elata) 中脯氨酸含量、超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化物酶活性的变化。结果表明:不同盐分、不同浓度胁迫下脯氨酸含量呈波动式变化, 其峰值出现在较高浓度下, 说明在一定范围内盐胁迫强度越大脯氨酸积累越明显;SOD 的最高值出现在低浓度下, 而最低值无此特点, 不同盐胁迫下的最高值、最低值相差不多, 说明L.perenne 和F.elata 相差不明显;POD 活性随盐浓度增加呈波动性变化, L.perenne (除KCl)和F.elata (除MgSO₄)最高值均出现在低浓度下, L.perenne 的最低值集中在高浓度, 而F.elata 的最低值则集中在低浓度, F.elata在高浓度胁迫下, 处于一个比较稳定的水平, 高于或接近CK, 且各值比较接近, 而在L.perenne 中却没有这一结果。     

Mechanisms of salt stress tolerance development in barley plants under the influence of 5-aminolevulinic acid

Growing barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants for 7 days on NaCl solutions (20–200 mM) decreased chlorophyll (Chl) a and b content with respect to that in untreated control plants. The content of free proline and the plant ability to synthesize 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) started to increase in parallel at salt concentrations of 20–50 mM. The maximum amount of ALA accumulated in plants grown at 100 mM NaCl was twofold higher than in control plants grown on fresh water. In this case the proline content increased 2.8-fold. On further increase in salt concentration, the rate of ALA accumulation decreased, approaching control values at 150 mM NaCl; even lower rates were observed at 200 mM NaCl. The reduced ability to synthesize ALA was accompanied by an increase in proline content. The albino tissue of plants treated at the seed stage with the antibiotic streptomycin lost its ability to synthesize ALA needed for Chl formation. The proline content in the albino tissue was tenfold higher than in control green plants and was 30-fold higher when the plants were grown on solutions with 100 mM NaCl. No effect of NaCl on ALA-dehydratase activity was noted. As NaCl concentration was raised, there occurred the decrease in magnesium chelatase activity, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity, and a slight decrease in lipid peroxidation level. Growing plants in the presence of 150 mM NaCl and 10 or 60 mg/l exogenous ALA led to the increase in proline content (by a factor of 1.8 and 4.2, respectively) and to the decrease in ROS content, in comparison with plants grown on salt solutions without ALA. Furthermore, in the presence of exogenous ALA, the parameters of seedling growth became similar to those of NaCl-untreated plants. The role of ALA in plants as an antistress agent is considered. ALA is supposed to confer tolerance to salt stress by taking part in Chl and heme biosynthesis and also through functioning as a plant growth regulator. A hypothesis is put forward that the impairment of ALA-synthesizing ability may redirect metabolic conversions of glutamic acid from Chl and heme synthesis to the proline synthesis pathway, which would stimulate proline biosynthesis and improve salt tolerance.     

Effect of nitrate on respiration ofMentha arvensis

The supply of nitrate nitrogen caused a marked increase in the rate of respiration of Japanese mint. Sodium azide strongly inhibited the rate of respiration at all the nitrate levels, but the inhibition was more marked at higher levels. Besides this, inhibition caused by azide treatment was less marked in older and nitrogen deficient tissues than in younger ones at higher nitrogen levels. The addition of sodium diethyl dithio-carbamate (DIECA), an inhibitor of copper containing enzymes resulted in an increase in the respiration of mint leaves which increased further with an increase in the nitrate supply. The same concentration of DIECA which stimulate the respiration of leaves caused an inhibition in the respiration of roots. The inhibition was greater at lower levels and decreased consistently as the supply of nitrate increased. The sensitivity of root respiration to DIECA observed with varying levels of nitrate indicated that unlike the leaf, the roots contain copper-containing enzymes which get decreased as the nitrate supply is increased. An increased supply of nitrogen up to 16 me NO₃ ^- -N was associated with an increase in respiratory quotient.     

Effects of colipase and taurodeoxycholate on the catalytic and physical properties of pancreatic lipase B at an oil water interface.

A monolayer reaction system employing tripropionin and siliconized glass beads was used to study the effects of taurodeoxycholate and colipase on the catalytic activity, interfacial stability, and interfacial affinity of porcine pancreatic lipase B (EC 3.1.1.3) The stability and catalytic activity of lipase at the bead-water interface are governed by the same two ionizable groups with pKa values (in the absence of cofactors) of 5.6 and 9.3. Colipase alone or with bile salt caused only a slight perturbation of these values. At low concentrations, 0 to 0.3mM, taurodeoxycholate increases the stability of lipase by 5-fold. At higher concentrations, 0.3 to 0.8 mM, but still below its critical micelle concentration, taurodeoxycholate prevents the adsorption of lipase to the bead-water interface. This appears to be the major mechanism by which this bile salt inhibits lipolysis. Colipase exerts small positive effects on lipase stability and catalytic activity. More importantly, colipase enables the adsorption of lipase in the presence of bile salt, thereby reversing the inhibition.     

The effect of the presence of globular proteins and elongated polymers on enzyme activity

We have studied the effect of a crowded (macromolecular) solution on reaction rates of the decarboxylating enzymes urease, pyruvate decarboxylase and glutamate decarboxylase. A variety of crowding agents were used including haemoglobin, lysozyme, various dextrans and polyethylene glycol. Enzyme reaction rates of all three enzymes show two different types of effect that separate the globular proteins from the polysaccharides/polymers. Increasing concentration of globular proteins caused a dramatic rise in enzyme activity up to 30% crowding concentration then the activity decreased, whereas the polymers caused a concentration dependent decrease in activity. The viscosities of the globular proteins were low compared to the polymers. The increased activity with proteins may be due to the decreased amount of free water, which leads to higher effective concentration of substrates, or to an increased oligomeric state by self-association. The lower activities of all enzymes with all agents at high concentrations may be explained by a decrease in rates of diffusion. An increase in protein crowding (decrease in cell water content) may contribute to pathological conditions including cataract and Alzheimer's disease.     

Effects of monocarboxylates and external pH on some parameters of insect muscle fibres

The resting membrane potential and the conductance of flight muscle fibres of the butterfly Pieris brassicae were measured by means of two intracellular electrodes. The intracellular potassium, chloride, and hydrogen ion concentrations were estimated by measuring the concentrations in diluted muscle homogenates. Chloride in the bath was replaced in part by monocarboxylates and the pH was subsequently lowered. Replacement of chloride by propionate caused decrease in the internal chloride concentration, a marked hyperpolarization and a small increase in conductance. Lowering the pH in the propionate saline caused an additional decrease in the internal chloride concentration, an increase in the internal hydrogen ion concentration, a marked depolarization and a concurrent decrease in conductance. This was followed by an irreversible increase in conductance. With glycolate the effects on the membrane parameters were small and with pyruvate no effect was observed.     

Effects of cholestyramine on lipoprotein levels and metabolism in Syrian hamsters.

Oral administration of cholestyramine to adult male hamsters not only induced a marked decrease in plasma concentrations of cholesterol and LDL but had a similar lowering effect on plasma triacyglycerol and VLDL concentrations. The hypotriglyceridaemic effects of resin administration were not due to an increase in lipoprotein lipase, as post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase activities were unchanged, but rather to a 35% decrease in VLDL synthesis. Measurement of the disappearance rate of apolipoprotein B from VLDL after i.v. injection of 125I-labelled hamster or human VLDL into control and cholestyramine-fed recipient animals showed a 2-times lower T1/2 in the drug-treated animals. The fraction of VLDL apolipoprotein B, recovered at any time after injection in the LDL, was equal or higher in cholestyramine-fed animals as compared to controls. These data indicate that the lowering in plasma LDL by cholestyramine in male hamsters is due not only to LDL receptor up-regulation but also to a lower rate of VLDL synthesis. No indications were found for a decreased efficiency of VLDL to LDL conversion in cholestyramine-fed animals.     

热带林下人工种植阳春砂仁的生长与果实产量动态

调查了西双版纳不同海拔热带沟谷雨林和次生林下的阳春砂仁生长和果实产量动态.结果表明,西双版纳热带林下阳春砂仁自身年龄增长、林下光照不足和旱季水分胁迫影响阳春砂仁果实产量.随种植期增加,阳春砂仁果实产量和成熟植株密度降低.当林下光照水平在全日照的35%以下时,阳春砂仁果实产量随林下日照水平变化呈线性增加(P<0.05).沟谷下方阳春砂仁果实产量显著高于上方(P<0.05).海拔600～1000m,由于阳春砂仁的主花期从干热季3～4月推迟到雨季5月,果实产量显著增加.沟谷雨林和次生林下阳春砂仁果实产量差异不显著.因此,在海拔800～1000m沟谷中轮歇地次生林下有计划种植阳春砂仁,代替在沟谷雨林下种植阳春砂仁,既能解决沟谷雨林下光照和当地旱季水分不足对阳春砂仁果实产量的影响,又有利于热带沟谷雨林的保护.     

The response of the filamentous cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis to salt stress

The responses of the filamentous cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis to increased NaCl concentrations (0.25–1.0 M) in addition to the concentration of sodium in the growth medium were studied. A two stage response to the salt stress was observed. This consisted of a relatively short shock stage, followed by adaptation process. It was shown that upon exposure to high salt concentrations of 0.5 M and above, immediate inhibition of photosynthesis and respiration, and complete cessation of growth occurred. After a time lag, the energy-yielding processes exhibited restored activity. At 0.5 and 1.0M NaCl photosynthesis reached 80% and 50% that of the control, while respiration was enhanced by 140 and 200%, respectively. The time lags were longer when the cells were exposed to higher NaCl concentrations. The resumption of growth and the establishment of new steady state growth rates were found to be correlated to the recovery in respiration. The relationship between the growth rates after adaptation and the increased NaCl concentrations was found to be inversely linear. The cellular sodium content was maintained at a constant low level, regardless of the external NaCl concentration, while potassium content declined linearly vs. the external NaCl concentration. The carbohydrate content of the cells rose exponentially with the increase in NaCl concentration.Publication No. 34 from the Micro-Algal Biotechnology Lab.     

Phosphate Metabolism in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena doliolum Under Salt Stress

In the present study, we have investigated the effects of NaCl concentrations on the growth and phosphate metabolism of an Anabaena doliolum strain isolated from a paddy field, in order to determine the possible effects of salinization. Growth rate, chlorophyll content, and protein content decreased with increasing salt concentration in the growth medium, while carbohydrate concentration increased. Phosphate content and phosphate uptake rate decreased. There was an increase in total alkaline phosphatase activity, with an approximately 7-fold increase in extracellular activity compensating for an approximately 3-fold decrease in cell-bound activity. NaCl effects on protein and chlorophyll concentrations were greater in P-deficient medium, while presence or absence of P in the medium had little effect on cellular carbohydrate concentrations. It is concluded that growth in high salt likely leads to reduced phosphate uptake in A. doliolum.     

Polyamines and their biosynthetic decarboxylases in various tissues of the young rat during recovery from undernutrition.

1. Weanling male and female rats were undernourished for 4 weeks and then rehabilitated by allowing ad libitum feeding. 2. During rehabilitation polyamine-biosynthetic enzymes were examined in the liver, spleen and quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles. 3. During the first few hours of rehabilitiation there was a marked increase in liver weight, accompanied by a very marked increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity. Increases in the activity of this enzyme in other tissues did not occur until between 2 and 7 days of rehabilitation, at which time there were further increases in enzyme activity in the liver. 4. S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity also showed marked fluctuations in activity in all the tissues examined. 5. Hepatic putrescine and spermidine concentrations also varied during rehabilitation, but permine concentration remained relatively constant. Both spermine and spermidine were at normal concentrations in the liver from the 10th days of rehabilitation onwards. 6. In all of the tissues examined there were marked sex differences in the parameters studied, particularly in splenic and muscular ornithine decarboxylase activity. 7. In the tissues of the male rats, changes in polyamine synthesis paralled changes in nucleic acid and protein synthesis.     

Asymmetric Response of Carbon Metabolism at High and Low Salt Stress in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vibrio</Emphasis> sp. DSM14379

Energy redistribution between growth and maintenance in salt-stressed cells is especially important for bacteria living in estuarine environments. In this study, Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio sp. DSM14379, isolated from the estuarine waters of the northern Adriatic Sea, was grown aerobically in a peptone–yeast extract medium with different salt concentrations (ranging from 0.3% to 10% (w/v) NaCl). Carbon flux through the central metabolic pathways was determined at low and high salt concentrations. At low salt concentrations, total endogenous respiration, dehydrogenase activity, and net intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration significantly increased, the phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase activity decreased, whereas glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity remained unchanged. The carrying capacity of bacterial culture decreased dramatically, indicating a severe metabolic imbalance at low salt concentrations. At high salt concentrations, carrying capacity decreased gradually. There was a large increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, which correlated with a 10-fold increase in concentration of osmoprotectant l-proline. There was no significant change of net intracellular ATP concentration, phosphofructokinase, or pyruvate kinase activity. The results indicate that Vibrio sp. DSM14379 central metabolic pathways respond to low and high salt concentrations asymmetrically; cells are better adapted to high salt concentrations. In addition, cells in the stationary phase can tolerate induced salt stress without a significant change in dehydrogenase activity or endogenous respiration for at least 1 h, but need to alter their macromolecular composition and carbon flux distribution for long-term survival.