Phytochrome-driven changes in respiratory electron transport partitioning in soybean (Glycine max. L.) cotyledons

After it was observed that light induces changes in electron partitioning between the cytochrome and the alternative pathway, the focus interest was directed to assessing what type of photoreceptors are involved and the extent of such modifications. Studies on 5-day-old soybean (Glycine max L.) cotyledons using an oxygen isotope fractionation technique showed that phytochrome is involved in changes in electron partitioning between the cytochrome and the alternative respiratory pathway. A follow-up of a previous study, showing that 5 min of white light caused changes in mitochondrial electron partitioning, demonstrated that while blue light was not involved in any such changes, red light caused a significant shift of electrons toward the alternative pathway. The major shift, observed after 24 h of light, is mainly due to both a decrease in the activity of the cytochrome pathway and an increase in the activity of the alternative pathway. The involvement of a phytochrome receptor was confirmed by demonstration of reversibility by far-red light. The implications of the possible involvement of phytochrome in the regulation of mitochondrial electron transport are discussed.     

Physical and chemical basis of carbon isotope fractionation in plants

Naturally-occurring variations in the abundances of the stable isotopes of carbon and other elements can be used to understand the dynamics of natural processes in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, medicine, ecology and other fields. The use of carbon-13 isotopic abundances as an indicator of photosynthetic function in plants has become common. The purpose of this article is to describe the physical and chemical processes that contribute to the abundances of carbon-13 in plant materials, and to provide a framework for understanding how those processes control the isotopic contents of natural materials.     

叶片发育影响紫罗勒花青素的强光诱导和激发能分配

通过气体交换、叶绿素荧光、反射光谱和显微技术等研究了叶片发育与花青素强光诱导的关系及其对激发能分配的影响。结果表明,遮荫导致紫罗勒叶片变薄,花青素含量显著降低。当弱光下生长的植株转入强光后,转光前发育成熟的叶片花青素含量很低,而此后强光下发育成熟的叶片花青素含量高。转强光后,弱光下发育成熟的叶片光合速率低、光抑制严重,且天线耗散增强;强光下发育成熟的叶片净光合速率高,光抑制程度轻,天线耗散低。因此,我们认为叶片发育影响紫罗勒花青素合成的强光诱导,而转强光后花青素的诱导差异进一步改变了光合作用过程中的激发能分配。     

Effects of light on respiration and oxygen isotope fractionation in soybean cotyledons

Light effects on electron flow through the cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway, oxygen isotope fractionation and total respiration were studied in soybean (Glycine max L.) cotyledons. During the first 12 h of illumination there was an increase in both electron partitioning through the alternative pathway and oxygen isotope fractionation by the alternative oxidase. The latter probably indicates a change in the properties of the alternative oxidase. There was no engagement of the alternative oxidase in darkness and its fractionation was 27‰. In green cotyledons 60% of the respiration flux was through the alternative pathway and the alternative oxidase fractionation was 32‰. Exposing previously illuminated tissue to continuous darkness induced a decrease in the electron partitioning through the alternative pathway. However, this decrease was not directly linked with the low cellular sugar concentration resulting from the lack of light because 5 min of light every 12 h was sufficient to keep the alternative pathway engaged to the same extent as plants grown under control conditions.     

Photoinhibition of photosynthesis: effect of O2 and selective excitation of the photosystems in intact Lemna gibba plants

Intact Lemna gibba plants were photoinhibited under anaerobic conditions on illumination with monochromatic light which selectively excited the photosystems. Photoinhibition was less when PS 1 was excited and greatest when mainly PS 2 was excited, which suggests that PS 2 was most damaged by photoinhibition induced in complete absence of O₂ and CO₂.The illumination of plants with monochromatic light exciting PS 1, at different O₂ concentrations (in CO₂ deficient conditions), showed that PS 1 photoinhibition was increased at the low O₂ concentrations. The damage to PS 1 was more evident at 2% O₂ than at the higher O₂ concentrations.CO₂ as well as O₂ at atmospheric concentration, (air), was necessary for complete protection of the plant from photoinhibition when both photosystems were excited either separately or together.Abbreviations I irradiance, photon fluence rate - PCO photosynthetic carbon oxidation cycle - PCR photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle - PS 1 photosystem 1 - PS 2 photosystem 2     

Microscopic green algae and cyanobacteria in high-frequency intermittent light

The effects of fluctuations in the irradiance onScenedesmus quadricauda, Chlorella vulgaris andSynechococcus elongatus were studied in dilute cultures using arrays of red light emitting diodes. The growth rate and the rate of photoinhibition were compared using intermittent and equivalent continuous light regimes in small-size (30 ml) bioreactors. The CO₂ dependent photosynthetic oxygen evolution rates in the intermittent and continuous light regimes were compared for different light/dark ratios and different mean irradiances. The kinetics of the electron transfer reactions were investigated using a double-modulation fluorometer. The rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution normalized to equal mean irradiance were lower or equal in the intermittent light compared to the maximum rate found in the equivalent optimal continuous light regime. In contrast, the growth rates in the intermittent light can be higher than the growth rate in the equivalent continuous light. Photoinhibition is presented as an example of a physiological process affecting the growth rate that occurs at different rates in the intermittent and equivalent continuous lights. The difference in the dynamics of the redox state of the plastoquinone pool is proposed to be responsible for the low photoinhibition rates observed in the intermittent light.     

强光及外源活性氧对莴苣叶绿素荧光的影响

莴苣叶绿体在强光处理下发生先抑制,主要表现为叶绿素荧光参数Fv／Fm和ΦPSⅡ降低;外源活性氧H2O2、O2·OH和1O2均能引起叶绿体PSⅡ光化学效率Fv／Fm不同程度的下降,其中以1O2影响最明显;H2O2在诱导叶绿体荧光猝灭过程中,引起荧光产量降低,而使qp、qN、ΦPSⅡ、KD上升;在H2O2诱导的叶绿体荧光猝灭过程中,Fe2 能使qN和KD低于对照;由于1O2的产生对PSⅡ反应中心造成了损伤,引起qp和ΦPSⅡ下降。     

钙对花生幼苗生长、活性氧积累和光抑制程度的影响

为探讨钙元素对花生幼苗生长的影响,以花育22为试材,用改良的Hoagland溶液进行培养,培养液钙离子(Ca2+)浓度分别为0、6和12 mmol/L(依次简称为CK、C6和C12),研究了不同Ca2+浓度培养下花生幼苗生长以及根系和叶片活性氧(ROS)的积累情况。结果表明,Ca2+显著提高花生植株的株高和鲜重,并降低根冠比,而且正常培养条件下,Ca2+显著提高根系活力、降低叶片和根系的ROS积累,而且C12幼苗的生理状态要好于C6。花生幼苗功能叶在高温(42℃)强光(1200μmol m-2s-1)胁迫处理下,与CK植株相比,C6和C12叶片的过氧化氢(H2O2)和超氧阴离子(O-2)的积累水平低、其叶片PSⅡ最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)高、光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)的关闭程度低,而且C12幼苗的活性氧积累和光抑制程度都明显低于C6,表明高温强光胁迫下,Ca2+有利于减轻花生幼苗叶片的光抑制和ROS积累。C6和C12叶片的部分ROS清除酶活性以及有关渗透调节物质的含量明显高于CK,丙二醛(MDA)的含量明显低于CK,表明胁迫条件下Ca2+通过提高ROS清除酶活性和渗透调节物质含量降低ROS的积累和危害,保护花生类囊体膜从而保证花生正常生长。     

利用稳定氢氧同位素定量区分白刺水分来源的方法比较

水是影响植物分布的重要生态因子之一,对植物水源的研究有助于在全球变化背景下了解植物的时空分布格局.根据同位素质量守恒,利用稳定氢氧同位素可以确定植物水分来源,相关的方法也不断改进.利用三源线性混合模型、多源线性混合模型、吸水深度模型以及动态模型分别对格尔木白刺(Nitraria Tangutorum)的水分来源进行了对比研究,发现格尔木白刺主要吸收利用50-100 cm处的土壤水及地下水.在研究方法上,各模型都有自己的应用范围和局限:三源线性混合模型一般只能在植物吸收的水分来源不超过3个的情况下运行;多源线性混合模型弥补了三源线性混合模型的不足,可以同时比较多种来源水各自对白刺的贡献率及贡献范围;吸水深度模型弥补了混合模型中不能计算白刺对土壤水的平均吸水深度的缺陷;动态模型则会为未来降水格局变化对植物的时空分布的影响研究起很大作用.针对不同的适用范围,模型的选择及综合应用会更广泛.但是,该技术还存在一些不足,需要结合测定土水势,富氘水的示踪等方法来弥补.     

环境强光诱导玉簪叶片光抑制的机制

为进一步阐述光抑制的强光诱导和发生机制, 该文以喜阴植物玉簪(Hosta spp.)为材料研究其光抑制发生规律及其与环境光强的关系。结果表明, 全日照和遮阴条件下玉簪叶片发育分别形成适应强光和弱光的形态特征; 与遮阴处理相比, 强光下生长的玉簪光合速率和叶绿素含量较低, 但两种处理叶片最大光化学效率差异很小, 证明强光下植株可以正常生长且光合机构未发生严重的光抑制。将遮阴处生长的植株转移到全日照下, 光合速率和最大光化学效率急剧下降; 荧光诱导动力学曲线发生明显改变, 而且光系统II供体侧和受体侧荧光产量的变化幅度分别达到24.3%和34.2%, 表明玉簪由弱光转入强光后光系统II发生不可逆失活, 且受体侧受到的伤害较供体侧更严重。因此, 作者认为环境光强骤然提高并超过玉簪生长光强时很容易诱导其光合机构发生严重的光抑制。该研究对于理解植物适应光环境的策略以及喜阴植物的优质栽培有重要意义。