Calcium-Mediated Responses of Maize to Oxygen Deprivation

Oxygen limitation dramatically alters the patterns of gene expression as well as development of plants. Complete removal of O₂ leads to an immediate cessation of protein synthesis followed by a selective synthesis of about twenty anaerobic proteins in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. Among these are enzymes involved in glycolysis and related processes. However, inducible genes that have different functions were also found; they may function in other, perhaps more long-term, processes of adaptations to flooding, such as aerenchyma formation and root-tip death. Our recent research has addressed two questions: how these gene expression changes are initiated and how do these responses culminate in the overall adaptation of plants to flooding-stress. The results obtained indicate that an early rise in cytosolic Ca²⁺ as well as a quick establishment of ionic homeostasis may be essential for the induction of adaptive changes at the cellular as well as organismal level.     

Ethylene Production and Activation of Hydrolytic Enzymes during Acclimation of Maize Seedlings to Partial Flooding

The effects of partial flooding on the partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in water around the roots, ethylene production by intact maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings, the activities of hydrolytic enzymes (pectinase, xylanase, and cellulase) in adventitious roots, and the growth of adventitious and main roots were studied. Aggravated hypoxia resulted in the accelerated ethylene production and the activation of enzymes destroying cell walls in the adventitious roots; as a result, the latter changed their growth pattern. The conclusion is that the interrelated responses are adaptive ones, and the adventitious roots play a key role in plant adaptation.     

盐胁迫对玉米耐盐系与盐敏感系苗期几个生理生化指标的影响

对玉米耐盐系和盐敏感系在不同浓度盐胁迫下生理变化研究的结果表明,与盐敏感系相比,玉米耐盐系叶绿素含量高,脯氨酸、MDA含量及组织外渗液的相对电导率低,且变化幅度小。随盐浓度的增加,玉米耐盐系和盐敏感系的SOD、POD活性均先增加后降低,但玉米耐盐系峰值出现较晚。耐盐系的CAT活性明显大于盐敏感系;地上部分Na/K值小于盐敏感系,且增加的幅度小,而地下部分正相反。     

水杨酸对镉胁迫下玉米幼苗质膜透性和保护酶活性的影响

在Cd^2＋胁迫下,添加外源水杨酸（SA）的培养液中生长的玉米幼苗叶中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化物酶（POD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性均提高,质膜透性降低,丙二醛（MDA）的积累减少,显示SA对Cd^2＋胁迫具有一定的缓解效应。