Signal transmission during gravitropic curvature of primary roots of Zea mays

Primary roots of Zea mays cv. Ageotropic are nonresponsive to gravity and elongate approximately 0.80 mm h^?1. Applying mucilage-like material (K-Y Jelly) to the terminal 1.5 cm of these roots induces graviresponsiveness and slow elongation 28% (i.e. from 0.80 to 0.58mm h^?1). Applying mucilage-like material to one side of the terminal 1.5 cm of the root induces curvature toward the mucilage, irrespective of the root's orientation to gravity. Applying a 2-mm-wideband of mucilage-like material to a root's circumference 8 to 10 mm behind the root cap neither induces gravicurvature nor affects elongation significantly. Similarly, applying mucilage-like material to only the root cap does not significantly affect elongation or graviresponsiveness. Gravicurvature of mutant roots occurs only when mucilage-like material is applied to the root/root-cap junction. Reversing the caps of wild-type and mutant roots produces gravitropic responses characteristic of the root cap rather than the host root. These results are consistent with the suggestion that gravitropic effectors are growth inhibitors that move apoplastically through mucilage between the root cap and root.     

Growth and gravitropism of corn roots in solution

Growth and early gravitropic responses of corn roots in solution have been studied using time-lapse photography. Aeration was required for both root growth and gravitropism. The optimum pH for gravitropism was in the range 5 to 6. The bending response seemed to be greater for roots in non-buffered solution than in buffered solution. Fastest growth and maximum curvature occurred with about 0.2 mol m⁻³ Ca²⁺. Under some conditions, the gravitropic response started with apparently negligible time delay after the start of the gravitropic stimulus. This may denote graviperception in or near the elongation zone itself. This mechanism for early but relatively weak gravitropism may help to explain a variety of gravitropic responses such as the ‘early wrong way’ curvature, and the behaviour of roots whose columella cells lack amyloplasts. More rapid bending appears to start at about 20 min, which is consistent with observations on roots in humid air and with the accepted statolith model of perception in the root cap.     

Proteomic analysis of roots growth and metabolic changes under phosphorus deficit in maize (Zea mays L.) plants

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major limitation for plant growth and development. Plants can respond defensively to this stress, modifying their metabolic pathways and root morphology, and this involves changes in their gene expression. To better understand the low P adaptive mechanism of crops, we conducted the comparative proteome analysis for proteins isolated from maize roots treated with 1000 microM (control) or 5 microM KH2PO4 for 17 days. The results showed that approximately 20% of detected proteins on 2-DE gels were increased or decreased by two-fold or more under phosphate (Pi) stress. We identified 106 differentially expressed proteins by MALDI-TOF MS. Analysis of these P starvation responsive proteins suggested that they were involved in phytohormone biosynthesis, carbon and energy metabolisms, protein synthesis and fate, signal transduction, cell cycle, cellular organization, defense, secondary metabolism, etc. It could be concluded that they may play important roles in sensing the change of external Pi concentration and regulating complex adaptation activities for Pi deprivation to facilitate P homeostasis. Simultaneously, as a basic platform, the results would also be useful for the further characterization of gene function in plant P nutrition.     

土施L-蛋氨酸、L-苯基丙氨酸、L-色氨酸对玉米生长和养分吸收的影响

通过盆栽试验,研究了3种植物生长调节剂前体物质对玉米生长发育和养分吸收的影响,并确定了其适宜用量.结果表明,土施L蛋氨酸(L-MET)、L-苯基丙氨酸(L-PHE)和L-色氨酸(L-TRP)能不同程度地增加玉米株高、地上部和地下部干重,提高玉米根系活力、体内硝酸还原酶和过氧化氢酶的活性,促进玉米对氮、磷、钾、锌养分的吸收.在所有供试浓度中,以土施L-MET0.0185～0.185mg·kg^-1、L-PHE0.2mg·kg^-1和L-TRP0.03～0.3mg·kg^-1效果最佳,而且L-PHE和L-TRP对玉米生长的促进作用和提高养分的吸收能力均优于L-MET.     

Immunocytochemical localization of indole-3-acetic acid in primary roots of Zea mays

Colloidal gold-labelled antibody was used to localize indole-3-acetic acid in caps of primary roots of Z. mays cv. Kys. Gold particles accumulated on the nucleus, vacuoles, mitochondria, and some dictyosomes and dictyosome-derived vesicles. This is the first localization of indole-3-acetic acid in dictyosomes and dictyosome-derived vesicles and indicates that dictyosomes and vesicles constitute a pathway for indole-3-acetic acid movement in and secretion from root cap cells. Our findings provide cytochemical evidence to support the hypothesis that indole-3-acetic acid plays an important role in root gravitropism.     

玉米初生根和不同层次次生根的直径和大量元素含量的比较分析

对大田条件下玉米品种'掖单13'(Zea mays 'Yedan 13')和'丹玉13'(Z. mays 'Danyu 13')初生根(包括初生胚根和次生胚根)和不同层次次生根的直径及其中的N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量进行了比较分析.分析结果表明,'掖单13'和'丹玉13'初生根直径总体上小于次生根;从第1层至第7层次生根,基本上为发生时间越晚,根直径越大;而2个品种第7层至第9层次生根基部直径的变化趋势有一定的差异.'掖单13'和'丹玉13'初生根和不同层次次生根中N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量差异显著(P<0.05);'掖单13'初生根中的N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为27.36、 3.75、 14.34、 10.19和5.94 g·kg~(-1), 不同层次次生根中的N、 P、 K、 Ca和Mg含量分别为4.31～8.99、 0.91～1.29、4.07～15.27、2.35～5.42和1.52～4.06 g·kg~(-1);'丹玉13' 初生根中的N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为28.65、4.65、14.54、10.33和6.04 g·kg~(-1),不同层次次生根中的N、P、K、Ca和Mg含量分别为7.41～12.70、0.84～1.27、1.81～24.69、2.46～3.73和1.12～2.73 g·kg~(-1);2个品种初生根中N、P、Ca和Mg含量均最高,K含量也显著高于第1层至第7层次生根;总体上看,不同层次次生根中的N、Ca和Mg含量随发生时间的先后呈逐渐降低的趋势,P和K含量随发生时间的先后呈逐渐增加的趋势,但2个品种间有一定的差异.研究结果显示,次生根根直径的增大与其对地上部分的固持能力有关.     

Effects of norflurazon, an inhibitor of carotenogenesis, on abscisic acid and xanthoxin in the caps of gravistimulated maize roots

Maize seeds were germinated in the dark in the presence of the carotenoid synthesis inhibitor norflurazon and the teveis of abscisic acid, xanthoxin and total carotenoids were measured in the root cap and in the adjacent 1.5 mm segment. In norflurazon-treated roots abscisic acid levels were markedly reduced, but an increase occurred in the levels of xanthoxin, a compound structurally and physiologically similar to abscisic acid. In the cultivar of maize ( Zea mays L. cv. Merit) used for this work, brief illumination of the root is required for gravitropic curving. Following illumination both control and norflurazon-treated roots showed normal gravitropic curvature, however, the rate of curvature was delayed in norflurazon-treated roots. Our data from norflurazon-treated roots are consistent with a role for xanthoxin in maize root gravitropism. The increase in xanthoxin in the presence of an inhibitor of carotenoid synthesis suggests that xanthoxin and abscisic acid originate, at least in part, via different metabolic pathways.     

Isolation and characterization of Azotobacter chroococcum from the roots of Zea mays

Abstract Bacteria showing rapid growth on a nitrogenfree medium and acetylene-reducing activity were isolated from maize roots collected from agricultural soils in Spain. The isolates were Gram-negative motile rods and were identified as Azotobacter chroococcum . Acetylene-reducing activity and microbial counts were determined on root segments from 7- and 30-day-old plants. Rates obtained were in the range of 0.0053–0.848 nmol C₂H₂· g⁻¹· h⁻¹. Root populations were 1.4–6.0 × 10⁴ micro-organisms · g⁻¹. These results showed that there was an association between A. chroococcum strains and roots of maize planted in some Spanish soils.     

广东和巴西玉米气候生态条件比较分析

随着畜牧业的发展 ,广东玉米 (ＺｅｅｍａｙｓＬ .)的需求量也日增 ,发展玉米生产日益受到重视。引进优良品种是解决问题的重要途径之一。近几年来巴西玉米生产发展很快 ,由玉米进口国变为出口大国 ,玉米大面积高产稳产 ,其中重要的原因之一是培育出了一系列新的优良品种。巴西和广东地理纬度相似 ,同处热带亚热带 ,引种巴西的优良玉米品种理应在优先考虑的范围。气候生态条件是引种的关键因素之一。虽然广东和巴西的地理纬度相近 ,但地理纬度只是影响气候的因素之一 ,气候还受其它多种因素的影响。通过分析两地的气候特点及其对玉米生长发…     

Effect of calmodulin antagonists on the growth and graviresponsiveness of primary roots of maize

We examined the effect of calmodulin (CaM) antagonists applied at the root tip on root growth, gravity-induced root curvature, and the movement of calcium across the root tip and auxin (IAA) across the elongation zone of gravistimulated roots. All of the CaM antagonists used in these studies delayed gravity-induced curvature at a concentration (1 M) that did not affect root growth. Calmodulin antagonists ( 1M) inhibited downward transport of label from ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ across the caps of gravistimulated roots relative to the downward transport of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ in gravistimulated roots which were not treated with CaM antagonists. Application of CaM antagonists at the root tip ( 1M) also decreased the relative downward movement of label from ³H-IAA applied to the upper side of the elongation zone of gravistimulated roots. In general, tip application of antagonists inhibited neither the upward transport of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ in the root tip nor the upward movement of label from ³H-IAA in the elongation zone of gravistimulated roots. Thus, roots treated with CaM antagonists ( 1 M) become less graviresponsive and exhibit reduced or even a reversal of downward polarity of calcium transport across the root tip and IAA transport across the elongation zone. The results indicate that calmodulin-regulated events play a role in root gravitropism.     

Glykosidasen und saure Phosphatase in isolierten Vakuolen aus Wurzelspitzen von Zea mays L

Aus Maiswurzelspitzen werden mechanisch meristematische Vakuolen isoliert, die nur geringfügig kontaminiert sind. Mit optimierten Testverfahren werden drei Glykosidasen und die saure Phosphatase untersucht. Die β-Glucosidase- und die β-Galaktosidase-Aktivitäten sind im zur Vakuolenreinigung benutzten Gradienten nahezu völlig übereinstimmend verteilt (ein Enzym oder identische Kompartimentierung beider Enzyme?). Nur minimale Aktivitäten (Kontamination?) liegen in der Vakuolenfraktion vor, hohe dagegen im Gradientensediment, was auf eine vorwiegende Assoziation dieser Enzyme mit der Zellwand und/oder daran haftenden Plasmalemmaresten hinweist. In der Vakuolenfraktion sind die α-Glucosidase und die saure Phosphatase angereichert. Diese Enzyme sind also zumindest partiell in der Vakuole lokalisiert. Die α-Glucosidase ist zusätzlich (ähnlich den β-Glykosidasen) im Gradientensediment angereichert. Die α-Glucosidase- und β-Glykosidase-Aktivitäten gehen wohl auf verschiedene Enzyme zurück. Die Verwendung der sauren Phosphatase als Vakuolenmarker ist zweifelhaft und die Notwendigkeit eines allgemeinen, spezifischen Vakuolenmarkers offensichtlich. Die Untersuchungen wurden im Labor von Professor Dr. R. Wiermann an der Universität Münster durchgeführt und von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft unterstützt. Frau Dr. U. Dohrmann danke ich für die kritische Durchsicht des Manuskriptes und Frau M. Boldt für die hervorragende technische Assistenz bei der Optimierung der enzymatischen Testverfahren.     

玉米(Zea mays L.)叶脉发育的研究

玉米的叶脉在单子叶植物中有一定的代表性,叶脉由四级组成,粗细不同的一、二、三级叶脉均从叶基向叶尖方向延伸,属叶片的纵向叶脉,四级脉横向与一、二、三级叶脉连接,是横向的叶脉,各级叶脉有各自的形成方式,由于它们有规律的分布,从而构成了叶片的输导网络,各级叶脉的发生和发育与叫片的生长有直接的关系。     

A study of the impaired growth of roots of Zea mays seedlings at low oxygen concentrations

Abstract. Seedlings of Zea mays L. were grown in the dark at 27°C. Four-day-old seedlings were then exposed for 3 days to solutions equilibrated with gas mixtures to give O₂ concentrations between 0.02 and 0.25 mol m^?3. Root growth was impaired just as severely at 0.06 as 0.02 mol O₂ m^?3 while growth at 0.16 mol O₂ m^?3 was about the same as in solutions in equilibrium with air (0.25 mol O₂ m^?3). Growth of young seedlings at low O₂ concentrations was inhibited to the same extent in nutrient solution and 0.5 ml m^?3 CaCl₂, showing that the adverse effect of O₂ deficits on growth was not due to less uptake of inorganic nutrients. Furthermore, at low O₂ concentrations neither exposure of the shoots to a relative humidity of 100% (26.0 g H₂O m^?3) nor excision of the entire shoot enhanced root growth relative to that in plants with shoots at a relative humidity of 50% (13.0 g H₂O m^?3). Therefore, for these seedlings growing in the dark, impairment of root growth at low O₂ concentrations was not a consequence of water deficits in the shoot or of other shoot-root interactions. Total soluble sugars and amino acid concentrations were generally greater at low (0.02–0.06 mol O₂m^?3) than at high O₂ concentrations (0.16–0.25 mol O₂ m ^?3). This applied specifically to the root apices (0–2 mm) and expanding (2–15 mm) tissue except in some experiments where sugar concentrations in expanding tissue were slightly greater at high than at low O₂ concentrations. Critical O₂ pressures for respiration of excised root segments were approximately 0.117 and 0.065 mol O₂ m^?3 in the expanding and expanded zones of the roots, respectively. In contrast, the critical O₂ pressure exceeded 0.20 mol O₂ m^?3 in the apex, suggesting that O₂ supply for metabolic processes is most likely to be sub-optimal in this zone. Our results show clearly that the adverse effects of low O₂ concentrations are unlikely to be a consequence of substrate shortage for either respiration or synthesis of macromolecules; low rates of ATP regeneration in growing root tissues are the logical cause for impaired growth in young seedlings while they are being sustained by seed reserves.     

Chilling stress and oxygen metabolizing enzymes in Zea mays and Zea diploperennis*

Abstract. The activities of five active-oxygen scavenging enzymes were compared for cold-lability and three were compared for chilling induction in two Zea genotypes of contrasting susceptibility to photoinhibition during chilling. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR, EC 1.6.5.4), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1), and glutathione reductase (GTR, EC 1.6.4.2) in leaf extracts from plants grown without chilling stress were assayed at 19°C and 5°C. Enzymes from the chilling-susceptible Z. Mays cv. LG11 had lower specific activities at 5°C than did enzymes from the chilling-tolerant Z. diploperennis, except for MDHAR where no significant differences were observed. The activities of SOD and APX from Z. diploperennis were double those of Z. mays at both assay temperatures. Monodehydroa-scrobate reductase and glutathione reductase activities in both species were reduced by 63–78% at a 5°C assay temperature. The dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) showed the greatest low-temperature lability losing 96% (Z. diploperennis) and 100% (Z. mays) of its activity at 5°C. To examine possible chilling-induced changes in levels of enzyme activity, plants of both Zea genotypes were transferred to growth chambers at 10°C at moderate light intensities. Glutathione reductase activity was found to increase within 24h in Z. diploperennis, but it decreased slightly in Z. mays. MDHAR activity decreased by 50% in Z. diploperennis but showed only a transient increase in activity in Z. mays.     

Cellular differentiation in root caps of Zea mays that do not secrete mucilage

We quantified the structural changes accompanying cellular differentiation in root caps of Zea mays cv. Ageotropic to determine the developmental basis for the nongraviresponsiveness of their primary roots. Cells of the calyptrogen and columella of primary roots of the ageotropic mutant have structures indistinguishable from those of caps of primary roots of Z. mays cv. Kys the graviresponsive, wild-type parent of Z. mays cv. Ageotropic. However, the relative volumes of dictyosomes, dictyosome-derived vesicles and starch in the outermost peripheral cells of wild-type roots were significantly lower than were those in peripheral cells of mutant roots. This corresponds to a dramatic accumulation of starch and mucilage-filled vesicles in peripheral cells of mutant roots. Cellular differentiation in root caps of graviresponsive seminal roots of the Ageotropic mutant resembled that of primary and seminal roots of the wild-type cultivar, and differed significantly from that of primary roots of the mutant. We conclude that the mutation that blocks secretion of mucilage from peripheral cells of Ageotropic roots: (1) expresses itself late in cellular differentiation in root caps; (2) is expressed only in primary (but not seminal) roots of the Ageotropic mutant; and (3) is consistent with malfunctioning dictyosomes and dictyosome-derived vesicles being the cellular basis for agravitropism of primary roots of this mutant.     

Formation of aerenchyma in roots of Zea mays in aerated solutions, and its relation to nutrient supply

The formation of lysigenous cavities (aerenchyma) in the root cortex of maize, Zea mays L. cv. Capella, under well-aerated conditions has been studied in relation to the composition of the nutrient solutions. Nitrogen, either supplied as nitrate or as ammonium, reduced the cavity formation by the roots. This reduction was most apparent at nitrate concentrations above 2 mM. Cavities were increasingly formed when the nitrate concentration was decreased and they reached their largest dimensions in roots growing in water. Thus, inadequate availability of nitrogen leads, under acrated conditions, to deterioration of cortex cells and cavity formation in the maize roots. It is suggested that cavity formation in these roots is connected with reduced nitrogen assimilation.     

The influence of oxygen deficiency on ethylene synthesis, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid levels and aerenchyma formation in roots of Zea mays

The relationship between ethylene production, 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) concentration and aerenchyma formation (ethylene-promoted cavitation of the cortex) was studied using nodal roots of maize (Zea mays L. cv. LG11) subjected to various O₂ treatments. Ethylene evolution was 7–8 fold faster in roots grown at 3 kPa O₂ than in those from aerated solution (21 kPa O₂), and transferring roots from aerated solution to 3 kPa O₂ enhanced ethylene synthesis within less than 2 h. Ethylene production and ACC accumulation were closely correlated in different zones of hypoxic roots, regardless of whether O₂ was furnished to the roots through aerenchyma or external solution. Both ethylene production and ACC concentrations (fresh weight basis) were more than 10-fold greater in the distal 0–10 mm than in the fully expanded zone of roots at 3 kPa O₂. Aerenchyma formation occurred in the apical 20 mm of these roots. Roots transferred from air to anoxia accumulated less than 0. 1 nmol ACC (mg protein)^-1 for the first 1.75 h; no ethylene was produced in this time. The subsequent rise in ACC levels shows that ACC can reach high concentrations even in the absence of O₂, presumably due to a de-repression of ACC synthase. The hypothesis was therefore tested that anoxia in the apical region of the root caused enhanced synthesis of ACC, which was transported to more mature regions (10–20 mm behind the apex), where ethylene could be produced and aerenchyma formation stimulated. Surprisingly, exposure of intact root tips to anoxia inhibited aerenchyma formation in the mature root axis. High osmotic pressures around the growing region or excision of apices had the same effect, demonstrating that a growing apex is required for high rates of aerenchyma formation in the adjacent tissue.     

Cytochemical and X-ray microanalytical studies of calcium in the extending zone, particularly in the rhizodermis of Zea mays roots

Calcium was detected in CaCl (10 m M )-pretreated roots of Zea mays L. (cv. LG 11) by means of electron probe X-ray microanalysis with energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) using embedded samples, fixed by the antimonate staining procedure. A high level of calcium was found where large amounts of antimonate precipitates were observed by light or transmission electron microscopy. In the elongation zone, after 20 h in humid air following a 2 h CaCl₂ pretreatment, the level of calcium was higher in trichoblasts than in atrichoblasts. In these cells it was detected mainly in the walls and nucleus, and antimonate staining was observed in the walls. Abundant precipitates containing calcium were associated with the nucleus, vacuoles, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum of non-differentiated cells, whereas they were confined to the walls of these cells just after the CaCl₂ pretreatment. The involvement of calcium in the formation of root hairs is discussed.     

玉米和类玉米种间杂交后代细胞学鉴定

利用组成玉米异染色质钮的180-bp重复序列和TR-1元件以及45S rDNA对玉米自交系F107、GB57、二倍体多年生类玉米及其远缘杂交后代的染色体进行荧光原位杂交,确定了3种重复序列在亲本染色体上的分布;同时对远缘杂交后代进行了细胞学鉴定,通过荧光信号在染色体上的位置,证实远缘杂交后代中异源种质的染色体来源;讨论了异染色质钮重复序列对玉米和其野生种杂交后代外源染色体整合和染色体行为等方面研究的应用。