Mineral composition and accumulation of silicon in tissues of blueberry (Vaccinum corymbosus cv. Bluecrop) cuttings

Research was carried out with the objective of investigating the mineral composition and Si accumulation in tissues of young cuttings of blueberry (Vaccinum corymbosus L. cv. Bluecrop). Blueberry cuttings were irrigated every day for 1 hour (140 ml per pot) with river water containing 0.66 to 1.0 mol m^–3 SiO₂, and after 7 months of growth their mineral composition and silicon distribution were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The mean contents of N, K, Mg, Cu and Zn in young leaves were the same as those in old ones. On the other hand, the mean contents of P, Ca, Si, Fe and Mn in old leaves were higher than those in young leaves. Although Si is not known to be an essential element for growth of blueberries, it was the element that accumulated the most in leaves, with a mean content of 32.0 and 60.0 mg g^–1 dry weight in young and old leaves, respectively. The mean Si content in young leaves was 3.1, 56.7, 4.8, 4.9 and 85 times higher than the mean contents of N, P, K, Ca and Mg, respectively, and was 5.4, 60.0, 8.8, 6.8 and 100 times higher than in old leaves. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis of dry ash samples showed that Si accumulated in many parts of the leaves, forming phytoliths in the upper epidermis, including some parts of the palisade mesophyll, in the lower epidermis around the stomata, including guard cells, and in some parts of the spongy mesophyll, and in the veins. There were also silica bodies of unknown origin on the upper epidermis.     

COMPARATIVE SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF DIATOM SILICON TRANSPORTERS: TOWARD A MECHANISTIC MODEL OF SILICON TRANSPORT1

Silicon is an important element in biology, for organisms ranging from unicellular algae to humans. It acts as a structural material for both plants and animals, but can also function as a metabolite or regulator of gene expression, affecting a wide range of cellular processes. Molecular details of biological interaction with silicon are poorly understood. Diatoms, the largest group of silicifying organisms, are a good model system for studying this interaction. The first proteins shown to directly interact with silicon were diatom silicon transporters (SITs). Because the basis for substrate recognition lies within the primary sequence of a protein, identification of conserved amino acid residues would provide insight into the mechanism of SIT function. Lack of SIT sequences from a diversity of diatoms and high sequence conservation in known SITs has precluded identification of such residues. In this study, PCR was used to amplify partial SIT sequences from eight diverse diatom species. Multiple gene copies were prevalent in each species, and phylogenetic analysis showed that SITs generally group according to species. In addition to partial SIT sequences, full‐length SIT genes were identified from the pennate diatom, Nitzschia alba (Lewin and Lewin), and the centric diatom Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve. Comparing these SITs with previously identified SITs showed structural differences between SITs of centrics and pennates, suggesting differences in transport mechanism or regulation. Comparative amino acid analysis identified conserved regions that may be important for silicon transport, including repeats of the motif GXQ. A model for silicon uptake and efflux is presented that is consistent with known aspects of transport.     

硅对紫花苜蓿生物学特性的影响

硅是植物生长发育的有益元素,目前关于硅对植物生长发育影响的研究多集中于禾本科和部分瓜果蔬菜,对豆科植物的研究仅限于大豆和豇豆,而对多年生豆科牧草的研究很少.通过盆栽试验观测了硅对豆科牧草紫花苜蓿生物学特性的影响.结果表明,紫花苜蓿体内硅的含量随着施入硅量的增加而增加,但在0.100 g/kg水平后紫花苜蓿吸收硅趋向于饱和.紫花苜蓿根系内的硅含量大于茎叶内含量;硅对紫花苜蓿叶面积的影响呈单峰型分布,0.05 g/kg的硅处理增加效果最为明显;硅对紫花苜蓿分枝数和株高的影响与测定时期有关,分枝数在营养期差异不明显,在生殖期施硅显著增加分枝数（p＜0.05）,但施硅在营养生长阶段显著增加株高（p＜0.05）,而生殖期差异不明显;施硅能够显著增加紫花苜蓿草产量和根系生物量,增幅分别为20%～60%和35%.中部叶和上部叶与茎之间的夹角随着施硅量的增加而逐渐减少,但减少的幅度随着施硅量的增加而逐渐降低,而下部叶与茎之间的夹角变化较为复杂,随着施硅量的增加,先减小后增加,再减小.试验结果表明,施入适量的硅有利于紫花苜蓿的生长和发育.     

Seasonal changes in silicon content of diatoms estimated from the ratio of particulate silicon to diatom volume under silicon sufficiency in diatom-rich Lake Barato

To clarify the changes in Si content of diatoms, the particulate silicon (PSi) concentration and total diatom volume (TDV) were determined in Lake Barato, Japan, from April to July 1998–2000. The soluble reactive silicon (SRSi) concentration decreased markedly with the rapid increase in TDV in May and June in all three years, although the value did not fall below that at which diatom growth might be limited. The proliferation of small discoid diatoms contributed to the decrease in SRSi concentration each year. The Si content of diatoms may not be constant as indicated by the changes in PSi:TDV ratio. The low PSi:TDV ratio and the fact that PSi concentration was lower than diatom PSi concentration (calculated from the volume of diatom species) accompanying the decrease in TDV suggests the possibility of a disturbance in the silicification in May and June 1999. These parameter changes accompanying the increase in TDV suggest that the silicification did not catch up with the cell division in early April 1998, early May 1999, and mid-June 2000. In addition, the PSi:TDV ratio increased rapidly and showed large fluctuations in July 1998 and 1999. This may have been caused by a change in dominant species from small discoid diatoms to Aulacoseira granulata because of the differences in Si content per unit cell volume.     

Highly Interconnected Si Nanowires for Improved Stability Li‐Ion Battery Anodes

Silicon exhibits the largest known capacity for Li insertion in anodes of Li‐ion batteries. However, because of large volume expansion/phase changes upon alloying, Si becomes powder‐like after a few charge‐discharge cycles. Various approaches have been explored in the past to circumvent this problem, including the use of nanomaterials, particularly Si nanowires. However, even though nanowires resist cracking very well, anodes based on Si nanowires still see their original capacity fade away upon cycling, because of wire detachment from the substrate, due to the stress generated at their roots upon alloying with Li. Here, we present a silicon nanowire growth strategy yielding highly interconnected specimens, which prevents them from being individually detached from the substrate. We report a ～100% charge retention after 40 cycles at C/2 rate, without charging voltage limitation. We also show that our anodes can be cycled at 8C rates without damage and we grow nanowires with a density of 1.2 mg/cm², yielding anodes delivering a 4.2 mAh/cm² charge density. Finally, we point out that a better understanding of the interactions of silicon with electrolytes is needed if the field is to progress in the future.     

植物硅营养的研究进展

阐述了植物吸收硅的机理、硅与其它营养元素的关系及其对非胁迫和胁迫条件下植物生长发育的有益作用 .植物吸收硅的机制目前尚不是很清楚 ,不同植物吸收硅的方式不同 .硅可影响植物中其它营养元素的含量 .在非胁迫条件下 ,硅可促进植物的生长 ;硅也参与了植物抗病、抗虫等生物胁迫 ,以及抗金属毒害、盐害、温度胁迫、干旱、抗倒伏等非生物胁迫的反应 .目前 ,应从多种植物上深入研究硅的吸收方式与机理 ;同时 ,应该改变硅在细胞壁的沉积仅仅起增强组织机械强度作用的观点 ,而应从生理代谢调控的角度进行硅作用机制的研究 ,为生产实践中硅肥的应用奠定理论基础     

植物对硅的吸收转运机制研究进展

硅(Si)能缓解生物与非生物胁迫对植物的毒害作用,Si的吸收转运是由Si转运蛋白介导的.最近,多个Si转运蛋白(Lsi)基因相继在水稻、大麦和玉米中被克隆出来,并在Si的吸收转运机制方面取得了很大进展.水稻OsLsi在根组织中呈极性分布,OsLsi1定位在根外皮层和内皮层凯氏带细胞外侧质膜,负责将外部溶液中的单硅酸转运到皮层细胞内.OsLsi2定位在凯氏带细胞内侧质膜,在外皮层中负责将Si输出到通气组织质外体中,在内皮层与OsLsi1协同作用将Si转运到中柱中.导管中的Si通过蒸腾流转运到地上部,再由定位在叶鞘和叶片木质部薄壁细胞靠近导管一侧的OsLsi6负责木质部Si的卸载和分配.在大麦和玉米中,ZmLsi1/HvLsi1定位在根表皮和皮层细胞外侧质膜负责Si的吸收,然后Si通过共质体途径被转运到内皮层凯氏带细胞中,再由ZmLsi2/HvLsi2输出转运到中柱中.ZmLsi6在细胞中的定位和活性与OsLsi6相似,推测其可能具有类似的功能,但大麦Lsi6至今未见报道.所以,Si转运机制仍需要进一步研究.     

Stillinger-Weber Type Potentials in Monte Carlo Simulation of Amorphous Silicon

The growth of amorphous silicon on a substrate of a two-layer slab of crystalline silicon with various surface indices is simulated with Stillinger-Weber type interatomic potentials. The growth is realized by means of a continuum Monte Carlo method and the radial distribution functions are evaluated for various cases.     

Photoluminescent biocompatible silicon nanoparticles for cancer theranostic applications

Silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) obtained by mechanical grinding of porous silicon have been used for visualization of living cells in vitro. It was found that SiNPs could penetrate into the cells without any cytotoxic effect up to the concentration of 100 μg/ml. The cell cytoplasm was observed to be filled by SiNPs, which exhibited bright photoluminescence at 1.6 eV. SiNPs could also act as photosensitizers of the singlet oxygen generation, which could be used in the photodynamic therapy of cancer. These properties of SiNPs are discussed in view of possible applications in theranostics (both in therapy and in diagnostics). (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Infrared Light Management Using a Nanocrystalline Silicon Oxide Interlayer in Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon Heterojunction Tandem Solar Cells with Efficiency above 25%

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are attractive for their potential for boosting cell efficiency beyond the crystalline silicon (Si) single‐junction limit. However, the relatively large optical refractive index of Si, in comparison to that of transparent conducting oxides and perovskite absorber layers, results in significant reflection losses at the internal junction between the cells in monolithic (two‐terminal) devices. Therefore, light management is crucial to improve photocurrent absorption in the Si bottom cell. Here it is shown that the infrared reflection losses in tandem cells processed on a flat silicon substrate can be significantly reduced by using an optical interlayer consisting of nanocrystalline silicon oxide. It is demonstrated that 110 nm thick interlayers with a refractive index of 2.6 (at 800 nm) result in 1.4 mA cm^?² current gain in the silicon bottom cell. Under AM1.5G irradiation, the champion 1 cm² perovskite/silicon monolithic tandem cell exhibits a top cell + bottom cell total current density of 38.7 mA cm^?2 and a certified stabilized power conversion efficiency of 25.2%.     

硅对铬胁迫下小白菜生理指标的影响

通过土培试验,研究了施硅对铬胁迫下小白菜(Brassica parichinensis)产量、叶绿素含量以及过氧化氢酶(CAT)和过氧化物酶(POD)的影响.结果表明:当土壤中未加铬(cr6 )时,随着硅浓度的增加,小白菜产量逐渐增加,叶绿素含量减少;在不同铬(Cr6 )处理的土壤中,施加0.5 g·kg-1 Na2SiO3可显著增加小白菜产量(P＜0.05);1.0 g·kg-1的硅可显著降低铬对小白菜叶片CAT和POD的活性,抑制铬对小白菜的毒害作用;硅浓度继续增加,其抑制效果开始降低.     

Silicon absorption by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Although silicon (Si) is a quantitatively major inorganic constituent of higher plants the element is not considered generally essential for them. Therefore it is not included in the formulation of any of the solution cultures widely used in plant physiological research. One consequence of this state of affairs is that the absorption and transport of Si have not been investigated nearly as much as those of the elements accorded 'essential' status. In this paper we report experiments showing that Si is rapidly absorbed by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants from solution cultures initially containing Si at 0.5 mM, a concentration realistic in terms of the concentrations of the element in soil solutions. Nearly mature plants (headed out) 'preloaded' with Si absorbed it at virtually the same rate as did plants grown previously in solutions to which Si had not been added. The rate of Si absorption increased by more than an order of magnitude between the 2-leaf and the 7-8 leaf stage, with little change thereafter. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

SILICON DEPOSITION DURING THE CELL CYCLE OF THALASSIOSIRA WEISSFLOGII (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) DETERMINED USING DUAL RHODAMINE 123 AND PROPIDIUM IODIDE STAINING1

The relatively non-toxic dye, rhodamine 123 (R123), was incorporated into the frustule of Thalassiosira weissflogii Grun. clone ACTIN in direct proportion to biogenic silica (BSi). R123 was used together with the DNA stain propidium iodide to track and quantify Si deposition during the cell cycle of T. weissflogii using flow cytometry. Silicon deposition was not continuous through the cell cycle. Deposition of the valves occurred during M phase. The hypocingulum was largely deposited during G1 with some suggestion of minor girdle band deposition during G2. Silicon deposition did not occur during S phase. Assuming that a complete frustule consists of an epivalve, epicingulum, hypocingulum, and hypovalve, then 40% of cellular BSi was contained within the cingulum of T. weissflogii with 60% present in the valves. These percentages correspond to 0.38 pmol Si in the two cingula and 0.57 pmol Si in the valves. Temporal differences in the timing of silicic acid uptake and deposition during the cell cycle of T. weissflogii suggested that deposition of both the new valves and the cingulum is supported by an internal pool of dissolved Si acquired during G2.     

典型喀斯特流域旱雨季交替下溶解硅的输送特征

河流溶解硅（DSi）作为营养物质对维持陆地、河流及海洋生态系统稳定性起到至关重要的作用。选取贵州典型喀斯特流域为研究对象,通过对DSi湿沉降过程,基流过程及降雨径流过程的动态变化进行全年监测分析,探讨DSi在旱雨季交替下的输送特征及河流DSi浓度变化引起的环境效应。结果表明：①湿沉降过程降雨量越大,DSi浓度越小,河流DSi浓度变化有明显的旱、雨季特征,雨季DSi浓度较高,旱季较低,地表水径流量及DSi浓度对降雨径流过程的响应比地下水明显。②DSi沉降通量及输出通量呈明显的旱、雨季差异,雨季DSi湿沉降通量占全年的69.5%,地表水雨季DSi输出负荷占全年的98.1%,地下水占51.4%。③流域硅酸盐岩风化过程不强烈,主要受到碳酸盐岩及蒸发岩控制。流域DSi浓度受人为水库影响明显,经过水库后河流中DSi浓度旱季下降29.0%、雨季下降70.9%。研究为全面认识硅在陆地生态系统中的生物地球化学循环提供科学依据。     

生物信息学在新基因全长cDNA电子克隆中的应用

新基因全长cDNA序列的获得常常是生物学工作者面临的难题,电子克隆是利用生物信息学手段得到新基因全长cDNA序列的新方法。介绍了电子克隆的方法及其生物信息学在其间的具体应用,并概述了一些生物信息学在序列分析中的应用。     

Lithiation Mechanism of Methylated Amorphous Silicon Unveiled by Operando ATR‐FTIR Spectroscopy

The lithiation mechanism of methylated amorphous silicon, a‐Si_1?x(CH₃)_x:H, with various methyl contents (x = 0 ‐ 0.12) is investigated using operando attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. As in hydrogenated amorphous silicon, a‐Si:H, the first lithiation proceeds via a two‐phase mechanism. The concentration of the invading Li‐rich phase nonmonotonously depends on the methyl content of the active material. This behavior is tentatively explained by two distinct effects: a softening of the material due to a methyl‐induced lowering of its reticulation degree and its cohesion, and the presence of nanovoids at high enough methyl content.     

A precise spacing between the NPA domains of aquaporins is essential for silicon permeability in plants

The controversy surrounding silicon (Si) benefits and essentiality in plants is exacerbated by the differential ability of species to absorb this element. This property is seemingly enhanced in species carrying specific nodulin 26‐like intrinsic proteins (NIPs), a subclass of aquaporins. In this work, our aim was to characterize plant aquaporins to define the features that confer Si permeability. Through comparative analysis of 985 aquaporins in 25 species with differing abilities to absorb Si, we were able to predict 30 Si transporters and discovered that Si absorption is exclusively confined to species that possess NIP‐III aquaporins with a GSGR selectivity filter and a precise distance of 108 amino acids (AA) between the asparagine–proline–alanine (NPA) domains. The latter feature is of particular significance since it had never been reported to be essential for Si selectivity. Functionality assessed in the Xenopus oocyte expression system showed that NIPs with 108 AA spacing exhibited Si permeability, while proteins differing in that distance did not. In subsequent functional studies, a Si transporter from poplar mutated into variants with 109‐ or 107‐AA spacing failed to import, and a tomato NIP gene mutated from 109 to 108 AA exhibited a rare gain of function. These results provide a precise molecular basis to classify higher plants into Si accumulators or excluders.     

Active Silicon Uptake by Wheat

The absorption of Si by wheat, Triticum aestivum L. ‘Yecora Rojo,’ followed Michaelis–Menten kinetics over a concentration range of 0.004–1.0 mM. K_m and V_max were determined using linear transformations and the calculated curve fitted the data closely. The absorption resulted in accumulation ratios of 200/1 or more. In keeping with that finding, this study also demonstrated that Si uptake by wheat is under metabolic control, being severely restricted by dinitrophenol (DNP) and potassium cyanide (KCN). Silicon uptake by wheat was not significantly affected by phosphate ions, but the chemical analog Ge exerted a direct competitive effect on Si uptake, and vice versa.     

适配子纳米生物传感器在青霉素检测中的应用

通过脉冲腐蚀法对硅片进行多孔硅的制备,利用玻片通过对共价法、离子吸附法和APTES修饰的戊二醛交联法3种固定适配子方法的对比,以确定较好的固定青霉素适配子的方法。将适配子固定在多孔硅上后,利用交流阻抗法对加入青霉素前后传感器阻抗值进行测定、对比,构建等效电路并进行阻抗拟合。对多孔硅传感器的Nyqu ist谱图进行分析以确定多孔硅表面成功固定了青霉素适配子,从而证明构建纳米生物传感器成功。传感器的线性检测范围为0.05~0.2 mg/L,检测限为0.05 mg/L。