Influence of Drought,High Temperature,and Carbamide Cytokinin 4-PU-30 on Photosynthetic Activity of Bean Plants. 1. Changes in Chlorophyll Fluorescence Quenching

Fifteen-day-old bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in a climatic chamber were exposed to water deficit (WD) and high temperature (HT) stresses applied separately or in combination. Changes in chlorophyll fluorescence quenching were investigated. Bean plants that endured mild (42 °C, 5 h for 2 d) WD separately or in combination with HT did not change their q_P and q_N quenching (measured at 25 °C) compared with those of the control. After 5 min testing at 45 °C, q_P in control and droughted plants strongly decreased, while q_P of plants that experienced combined WD+HT stress was insignificantly influenced, suggesting the acclimation effect of HT treatments. At more severe stresses (after 3 d-treatment), q_P measured at 25 °C was the lowest in WD+HT plants and q_N values were the highest. But when measured at 45 °C, q_P of WD+HT plants had practically the same values as at 25 °C. Under these conditions q_P of WD plants also showed an adaptation to HT. Twenty-four hours after recovery, the unfavourable effects of the stresses were strongly reduced when measured at 25 °C, but they were still present when measured at 45 °C. Positive effect of the carbamide cytokinin 4-PU-30 was well expressed only in droughted plants. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of the Herbicide Atrazine on the Bean Leaf Lipids

Eight-day-old bean plants, grown in a nutrient solution, were sprayed with 10⁻⁵, 10⁻⁴, 10⁻³, and 10⁻² M atrazine. The lipid changes in primary and trifoliate leaves were studied 6 d after the herbicide application. The atrazine treatment inhibited the growth of the trifoliate leaves, and decreased photosynthetic and transpiration rates, the stomatal conductance, and the total lipid content. Atrazine treatment increased 16:0 and 18:3 acids and decreased trans-3-hexadecenoic and 18:2 acids in the phospholipids. The herbicide also increased 16:0 and 18:1 acids in glycolipids and decreased 18:3 acid in monogalactosyl diacylglycerols and digalactosyl diacylglycerols. In most cases the marked changes in fatty acid composition of the main lipid classes were observed at 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻³ M atrazine. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of Local Nitrogen Supply on Water Uptake of Bean Plants in a Split Root System

To study the effects of local nitrogen supply on water and nutrient absorption, French bean （Phaseolus vulgaris L.） plants were grown in a split root system. Five treatments supplied with different nitrogen forms were compared： homogeneous nitrate （NN） and homogenous ammonium （AA） supply, spatially separated supply of nitrate and ammonium （NA）, half of the root system supplied with N-free nutrient solution, the other half with either nitrate （NO） or ammonium （AO）. The results showed that 10 d after onset of treatments, root dry matter （DM） in the nitratesupplied vessels treated with NA was more than two times higher than that in the ammonium-supplied vessels. Water uptake from the nitrate-supplied vessels treated with NA was 281% higher than under ammonium supply. In treatments NO and AO, the local supply of N resulted in clearly higher root DM, and water uptake from the nitratesupplied vessels was 82% higher than in the -N vessels. However, in AO plants, water uptake from the -N nutrient solution was 129% higher than from the ammonium-supplied vessels. This indicates a compensatory effect, which resulted in almost identical rates of total water uptake of treatments AA and AO, which had comparable shoot DM and leaf area. Ammonium supply reduced potassium and magnesium absorption. Water uptake was positively correlated with N, Mg and K uptake.     

The Effect of Temperature on the Lipid Composition of the Green Alga Botryococcus

The lipid composition of the green alga Botryococcus was studied at three different cultivation temperatures: suboptimal (18°C), optimal (25°C), and supraoptimal (32°C). Cultivation at the supraoptimal temperature was found to considerably inhibit the synthesis of nearly all intracellular lipids, except for triacylglycerides, and to influence their fatty acid composition. In particular, the content of trienoic fatty acids was significantly lower at the supraoptimal than at the optimal cultivation temperature. At the same time, the fatty acid composition of the extracellular lipids of the alga virtually did not depend on cultivation temperature.     

Lipid Auxotrophy and the Effect on Lipid Composition of Entamoeba invadens*†

SYNOPSIS. A medium for the axenic cultivation of Entamoeba invadens has been developed. Serum, an essential constituent of conventional media, has been replaced by a mixture of albumin, unsaturated fatty acids, Tween, and cholesterol to control the lipid composition of the medium. Entamoeba invadens requires both cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids for growth. The fatty acid composition of the phospholipids of the ameba reflects that of the medium to a great extent, especially with regard to the unsaturated fatty acids. The amount of membrane bounded cholesterol depends on the cholesterol concentration in the medium.     

Effect of Benzylaminopurine on Rehydration of Bean Plants after Water Stress

The possibility of improving the recovery of plant photosynthesis after water stress by cytokinin-induced stimulation of stomatal opening or delay of leaf senescence was tested. The 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) in concentrations 1 and 10 M was applied to the substrate (sand + nutrient solution) or sprayed on primary leaves of 14-d-old Phaseolus vulgaris L. plants sufficiently supplied with water or water-stressed for 4 d. The later ones having relative water content decreased to 69 % were fully rehydrated during the following three days. Parameters of photosynthesis and water relations were measured in primary leaves of 7-, 10-, 14-, and 17-d-old plants. Application of 1 M BAP slightly delayed leaf senescence: in 17-d-old control plants, net photosynthetic rate (P_N) and chlorophyll (Chl) content, and when sprayed on leaves also some of Chl a fluorescence kinetic parameters of BAP-treated leaves were slightly higher than those of untreated leaves. Both types of application of 1 M BAP slightly improved recovery of plants during rehydration after water stress in terms of increased g_ad, g_ab and P_N, i.e., parameters which were markedly decreased by mild water stress. However, contents of Chl a, Chl b and carotenoids and parameters of Chl a fluorescence kinetic were not markedly affected by mild water stress and after rehydration were not stimulated by 1 M BAP. 10 M BAP had mostly negative effects on the parameters measured.     

Effect of Defoliation or Excision of Growing Axillary Shoots on the Composition of Labeled Products of Photosynthesis in the Leaves and Xylem Sap of Kidney Bean

The content of ¹⁴C in the products of photosynthesis of the source leaf and xylem sap was investigated in kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants during the stage of mass tillering. ¹⁴C partition was measured a day after two-minute photoassimilation of ¹⁴CO₂ by an individual mature leaf located in the middle part of the shoot. The source-sink relations were disturbed by the excision of all mature leaves (except the source leaf) or all growing axillary shoots. The leaves or growing axillary shoots were excised 15 min after leaf feeding with ¹⁴C₂. A day later, in plants with excised growing axillary shoots, the content of ¹⁴C in the source leaf was by 18% higher and in those with removed leaves by 15% lower than in control plants. The next day after the excision of growing axillary shoots, radioactivity of the xylem sap increased; after defoliation, both the volume of the xylem sap and its specific radioactivity decreased. In the xylem sap of defoliated plants, the proportion of ¹⁴C in malate decreased more than six times, whereas the proportion of ¹⁴C in amino acids somewhat increased (1.5 times). In two days, the volume of the xylem sap exuded by treated plants became the same as in control plants and its radioactivity decreased almost by an order of magnitude but essentially did not differ in the both types of treatment. It is concluded that the processes occurring in the roots are governed by photosynthesis but its regulatory effect is limited by a photoperiod and largely depends on changes in the ratio between biosynthesis of amino acids in the roots and leaves.__________Translated from Fiziologiya Rastenii, Vol. 52, No. 4, 2005, pp. 518–521.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Chikov, Bakirova, Batasheva, Sergeeva.     

Influence of GA3 and 4-PU-30 on Leaf Protein Composition, Photosynthetic Activity, and Growth of Maize Seedlings

The effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) and N1-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N2 phenylurea (4-PU-30) on maize seedling growth, photosynthetic parameters, and leaf protein composition were investigated. The agents used alone or in combination increased leaf growth and photosynthetic rate of the seedlings. Chlorophyll and total nitrogen contents in leaves as well as the quantity of individual protein fractions increased simultaneously. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of soluble proteins (albumins and globulins) revealed quantitative differences between 4-PU-30-treated plants and the other experimental variants. They differed in polypeptide composition associated with changes in soluble proteins and amino acids. However, GA3 did not induce similar changes in polypeptide composition of soluble proteins. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

On the Relationship between the Activity of O-Methyltransferase and the Content of Lignin in Various Organs of Kidney Bean

The activity of O-methyltransferase (OMT) and the content of lignin in various organs of 12- to 14-day-old seedlings of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL., cv. Saksa) were determined. The epicotyl and hypocotyl were characterized by the highest OMT activity, and the leaves, by the lowest OMT activity. At the same time, the lignin content gradually increased in the following order: leaves < epicotyl < hypocotyl < roots. Thus, in kidney bean seedlings, there is no direct relationship between the OMT activity and the lignin content. It is suggested that lignin biosynthesis is limited by biosynthetic steps other than O-methylation of caffeic and 5-hydroxyferulic acids affected by OMT.     

菜豆叶片衰老期间叶绿体被膜膜脂与脂肪酸组分的变化

菜豆叶片叶绿体总脂和被膜膜脂中均含有单半乳糖甘油二脂和双半乳糖甘油二脂,在整个衰老期间两种糖脂的比值变化不大。叶绿体总脂中含有5种磷脂,脂肪酸以不饱和的亚麻酸为主,而被膜膜脂中仅含磷脂酰胆碱和磷脂酰甘油,脂肪酸以饱和的棕榈酸为主,不饱和亚油酸为次。叶片衰老过程中被膜所含两种磷脂比值明显降低,脂肪酸的不饱和指数也因亚麻酸相对含量显著减少、棕榈酸相对含量增加而降低。     

Effects of Enhanced UV- B Radiation on Protein Metabolism of Bean Leaves

Bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) seedlings were grown in a greenhouse condition under UV-B (280 ~ 320 nm) radiation and an UV-B-free control condition. At early stage of bean growth, UV-B radiation(UV- BBE: 16 kJ·m-2·d-1 ) increased the synthetic rate of protein in bean leaves. UV-B radiation decreased the synthetic rate of protein and the content of soluble protein, increased the activities of caseolytic enzymes and the content of total amino acids in bean leaves at later growth stage. The results of SDS-PAGE indicated that UV-B radiation increased the contents of polypeptide in a range of 99 kD, 88 kD, 76 kD, 42 kD, 35 kD and 33 kD at the early stage, and increased that of 10 ~ 14 kD, 29 kD, 33 kD and 35 kD at later growth stage. It is suggested that the increase of these polypeptides is an adaptation response of plants to the enhanced UV-B radiation.     

Phototropic Response of the Bean Pulvinus: Movement of Water and Ions

Segmental analysis of the laminar pulvinus of Phaseolus vulgaris L. showed that its phototropic curvature is accompanied by efflux of inorganic ions and water from its contracting sector and a comparable influx into its expanding one. All the major ions, except Na⁺, contributed to this transport, suggesting that the response to light involves changes in the driving force, or conductivity of a wide range of solutes. During the curvature, K⁺ and CI^? made the greatest and equivalent contributions to efflux, but only Cl^? exhibited a matching influx into the expanding sector, while K⁺ influx was much less. Use of the cell pressure probe showed that, as the laminar angle of elevation changed between ?40° to +40°, turgor pressure in the expanding motor cells increased by 0.48 MPa and decreased in the contracting cells by 0.32 MPa. Picoliter osmometry of single-cell samples showed that during this movement vacuolar osmotic pressure remained constant. Thus, changes in turgor pressure resulted from changes in apoplastic, rather than the protoplastic osmotic pressure. Volumetric modulus of elasticity of pulvinar motor cells is very low, showing that their walls are very elastic. These properties increase the effectiveness of converting osmotic work into the large-scale, reversible volume changes responsible for leaf movements.     

Changes in the Lipid Composition of Thalassiosira pseudonana during Its Life Cycle

The lipid and fatty acid (FA) compositions of a marine diatom alga Thalassiosira pseudonana grown in culture were investigated. The relative content of separate lipid classes and their FA composition varied during of the life cycle. During the periods of active cell division and resting cell production, the proportion of polar lipids, as the structural components of cell membranes, increased. Changes in the proportion of lipid classes resulted in shifts in the FA composition of total lipids. It is suggested that the structural components of photosynthetic and cells membranes accumulate in the resting cells. Thereby, a rapid cell growth and an extensive development of the species under favorable environmental conditions is provided.     

Phenolic and Oxidative Metabolism as Bioindicators of Nitrogen Deficiency in French Bean Plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Strike)

Abstract: The aim of the present work was to determine the effect of abiotic stress, such as nitrogen (N) deficiency, on phenol and oxidative metabolism. In addition, we analyzed whether the response of the two metabolic processes is a good bioindicator of N deficiency in French bean plants. The N was applied to the nutrient solution in the form of NH₄NO₃ at 1.35 mM (N1), 2.7 mM (N2) and 5.4 mM (N3), this latter dosage being considered optimal. The results indicated that application of 1.35 and 2.70 mM of N can be defined as suboptimal or deficient, as it depressed foliar biomass of the French bean plants in our experiment. In addition, abiotic stress from the application of these N dosages stimulated the enzymes PPO, POD and CAT, and inhibited PAL and SOD activities, resulting in the lowest foliar accumulation of phenolic compounds and H₂O₂.     

Effect of Choline Chloride on the Lipid Content and Composition in the Leaves of Principal Magnetically-Oriented Radish Types

The effects of radish seed treatment with choline chloride on the number and weight of leaves, the weight of roots, as well as the content and composition of polar and neutral lipids and their component fatty acids in the leaves of principal magnetically-oriented types (MOTs) of radish (cv. Rosovo-krasnyi s belym konchikom), that is, North–South (NS) and West–East (WE) ones, were investigated. It was shown that seed treatment with 1% choline chloride increased the proportion of WE MOT in plant population. In spring and in autumn, this treatment increased the weight of roots of the NS MOT plants, but did not affect this index in the WE MOT plants. In the spring NS MOT plants, choline chloride treatment did not change the absolute content of polar lipids as compared to the control, but in autumn, this index increased. Meanwhile, in the WE MOT plants, it increased in spring and did not change in autumn. In the spring NS MOT plants, the content of neutral lipids increased, but in the autumn plants, it did not change. At the same time, in the WE MOT plants, this index decreased both in spring and in autumn. Seed treatment with choline chloride resulted in a substantial increase in the total content of phospholipids, in particular, that of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, in the NS and WE MOT plants sampled both in spring and in autumn. In addition, the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids, as well as that of linolenic to linoleic fatty acids, somewhat increased in the NS MOT leaf lipids, but decreased in the WE MOT ones. Presowing treatment of radish seeds with choline chloride variously and sometimes oppositely affected the content and composition in the NS and WE MOT leaf lipids. This seems to be caused by different response of these MOTs to the environmental factors.