Compensatory changes in Photosystem II electron turnover rates protect photosynthesis from photoinhibition

Exposure of algae or higher plants to bright light can result in a photoinhibitory reduction in the number of functional PS II reaction centers (n) and a consequential decrease in the maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis. However, we found that light-saturated photosynthetic rates (P_max) in natural phytoplankton assemblages sampled from the south Pacific ocean were not reduced despite photoinhibitory decreases in n of up to 52%. This striking insensitivity of P_max to photoinhibition resulted from reciprocal increases in electron turnover ( )through the remaining functional PS II centers. Similar insensitivity of P_max was also observed in low light adapted cultures of Thalassiosira weissflogii (a marine diatom), but not in high light adapted cells where P_max decreased in proportion to n. This differential sensitivity to decreases in n occurred because was close to the maximum achievable rate in the high light adapted cells, whereas was initially low in the low light adapted cells and could thus increase in response to decreases in n. Our results indicate that decreases in plant productivity are not necessarily commensurate with photoinhibition, but rather will only occur if decreases in n are sufficient to maximize or incident irradiance becomes subsaturating.     

Persistent nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence polymorphism in the Amelanchier agamic complex (Rosaceae)

Individual plants of several Amelanchier taxa contain many polymorphic nucleotide sites in the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). This polymorphism is unusual because it is not recent in origin and thus has resisted homogenization by concerted evolution. Amelanchier ITS sequence polymorphism is hypothesized to be the result of gene flow between two major North American clades resolved by phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences. Western North American species plus A. humilis and A. sanguinea of eastern North America form one clade (A), and the remaining eastern North American Amelanchier make up clade B. Five eastern North American taxa are polymorphic at many of the nucleotide sites where clades A and B have diverged and are thought to be of hybrid origin, with A. humilis or A. sanguinea as one parent and various members of clade B as the other parent. Morphological evidence suggests that A. humilis is one of the parents of one of the polymorphic taxa, a microspecies that we refer to informally as A. "erecta." Sequences of 21 cloned copies of the ITS1- 5.8S gene-ITS2 region from one A. "erecta" individual are identical to A. humilis sequence or to the clade B consensus sequence, or they are apparent recombinants of A. humilis and clade B ITS repeats. Amelanchier "erecta" and another polymorphic taxon are suspected to be relatively old because both grow several hundred kilometers beyond the range of one of their parents. ITS sequence polymorphisms have apparently persisted in these two taxa perhaps because of polyploidy and/or agamospermy (asexual seed production), which are prevalent in the genus.      

Physiological optimization underlies growth rate-independent chlorophyll-specific gross and net primary production

Characterization of physiological variability in phytoplankton photosynthetic efficiencies is one of the greatest challenges in assessing ocean net primary production (NPP) from remote sensing of surface chlorophyll (Chl). Nutrient limitation strongly influences phytoplankton intracellular pigmentation, but its impact on Chl-specific NPP (NPP ^*) is debated. We monitored six indices of photosynthetic activity in steady-state Dunaliella tertiolecta cultures over a range of nitrate-limited growth rates (μ), including photosynthetic efficiency of PSII (F _v/F _m), O₂-based gross and net production, 20 min and 24 h carbon assimilation, and carbon- and μ-based NPP. Across all growth rates, O₂-based Chl-specific gross primary production ( GPP_\textO2 ^* GPP_{{{\text{O}}_{2} }}^{*} ), NPP ^*, and F _v/F _m were constant. GPP_\textO2 ^* GPP_{{{\text{O}}_{2} }}^{*} was 3.3 times greater than NPP ^*. In stark contrast, Chl-specific short-term C fixation showed clear linear dependence on μ, reflecting differential allocation of photosynthate between short-lived C products and longer-term storage products. Indeed, ¹⁴C incorporation into carbohydrates was five times greater in cells growing at 1.2 day⁻¹ than 0.12 day⁻¹. These storage products are catabolized for ATP and reductant generation within the period of a cell cycle. The relationship between Chl-specific gross and net O₂ production, short-term ¹⁴C-uptake, NPP ^*, and growth rate reflects cellular-level regulation of fundamental metabolic pathways in response to nutrient limitation. We conclude that growth rate-dependent photosynthate metabolism bridges the gap between gross and net production and resolves a controversial question regarding nutrient limitation effects on primary production measures.     

Photoacclimation of Dunaliella tertiolecta (Chlorophyceae) Under Fluctuating Irradiance

We investigated photoacclimation of Dunaliella tertiolecta (Butcher) in irradiance (I) regimes simulating mixed layer conditions of turbid estuarine waters or lakes. D. tertiolecta was exposed to a range of fixed I regimes to establish baseline physiology-I relationships that were compared with subsequent photoacclimation to a simulated mixed layer. Measured indices of photoacclimation included cellular pigmentation, chlorophyll variable fluorescence, and effective photosystem 2 antenna size. While D. tertiolecta grown under fluctuating I maintained division rates comparable to cells grown at high I, the cells exhibited characteristics of photoacclimation consistent with cells grown under a stable regimes at irradiances considerably lower than the average I of the simulated mixed layer.     

Student's tutorial on bloom hypotheses in the context of phytoplankton annual cycles

Phytoplankton blooms are elements in repeating annual cycles of phytoplankton biomass and they have significant ecological and biogeochemical consequences. Temporal changes in phytoplankton biomass are governed by complex predator–prey interactions and physically driven variations in upper water column growth conditions (light, nutrient, and temperature). Understanding these dependencies is fundamental to assess future change in bloom frequency, duration, and magnitude and thus represents a quintessential challenge in global change biology. A variety of contrasting hypotheses have emerged in the literature to explain phytoplankton blooms, but over time the basic tenets of these hypotheses have become unclear. Here, we provide a “tutorial” on the development of these concepts and the fundamental elements distinguishing each hypothesis. The intent of this tutorial is to provide a useful background and set of tools for reading the bloom literature and to give some suggestions for future studies. Our tutorial is written for “students” at all stages of their career. We hope it is equally useful and interesting to those with only a cursory interest in blooms as those deeply immersed in the challenge of understanding the temporal dynamics of phytoplankton biomass and predicting its future change.     

1-Thio-beta-D-galactofuranosides: synthesis and evaluation as beta-D- galactofuranosidase inhibitors

Beta-D-galactofuranosidase is a good chemotherapeutic target for the design of inhibitors, since beta-D-galactofuranose is a constituent of important parasite glycoconjugates but is not present in the host mammals. With this aim, we have synthesized for the first time alkyl, benzyl and aryl 1-thio-beta-D-galactofuranosides by condensation of penta-O-benzoyl-alpha,beta-D-galactofuranose with the corresponding thiols, in the presence of SnCl4as catalyst. The complete chemical and spectroscopical characterization of these compounds showed that the reaction was stereoselective. Debenzoylation with sodium methoxide afforded the beta-S-galactofuranosides in high yield. The thioglycosides were tested as inhibitors of the beta-D- galactofuranosidase of Penicillium fellutanum, using for the first time 4-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactofuranoside as chromogenic substrate. The 4- aminophenyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactofuranoside, obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of the nitrophenyl derivative, was the best inhibitor being then an adequate ligand for the preparation of an affinity phase aimed at the isolation of beta-d-galactofuranosidases from different sources. Also the inhibitory activity of d-galactono-1, 4-lactone was shown.      

Marmoset phylogenetics, conservation perspectives, and evolution of the mtDNA control region

Marmosets (genus Callithrix) are a diverse group of platyrrhine primates with 13-15 purported taxa, many of them considered endangered. Morphological analyses constitute most of the basis for recognition of these forms as distinct taxa. The purpose of this study was to provide a molecular view, based on mitochondrial control region sequences, of the evolutionary history of the marmosets, concomitant with a molecular phylogenetic perspective on species diversity within the group. An additional purpose was to provide the first comparative examination of a complete New World monkey control region sequence with those of other mammals. The phylogenetic analyses provide convincing support for a split between the Atlantic forest and Amazonian marmosets, with the inclusion of the pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) at the base of the Amazonian clade. The earliest branch of the Atlantic forest group was C. aurita. In the Amazonian group, the analyses do not support the recognition of C. humeralifer and the recently described C mauesi as distinct taxa. They do, however, support a clear distinction between C. argentata and a strongly supported mixed clade of C. humeralifer and C. mauesi. In the Atlantic forest group, the phylogenetic tree suggests mixing between C. penicillata, C. kuhli, and possibly C. jacchus. Most of the sequence features characteristic of other mammal control regions were also evident in marmosets, with the exception that conserved sequence blocks (CSBs) 2 and 3 were not clearly identifiable. Tandem repeat units often associated with heteroplasmy in a variety of other mammals were not evident in the marmoset sequences.      

The relation between cartilage biomarkers (C2C,C1,2C,CS846, and CPII) and the long-term outcome of rheumatoid arthritis patients within the CAMERA trial

Introduction  

The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum biomarker levels of C2C, C1,2C, CS846, and CPII can predict the long-term course of disease activity and radiographic progression early in the disease course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).