Arabidopsis cryptochrome 1 is a soluble protein mediating blue light-dependent regulation of plant growth and development

Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) is a flavin-type blue light receptor of Arabidopsis thaliana which mediates inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. In the work described in this report it is demonstrated that CRY1 is a soluble protein expressed in both young seedlings grown either in the dark or under light, and in different organs of adult plants. The functional role of CRY1 was further investigated using transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing CRY1. It is demonstrated that overexpression of CRY1 resulted in hypersensitivity to blue, UV-A, and green light for the inhibition of hypocotyl elongation response. Transgenic plants overexpressing CRY1 also exhibited a dwarf phenotype with reduced size in almost every organ. This was in keeping with the previous observation of reciprocal alterations found in hy4 mutant plants and is consistent with a hypothesis that CRY1 mediates a light-dependent process resulting in a general inhibitory effect on plant growth. In addition, transgenic plants overexpressing CRY1 showed increased anthocyanin accumulation in response to blue, UV-A, and green light in a fluence rate-dependent manner. This increase in anthocyanin accumulation in transgenic plants was shown to be concomitant with increased blue light-induction of CHS gene expression. It is concluded that CRY1 is a photoreceptor mediating blue light-dependent regulation of gene expression in addition to its affect on plant growth.     

Mutations throughout an Arabidopsis blue-light photoreceptor impair blue-light-responsive anthocyanin accumulation and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation

This paper reports the characterization of novel mutations within the Arabidopsis thaliana HY4 gene, which has previously been shown to encode a protein (CRY1) with characteristics of a blue-light photoreceptor. Several point mutations were identified within the amino-terminal domain of CRY1—this region of CRY1 has high homology to photolyase and is likely to be involved in blue-light-mediated electron transfer. Mutations were found within the region of homology to the known chromophore binding domains of photolyase. Point mutations within the 200 amino acid carboxy-terminal extension distinguishing CRY1 from photolyase, likewise disrupt function of the protein. CRY1 was originally defined as the photoreceptor responsible for blue-light-mediated inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and we now report that anthocyanin accumulation in germinating seedlings is an additional phenotype under the control of this photoreceptor—this is shown to be mediated in part by modulation of mRNA levels of chalcone synthase, one of the anthocyanin biosynthetic enzymes. The effect of the novel mutations on both inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and anthocyanin biosynthesis have been evaluated, and it is demonstrated that mutations with less severe effects on hypocotyl elongation show a similarly reduced effect on anthocyanin biosynthesis. These results are consistent with the cryptochrome photoreceptor mediating multiple regulatory pathways by the same primary mode of action.     

Species-dependent effects of seawater acidification on alkaline phosphatase activity in dinoflagellates

Increases of atmospheric CO₂ cause ocean acidification (OA) and global warming, the latter of which can stratify the water column and impede nutrient supply from deep water. Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for phytoplankton to grow. While dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) is the preferred form of P, phytoplankton have evolved alkaline phosphatase (AP) to utilize dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) when DIP is deficient. Although the function of AP is known to require pH > 7, how OA affects AP activity and hence the capacity of phytoplankton to utilize DOP is poorly understood. Here, we examined the effects of pH conditions (5.5–11) on AP activity from six species of dinoflagellates, an important group of marine phytoplankton. We observed a general pattern that AP activity declined sharply at pH 5.5, peaked between pH 7 and 8, and dropped at pH > 8. However, our data revealed remarkable interspecific variations in optimal pH and niche breadth of pH. Among the species examined, Fugacium kawagutii and Prorocentrum cordatum had an optimal pH at 8, and Alexandrium pacificum, Amphidinium carterae, Effrenium voratum, and Karenia mikimotoi showed an optimal pH of 7. However, whereas A. pacificum and K. mikimotoi had the broadest pH niche for AP (7–10) and F. kawagutii the second (8–10), Am. carterae, E. voratum, and P. cordatum exhibited a narrow pH range. The response of Am. carterae AP to pH changes was verified using purified AP heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. These results in concert suggest OA will likely differentially impact the capacity of different phytoplankton species to utilize DOP in the projected more acidified and nutrient-limited future ocean.     

The evolutionary origin of variation in song length and frequency in the avian family Cettiidae

Aspects of bird song have been shown to correlate with morphological and ecological features, including beak and body size, and habitat. Here we study evolution of song length and song frequency among 30 species belonging to the Cettiidae. Frequency is negatively correlated with body size, and song length increases with latitude. Although migration distance correlates with latitude, the association of song length with latitude is only present within the non‐migratory species, implying the association is not a consequence of migration. We place these correlations in a historical framework to show that the body size‐frequency association arose early in the group, but the latitude‐song length association is more evolutionarily labile. We suggest that latitudinal correlates of song length may reflect increased importance of sexual selection by female choice.     

The cryptochromes

Cryptochromes are photoreceptors that regulate entrainment by light of the circadian clock in plants and animals. They also act as integral parts of the central circadian oscillator in animal brains and as receptors controlling photomorphogenesis in response to blue or ultraviolet (UV-A) light in plants. Cryptochromes are probably the evolutionary descendents of DNA photolyases, which are light-activated DNA-repair enzymes, and are classified into three groups - plant cryptochromes, animal cryptochromes, and CRY-DASH proteins. Cryptochromes and photolyases have similar three-dimensional structures, characterized by an α/β domain and a helical domain. The structure also includes a chromophore, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). The FAD-access cavity of the helical domain is the catalytic site of photolyases, and it is predicted also to be important in the mechanism of cryptochromes.     

深圳市重要药用植物资源调查

经调查,深圳市共有重要药用植物资源124科211种,其中蕨类植物20科20种,裸子植物3科3种,被子植物88科174种,单子叶植物13科15种,其中只有桫椤等国家一级保护植物被很好的保护起来,大部分药用植物有待进一步开发利用。     

中国东北地区12个建群树种对气候变化响应的MaxEnt模型分析

气候变化是当前全球生物多样性面临的最大威胁之一,对物种地理分布格局具有较大影响。东北森林物种丰富度较高,目前尚缺乏基于主要树种、未来不同气候模式的综合研究。基于12种建群树种的分布数据及23个环境变量（19个生物气候因子、土地利用类型、海拔、坡度、坡向）数据,应用MaxEnt模型首次对东北地区乔木树种在3种气候变化情景下（SSP126可持续路径、SSP245中间路径、SSP585化石燃料为主发展路径）的潜在丰富度分布格局、主导环境变量以及树种损失、获得和周转情况进行了预测。结果表明：不同未来气候情景下东北地区各树种的潜在分布变化存在差异,适生区面积减小的树种有：兴安落叶松、山杨、春榆、白桦、水曲柳、胡桃楸、蒙古栎、辽东桤木,减小幅度达到10%-30%;适生区面积变化不大的树种有：红皮云杉、樟子松、黄檗,多数情况下低、中和高适生区面积变化发生了抵消,导致总适生区面积变化不大;适生区增加的树种有：红松,增加幅度达20%左右。环境因素将影响东北地区乔木树种潜在适宜性分布,其中,降水因素对东北地区树种分布格局起关键作用,尤其是降水量季节性变化,是影响东北地区50%左右树种分布格局的主导环境因子。东北地区乔木树种在无迁移和SSP585气候情景下受威胁程度相对较高,而在SSP126气候情景下大多处于低风险状态;物种迁移假设的对物种受威胁程度的影响先于气候变化情景的影响,树种发生适度迁移能够缓解树种受威胁的状况。网格单元中物种损失和周转的预测表明,东北地区树种高周转率主要由树种高损失率造成,损失率较高的地区往往树种周转率也相对较高。预测气候变化对东北地区树木分布格局的影响,有助于制定更有效的气候变化适应策略,以促进东北地区树木的可持续发展。