Variable Photosynthetic Metabolism in Leaves and Stems of Cissus quadrangularis L

By measuring titratable acidity, gas exchange parameters, mesophyll succulence, and ¹³C/¹²C ratios, we have shown that Cissus quadrangularis L. has C₃-like leaves and stems with Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). In addition, the nonsucculent leaves show the diurnal fluctuations in organic acids termed recycling despite the fact that all CO₂ uptake and stomatal opening occurs during the day. Young succulent stems have more C₃ photosynthesis than older stems, but both have characteristics of CAM. The genus Cissus will be a fruitful group to study the physiology, ecology, and evolution of C₃ and CAM since species occur that exhibit characteristics of both photosynthetic pathways.     

Shifts in the Carbon Metabolism of Xerosicyos danguyi H. Humb. (Cucurbitaceae) Brought About by Water Stress : II. Enzymology

Xerosicyos danguyi Humbert (Cucurbitaceae) is a leaf succulent endemic to Madagascar. Under well-watered conditions, the plant exhibited Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) but shifted to a dampened form of CAM, CAM-idling, when subjected to water stress. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a shift in carbon metabolism on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and on NADP-malic enzyme in X. danguyi. Experiments were conducted to determine the diurnal patterns of enzyme activity and pH optima of both enzymes, as well as the approximate molecular mass, kinetic patterns, malate inhibition, and glucose-6-phosphate stimulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. The two enzymes extracted from well-watered and water-stressed plants were similar in most parameters investigated; thus, CAM-idling appeared to be only a dampened form of CAM photosynthesis.     

CAM-idling in Hoya carnosa (Asclepiadaceae)

In the leaf succulent Asclepiad Hoya carnosa (L.) R. Br., CAM photosynthesis occurred under well-watered conditions, as characterized by diurnal gas exchange and changes in titratable acidity. Following 10–12 days of severe water stress, the plants shifted from CAM to a modified CAM-idling mode of metabolism. CAM-idling was characterized by complete or almost complete stomatal closure accompanied by CAM-like diurnal changes in titratable acidity. H. carnosa plants maintained this CAM-idling mode of photosynthesis for at least 8 weeks. Upon reirrigation, the plants returned to the original CAM mode within 1 week. These results suggested that CAM-idling is a reversible, intermediate form of sustained metabolism which enables plant survival under conditions of extended drought.This work was supported in part by NSF Grant PCM 8200366 and in part by the Science and Education Administration of the United States Department of Agriculture under Competitive Grant 5901-0420-8-0018-0.     

Bovine lens aldehyde dehydrogenase. Kinetics and mechanism.

Bovine lens cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics with acetaldehyde, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, p-nitrobenzaldehyde, propionaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, glyceraldehyde, phenylacetylaldehyde and succinic semialdehyde as substrates. The enzyme was also active with malondialdehyde, and exhibited an esterase activity. Steady-state kinetic analyses show that the enzyme exhibits a compulsory-ordered ternary-complex mechanism with NAD+ binding before acetaldehyde. The enzyme was inhibited by disulfiram and by p-chloromercuribenzoate, and studies with with mercaptans indicated the involvement of thiol groups in catalysis.     

Chemical basis of host selection and plant resistance in oligophagous insects

Recent investigations of the Colorado potato beetle and the alfalfa weevil reveal many similarities in their modes of host selection. Many plant chemicals influence their behavioral responses and physiological processes. Chemical stimuli influencing host finding and acceptance or rejection of plants include attractants, repellents, sign stimulants, feeding stimulants and deterrents. Both species are highly sensitive to deterrent chemicals present in many plants. Feeding stimulants are indispensible for these insects and are supplied by both primary nutrients (i.e. sugars, amino acids, phospholipids and potassium salts) and secondary plant substances. The important role played by different plant chemicals in host selection and plant resistance is discussed.

---

Zusammenfassung Neuere Untersuchungen am Kartoffelkäfer und am Luzerneblattnager förderten viele Übereinstimmungen in der Art ihrer Wirtswahl zu Tage. Viele Pflanzenstoffe beeinflussen ihre Verhaltensweisen und physiologische Prozesse. Chemische Reize, welche die Auffindung des Wirtes, Annahme oder Ablehnung der Pflanzen beeinflussen, umfassen Attractants, Repellents, Signalstoffe, Fraß-Stimulatoren und Abschreckstoffe. Beide Arten sind hochempfindlich gegenüber abschreckenden Verbindungen in vielen Pflanzen. Fraß-Stimulatoren sind für beide Insekten unabdingbar notwendig und werden sowohl von primären Nährstoffen (wie Zucker, Aminosäuren, Phospholipiden und Natriumsalzen) wie von sekundären Pflanzenstoffen gestellt. Die bedeutsame Rolle, welche Pflanzenstoffe bei der Wirtswahl und der Resistenz der Pflanzen spielen, wird diskutiert.

---

---

Journal paper No. ...., Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, Logan, Utah.     

ENZYMES OF PHOSPHOINOSITIDE METABOLISM DURING RAT BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

—The activities of four enzymes concerned with inositol lipid metabolism have been determined in homogenates of rat brains of different ages. The enzymes are CDP-diglyceride inositol phosphatidate transferase, phosphatidylinositol kinase, diphosphoinositide kinase and triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase. The activities of all the enzymes increased with age. Phosphatidylinositol kinase activity rose most sharply well before myelination, reaching a maximum at about 6 days of age. Diphosphoinositide kinase and triphosphoinositide phosphomonoesterase activities increased most rapidly during myelination. The increase in CDP-diglyceride inositol phosphatidate transferase showed no definite association with any period of development. It is concluded that triphosphoinositide metabolism is associated with myelin or a closely related structure.     

倭竹属地理分布的研究

倭竹属Shibataea Makino隶于禾本科之竹亚科,现已知有8种,分布于我国东南部的浙江、福建、江苏、安徽、江西等省,广东、台湾两省有少量栽培,日本产1种。苏联、西德、印尼等国所栽培的倭竹均系自我国或日本引入。我国浙-闽地区产8种,且都有野生发现,是本属的现代分布中心。倭竹属植物体型矮小,常植于庭院或公园中供观赏。近年来盆景艺术迅速发展,微型园林日益兴起,倭竹属植物体态优美,常绿,耐寒且易于栽培,为广大园林工作者所垂青。     

Insulin suppresses hepatitis B surface antigen expression in human hepatoma cells

The human hepatoma Hep3B cells contain integrated hepatitis B viral genome and continually secret hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The production of HBsAg (but not alpha-fetoprotein) was suppressed by addition of low concentrations (0.1-1 nM) of insulin into serum-free medium. In addition, the suppression of HBsAg production by insulin was paralleled with the decrease in HBsAg mRNA abundance. Insulin also cause a rapid rate of disappearance of HBsAg mRNA (t 1/2, 2 h) in Hep3B cells. The Hep3B cells carry specific receptor with high affinity for insulin (Kd = 1.8 nM). The receptor showed an insulin-dependent protein tyrosine kinase activity. The half-maximal insulin concentration for the activation of the receptor kinase was about 5 nM. Only very high concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I and human proinsulin can compete for the insulin receptor binding and suppress HBsAg production, this suggests that insulin may act through its receptor binding to suppress HBsAg expression in human hepatoma Hep3B cells.     

Consequences of herbivory in the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp tortuosa): importance of the functional organization of the tree

Summary Three types of experiments indicate that the functional organization of the mountain birch may influence the ways in which the tree responds to simulated or natural herbivory. The first experiment showed that herbivory to both short and long shoot leaves affects plant development but, because growth largely proceeds by resources of the previous year, is manifested only in the year following the damage. The second experiment showed that even partial damage to a single long shoot leaf caused the axillary bud of that leaf to produce a shorter shoot the next year. Therefore, the value of a leaf depends also on the organ which it is subtending. In the third experiment we manipulated the apical dominance of shoots in ramets and caused improvement to leaf quality in extant shoots. Ramets within a tree responded individually, probably mediated by disturbance of the hormonal control because removal of apical buds elicited the response although removal of the same number of basal buds did not. Induced amelioration is a different response to induced resistance. The two responses are triggered by different cues and may occur in the same plant. By altering hormonal balance of shoots it is potentially possible for herbivores to induce amelioration of food quality. The ways in which herbivory is simulated may explain variability of results obtained when herbivory-induced responses in plants have been studied.     

Sucrose synthase in rice plants : growth-associated changes in tissue specific distributions

Different parts of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) plant at different growth stages were analyzed for sucrose synthase (SS) by enzyme activity assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay directly on the extracts or on the eluates from a gel filtration column. On a dry matter basis, the amount of soluble protein and SS activity decreased significantly, but the amount of enzyme protein changed little in growing leaves. In the grain, the SS activity was the highest at the early ripening stage and decreased later, but the amount of SS protein increased with the increase in maturity. In the root, a low activity of SS was detectable only in the tillering but not in other stages. Immunoblotting of SS protein extracted from different parts of rice showed two bands. Elution patterns of crude extracts from a gel filtration column showed the presence of several types of SS protein. Among them, two to three types with larger elution volumes had the SS activity but others with smaller elution volumes (considered as the aggregated forms) had no activity. The SS purified from different parts of the plant showed similar but distinctly different electrophoretic mobilities in a native gel. It has been concluded that different isozymes are expressed in different tissues at different growth stages.