Effects of irradiance, temperature, and nutrients on growth dynamics of seagrasses: A review

Productivity of seagrasses can be controlled by physiological processes, as well as various biotic and abiotic factors that influence plant metabolism. Light, temperature, and inorganic nutrients affect biochemical processes of organisms, and are considered as major factors controlling seagrass growth. Minimum light requirements for seagrass growth vary among species due to unique physiological and morphological adaptations of each species, and within species due to photo-acclimation to local light regimes. Seagrasses can enhance light harvesting efficiencies through photo-acclimation during low light conditions, and thus plants growing near their depth limit may have higher photosynthetic efficiencies. Annual temperatures, which are highly predictable in aquatic systems, play an important role in controlling site specific seasonal seagrass growth. Furthermore, both thermal adaptation and thermal tolerance contribute greatly to seagrass global distributions. The optimal growth temperature for temperate species range between 11.5 °C and 26 °C, whereas the optimal growth temperature for tropical/subtropical species is between 23 °C and 32 °C. However, productivity in persistent seagrasses is likely controlled by nutrient availability, including both water column and sediment nutrients. It has been demonstrated that seagrasses can assimilate nutrients through both leaf and root tissues, often with equal uptake contributions from water column and sediment nutrients. Seagrasses use HCO₃⁻ inefficiently as a carbon source, thus photosynthesis is not always saturated with respect to DIC at natural seawater concentrations leading to carbon limitation for seagrass growth. Our understanding of growth dynamics in seagrasses, as it relates to main environmental factors such as light, temperature, and nutrient availability, is critical for effective conservation and management of seagrass habitats.     

Upregulation of hemolymph and tissue ferritin by dietary HgCl2 in the wax moth Galleria mellonella

The effect of Hg treatment on hemolymph and tissue ferritin in the wax moth Galleria mellonella was examined by western blotting. At 48 h after feeding HgCl₂, the level of hemolymph ferritin increased approximately 1.8‐fold over that of control insects that were not fed HgCl₂, while there was a small increase in tissue ferritin. Time series experiments showed that tissue ferritin had a typically saturated pattern, with a maximum level from 24 to 72 h, although it decreased 12 h following HgCl₂ feeding, while hemolymph ferritin first decreased but subsequently increased. Tissue ferritin in the fat body, gut and Malpighian tubules, the main tissues of ferritin expression, was upregulated over time following treatment with Hg, and in particular, tissue ferritin in the gut increased by a large amount at 12–48 h. The results suggest that in G. mellonella, the ferritin‐inducible mechanisms following treatment with HgCl₂ are different for hemolymph and tissue ferritin, as are their biochemical properties.     

Extractive recovery of products from fermentation broths

Considerations of partition coefficients, selectivity, biocompatibility, and waste generation are important in selection of appropriate solvents to be used for extractive recovery of products from fermentation broths. Several selection criteria can be used based upon the nature of different species present in the broth. These criteria, along with examples of specific case studies, were presented. These serve not only in screening of useful solvents, but also in pointing to the specific modes of operation of recovery-coupled bioprocesses.     

Microbore high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of cisapride in rat serum samples using column switching

For the determination of cisapride from serum samples, an automated microbore high-performance liquid chromatographic method with column switching has been developed. After serum samples (100 μl) were directly injected onto a Capcell Pak MF Ph-1 pre-column (10×4 mm I.D.), the deproteinization and concentration were carried out by acetonitrile–phosphate buffer (20 mM, pH 7.0) (2:8, v/v) at valve position A. At 2.6 min, the valve was switched to position B and the concentrated analytes were transferred from MF Ph-1 pre-column to a C₁₈ intermediate column (35×2 mm I.D.) using washing solvent. By valve switching to position A at 4.3 min, the analytes were separated on a Capcell Pak C₁₈ UG 120 column (250×1.5 mm I.D.) with acetonitrile–phosphate buffer (20 mM, pH 7.0) (5:5, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.1 ml/min. Total analysis time per sample was 18 min. The linearity of response was good (r=0.999) over the concentration range of 5–200 ng/ml. The within-day and day-to-day precision (CV) and inaccuracy were less than 3.7% and 3.8%, respectively. The mean recovery was 96.5±2.4% with the detection limit of 2 ng/ml.     

Expression of a Chinese cabbage cysteine proteinase inhibitor, BrCYS1, retards seed germination and plant growth in transgenic Tobacco plant

Phytocystatins are plant cysteine proteinase inhibitors that regulate endogenous and heterologous cysteine proteinases of the papain family. A cDNA encoding the phytocystatin BrCYS1 (Brassica rapa cysteine proteinase inhibitor 1 ) has been isolated from Chinese cabbage (B. rapa subsp.pekinensis) flower buds. In order to explore the role of this inhibitory enzyme, tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Samson) containing altered amounts of phytocystatin were generated by over-expressingBrCYS1 cDNA in either the sense or the antisense configuration. The resulting plants hadin vitro enzyme inhibitory activities that were over 10% of those detected in wild type plants. The transgenic plants exhibited retarded seed germination and seedling growth and a reduced seed yield, whereas these properties were enhanced in antisense plants. These data suggest that BrCYS1 participates in the control of seed germination, post-germination and plant growth by regulating cysteine peptidase activity.     

Regulation of seed germination and seedling growth by an <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> phytocystatin isoform, <Emphasis Type="Italic">AtCYS6</Emphasis>

Phytocystatins are cysteine proteinase inhibitors in plants that are implicated in the endogenous regulation of protein turnover and defense mechanisms against insects and pathogens. A cDNA encoding a phytocystatin called AtCYS6 (Arabidopsis thaliana phytocystatin6) has been isolated. We show that AtCYS6 is highly expressed in dry seeds and seedlings and that it also accumulates in flowers. The persistence of AtCYS6 protein expression in seedlings was promoted by abscisic acid (ABA), a seed germination and post-germination inhibitory phytohormone. This finding was made in transgenic plants bearing an AtCYS6 promoter–β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter construct, where we found that expression from the AtCYS6 promoter persisted after ABA treatment but was reduced under control conditions and by gibberellin₄₊₇ (GA₄₊₇) treatment during the germination and post-germinative periods. In addition, constitutive over-expression of AtCYS6 retarded germination and seedling growth, whereas these were enhanced in an AtCYS6 knock-out mutant (cys6-2). Additionally, cysteine proteinase activities stored in seeds were inhibited by AtCYS6 in transgenic Arabidopsis. From these data, we propose that AtCYS6 expression is enhanced by the germination inhibitory phytohormone ABA and that it participates in the control of germination rate and seedling growth by inhibiting the activity of stored cysteine proteinases.     

Purification of aquarium water by PVA gel-immobilized photosynthetic bacteria during goldfish rearing

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a PVA-gel beads filtration (PVA) system using photosynthetic bacteria to purify water. To accomplish this, duplicate long-term goldfish rearing experiments were conducted using four different types of aquarium systems (COF, PSB, EMC, and PVA). The results revealed that the concentrations of NH₄ ⁺-N on the day of a goldfish’s death were significantly higher than the concentrations on other days for all the aquarium systems. In addition, the mean concentration of NH₄ ⁺-N during goldfish rearing occurred in the following order: COF system > EMC system > PSB system > PVA system. Furthermore, the mean values of all other ion concentrations (NO₃ ⁻-N, NO₂ ⁻-N, and PO₄ ²⁻-P) were found to be lowest in the PVA system. As a result, there was more prominent decomposition of organic matter in the aquarium tank containing the PVA system, as well as less turbid aquarium water and more active goldfish. Additionally, the PVA-gel beads resulted in almost complete denitrification, even after six-months of goldfish rearing. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that PVA gel-immobilized photosynthetic bacteria have the ability to purify water. Overall, the results of this study indicate that this immobilized photosynthetic bacteria system has the potential for use as a component in circulating filtration systems.     

A novel PPARγ agonist,KR62776, suppresses RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation and activity by inhibiting MAP kinase pathways

We investigated the effects of a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist, KR62776, on osteoclast differentiation and function, and on the underlying signaling pathways. KR62776 markedly suppressed differentiation into osteoclasts in various osteoclast model systems, including bone marrow mononuclear (BMM) cells and a co-culture of calvarial osteoblasts and BMM cells. KR62776 suppressed the activation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and the expression of genes associated with osteoclast differentiation, such as TRAP, dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP), and osteoclast-associated receptor (OSCAR). Furthermore, KR62776 reduced resorption pit formation in osteoclasts, and down-regulated genes essential for osteoclast activity, such as Src and αvβ3 integrin. An analysis of a signaling pathway showed that KR62776 inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Together, these results demonstrate that KR62776 negatively affects osteoclast differentiation and activity by inhibiting the RANKL-induced activation of MAP kinases and NF-κB.     

Preventive effect of piperonyl butoxide on cyclophosphamide-induced teratogenesis in rats

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide induces fetal defects through metabolic activation by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases (CYP). The effects of piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a CYP inhibitor, on the fetal development and external, visceral, and skeletal abnormalities induced by cyclophosphamide were investigated in rats. METHODS: Pregnant rats were daily administered PBO (400 mg/kg) by gavage for 7 days (the 6th to 12th day of gestation), and intraperitoneally administered with cyclophosphamide (12 mg/kg) 4 h after the final treatment. On the 20th day of gestation, maternal and fetal abnormalities were determined by Cesarean section. RESULTS: Cyclophosphamide reduced fetal body weights by 30–40% without increasing resorption or death. In addition, it induced malformations in live fetuses: 100, 98, and 98.2% of the external (head and limb defects), visceral (cerebroventricular dilatation, cleft palate, and renal pelvic/ureteric dilatation), and skeletal (acrania, vertebral/costal malformations, and delayed ossification) abnormalities, respectively. The pre-treatment of PBO greatly decreased mRNA expression and activity of hepatic CYP2B, which metabolizes cyclophosphamide into teratogenic acrolein and cytotoxic phosphoramide mustard. Moreover, PBO remarkably attenuated cyclophosphamide-induced body weight loss and abnormalities of fetuses; score 3.57 versus 1.87 for exencephaly, 75.5% versus 42.5% for limb defects, 65.3% versus 22% for cerebroventricular dilatation, 59.2% versus 5.1% for cleft palate, score 1.28 versus 0.93 for renal pelvic/ureteric dilatation, 71.9–82.5% versus 23–45.9% for vertebral/costal malformations, and 84.2% versus 57.4% for delayed ossification in cyclophosphamide alone and PBO co-administration groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that repeated treatment with PBO may improve cyclophosphamide-induced body weight loss and malformations of fetuses by down-regulating CYP2B. Birth Defects Res (Part B) 86:402–408, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.