Cell division and DNA topisomerase I activity in root meristems of pea seedlings during water stress

ABSTRACT

Low water potential, generated by PEG addition to the liquid medium of hydroponically grown pea seedlings, induces a fall in moisture content in the roots, followed by the arrest of elongation. This water stress reduces the mitotic index of root meristems during the treatment and induces the appearance of a peak of mitosis at 12 hours from the beginning of recovery. This peak suggests that during water stress the cell cycle is blocked in G2 or late S phase. In a first attempt to understand the biochemical events leading to cell cycle arrest, we tested the in vitro activity of DNA topoisomerase I extracted from stressed or control root meristems. The activity of this enzyme in extracts from stressed seedlings was lower than in controls, whereas it was higher in extracts from seedlings which had recovered from water stress for a few hours. The highest specific activity was observed with seedlings at 24 hours from the start of recovery. The fact that during stress treatments and recovery there was no variation in the synthesis of a 45 kDa protein, indicated as DNA topoisomerase I, suggested that the activity of this enzyme could be posttranslationally regulated. The hypothesis that variations in the concentration of unknown endogenous regulators of the activity of this enzyme may take place during water loss or uptake in the cytosol of meristematic cells is discussed.     

Structural and Cytochemical Characteristics of the Stigma and Style in Vitis vinifera L. var. Sangiovese (Vitaceae)

Studies were carried out on structural and cytochemical aspectsof the stigma and style ofVitis vinifera . The stigma is ofthe wet papillate type with a continuous cuticle and pellicle.During the development of the papillae, the cell walls increasein thickness and produce a secretion product constituted oflipids that pass through the wall forming the exudate. The styleis solid with a central core of transmitting tissue which hasconspicuous intercellular spaces that increase remarkably fromthe periphery to the centre where the cuticle is present. Theintercellular spaces, where the pollen tubes grow, contain amatrix that includes polysaccharides, pectic substances andscattered areas of lipidic nature. Cytochemistry; stigma; style; ultrastructure; Vitis vinifera     

牛脊髓神经丝的体外组装与结构

利用差速离心法从牛脊髓中分离神经丝 ,在电镜下观察了其形态 ;应用扫描隧道显微镜 (STM)研究了它的结构 ,发现神经丝具有长短 2种侧臂 ,二者相间排列 ,相邻长侧臂或相邻短侧臂的间距都是 2 0～ 2 2nm ;由此推测神经丝内部存在 3 /4分子交错 ;还研究了神经丝蛋白的体外组装 ,以胶体金标记的方法证明 ,中等分子量与高分子量的神经丝蛋白 ,都能同低分子量的神经丝蛋白共同装配成 10nm的纤维 ;同时发现 ,中等分子量与高分子量的神经丝蛋白能够组装成一种较细的纤维 ,不同于中间纤维 .