Leaf water relations characteristics of differently potassium fertilized and watered field grown barley plants

Seasonal leaf water relations characteristics were studied in fully irrigated spring barley (Hordeum distichum L. cv. Gunnar) fertilized at low (50 kg K ha⁻¹) or high (200 kg K ha⁻¹) levels of potassium applied as KCl. The investigation was undertaken from about 14 days before anthesis until the milk ripe stage in leaves of different position and age. Additionally, the effects of severe water stress on leaf water relations were studied in the middle of the grain filling period in spring barley (cv. Alis). The leaf water relations characteristics were determined by the pressure volume (PV) technique. Water relations of fully irrigated plants were compared in leaf No 7 with the water relations of slowly droughted plants (cv. Alis). Leaf osmotic potential at full turgor (ψ _π ¹⁰⁰ ) decreased 0.1 to 0.3 MPa in droughted leaves indicating a limited osmotic adjustment due to solute accumulation. The leaf osmotic potential at zero turgor (ψ _π ⁰ ) was about −2.2 MPa in fully irrigated plants and −2.6 MPa in droughted plants. The relative water content at zero turgor (R⁰) decreased 0.1 unit in severely droughted leaves. The ratio of turgid leaf weight to dry weight (TW/DW) tended to be increased by drought. The tissue modulus of elasticity (ε) decreased in droughted plants and together with osmotic adjustment mediated turgor maintenance during drought. A similar response to drought was found in low and high K plants except that the R⁰ and ε values tended to be higher in the high K plants. Conclusively, during drought limited osmotic adjustment and increase in elasticity of the leaf tissue mediated turgor maintenance. These effects were only slightly modified by high potassium application. The seasonal analysis in fully irrigated plants (cv. Gunnar) showed that within about 14 days from leaf emergence ψ _π ¹⁰⁰ decreased from about −0.9 to −1.6 MPa in leaf No 7 (counting the first leaf to emerge as number one) and from about −1.1 to −1.9 MPa in leaf No 8 (the flag leaf) due to solute accumulation. A similar decrease took place in ψ _π ⁰ except that the level of ψ _π ⁰ was displaced to a lower level of about 0.2 to 0.3 MPa. Both ψ _π ¹⁰⁰ and ψ _π ⁰ tended to be 0.05 to 0.10 MPa lower in high K than in low K plants. R⁰ was about 0.8 to 0.9 and was independent of leaf position and age, but tended to be highest in high K plants. The TW/DW ratio decreased from about 5.5 in leaf No 6 to 4.5 in leaf No 7 and 3.8 in leaf No 8. The TW/DW ratio was 4 to 10% higher in high K than in low K plants indicating larger leaf cell size in the former. The apoplastic water content (V_a) at full turgor constituted about 15% in leaf No 7. ε was maximum at full turgor and varied from about 11 to 34 MPa. ε tended to be higher in high K plants. Conclusively, in fully watered plants an ontogenetically determined accumulation of solutes (probably organic as discussed) occurred in the leaves independent of K application. The main effect of high K application on water relations was an increase in leaf water content and a slight decrease in leaf ψ_π. The effect of K status on growth and drought resistance is discussed.     

Flagella of a chrysophycean alga play an active role in prey capture and selection

Summary The flagella of the pigmented algaEpipyxis pulchra (Chrysophyceae) were observed with image enhanced video microscopy to play an active role in gathering, physically seizing and selecting prey prior to phagocytosis. Vegetative unicells of this sessile, freshwater species possess two structurally and functionally distinct flagella, both active in feeding. During prey gathering the long flagellum, which is adorned with stiff hairs, beats rapidly to direct a strong water current towards the cell while the short, smooth flagellum moves very little. When a potential food particle is drawn by the current to contact the flagellar surfaces, the long flagellum stops beating and positions itself, in concert with the short flagellum, to seize the prey between them. Both flagella then briefly rotate the prey before selecting or rejecting it. If rejected, the particle is discarded by the coordinated activity of both flagella. If selected as food, the prey is held in place until a complex collecting cup emanates out from a position near the basal bodies and engulfs it. The cup plus enclosed food particle, now a food vacuole, is then retracted back to the cell proper.     

Selenium in the central nervous system of rats exposed to 75-Sel-selenomethionine and sodium selenite

The aim of the present study is to investigate the accumulation and retention of organic and inorganic selenium in the central nervous system (CNS) of the rat. Selenium accumulation was investigated after oral treatment (3.0 mg Se/L drinking water) or ip injection (1.7 mg Se/kg body wt) of rats exposed to 75-Se L-selenomethionine (SeMeth) or sodium selenite (NaSe). Significant higher concentrations were observed after exposure to organic compared to inorganic selenium after oral as well as ip administration. Highest concentrations in both experiments were observed in cerebellum followed by the nearly identical levels in the cerebral hemisphere and spinal cord independent of the chemical form of selenium or the route of administration. The difference in concentrations observed between the different parts of the CNS investigated in each group were, however, not significant. Retention of selenium in the CNS was investigated after a single ip injection (1.7 mg Se/kg body wt) of 75-Se SeMeth or NaSe. In both groups, we observed an initial fast excretion phase followed by a slower excretion phase resembling a first-order reaction. Organic selenium disappeared much slower from all parts of the central nervous system compared to NaSe after a single injection.     

Neuropeptide Y modulates the action of vasodilator agents in guinea-pig epicardial coronary arteries

Recently, we have demonstrated that guinea-pig epicardial coronary arteries are supplied by numerous nerve fibres containing neuropeptide Y (NPY) immunoreactivity. However, examination of vasomotor responses revealed that NPY did not elicit a contractile response in these arteries. In contrast, acetylcholine (ACh), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) all relaxed precontracted arteries. In the present study, we have used histochemical, immunohistochemical and in vitro pharmacological techniques, in order to further investigate the possible role of NPY in guinea-pig epicardial coronary arteries. A double-immunofluorescence staining technique revealed that CGRP and substance P were co-localized in nerve fibres distinct from those displaying NPY immunoreactivity. Furthermore, using a method combining immunofluorescence and histochemical techniques, we observed that putative cholinergic nerve fibres (identified by their acetylcholinesterase content) and NPY-immunoreactive nerve fibres are two different nerve populations. An in vitro pharmacological method demonstrated that NPY markedly inhibited the relaxant responses mediated by ACh, VIP, substance P and isoprenaline but had no effect on CGRP. These results suggest that NPY-containing nerves associated with guinea-pig epicardial coronary arteries may be predominantly involved in modulating the action of vasodilator agents.     

Protoclonal variation of plant regeneration in rice

Protoplasts were isolated from callus derived from a single homozygous seed of Oryza sativa L. var. Norin 8. Thirty protoclones were randomly selected and these showed variation in regeneration frequency ranging from 0–87% with an average of 52%. The potential for regeneration of each protoclone as reflected in the regeneration frequency was analyzed five times over a period of 250 days and showed that the protoclones can be classified into three types, namely: protoclones with high regeneration frequency; protoclones with low regeneration frequency, both of which maintained their respective levels of regeneration potential; and protoclones with gradually decreasing regeneration frequency. Secondary protoclones established from protoplasts isolated from some of these protoclones and regenerated 2–3 times for a period of 120 days also showed further reduction in regeneration frequency. The polypeptide composition analyzed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis suggests the presence of specific polypeptides related to regeneration potential. Analysis of ploidy level based on plant morphology and pollen size suggests the predominance of tetraploids among the regenerated plants.     

Induction of beta-1,3-glucanase in barley in response to infection by fungal pathogens.

The sequence of a partial cDNA clone corresponding to an mRNA induced in leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare) by infection with fungal pathogens matched almost perfectly with that of a cDNA clone coding for beta-1,-3-glucanase isolated from the scutellum of barley. Western blot analysis of intercellular proteins from near-isogenic barley lines inoculated with the powdery mildew fungus (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei) showed a strong induction of glucanase in all inoculated lines but was most pronounced in two resistant lines. These data were confirmed by beta-1,3-glucanase assays. The barley cDNA was used as a hybridization probe to detect mRNAs in barley, wheat (Triticum aestivum), rice (oryza sativus), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), which are induced by infection with the necrotrophic pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana. These results demonstrate that activation of beta-1,3-glucanase genes may be a general response of cereals to infection by fungal pathogens.     

Flexibility in the donor substrate specificity of {beta} 1,4-galactosyltransferase: application in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates

Biosynthetically, bovine N-acetylglucosainine ß 1,4-galacto-syltransferase(GalT) catalyses the transfer of galactosyl residues from UDP-Galto the 4-position of GlcNAc units, resulting in the productionof N-acetyllactosamine sequences. UDP-Glc and UDP-GalNAc werealso found to act as donors for this enzyme, allowing the preparationof ßGlc(14)-ßGlcNAc and ßGalNAc(14)ßGlcNActerminating structures on the milligram scale. GalT could thusbe used to add ßGalNAc to ßGlcNAc(12)Manterminating structures, converting them to the ßGalNAc(14)ßGlcNAc(12)Mansequences found on glycoprotein hormones. GalT did not transferGlcNAc residues from UDP-GlcNAc, but it could utilize UDP-GlcNH₂as a donor. Synthesis of ßGlcNAc(14)ßGlcNAcsequences could therefore be accomplished by transfer of GlcNH₂from its UDP derivative, followed by N-acetylation of the productamino-disaccharide using acetic anhydride in methanol. The productsof the enzymatic reactions were characterized by ¹H-NMR-spectroscopyand fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry. This work expandsthe scope of the combined chemical-enzymatic synthesis of complexcarbohydrates, using glycosyltrans-ferases, to the productionof oligosaccharides different from those for which these enzymeswere designed. These unnatural reactions should find applicationin glycoprotein and glycolipid remodelling. galactosyltransferase chemica1-enzymatic synthesis of oligosaccharides oligosaccharide analogues sugar-nucleotide analogues carbohydrate remodelling