Response of rice (Oryza sativa) with root surface iron plaque under aluminium stress

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Rice (Oryza sativa) is an aquatic plant with a characteristic of forming iron plaque on its root surfaces. It is considered to be the most Al-tolerant species among the cereal crops. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of root surface iron plaque on Al translocation, accumulation and the change of physiological responses under Al stress in rice in the presence of iron plaque. METHODS: The japonica variety rice, Koshihikari, was used in this study and was grown hydroponically in a growth chamber. Iron plaque was induced by exposing the rice roots to 30 mg L(-1) ferrous iron either as Fe(II)-EDTA in nutrient solution (6 d, Method I) or as FeSO(4) in water solution (12 h, Method II). Organic acid in root exudates was retained in the anion-exchange resin and eluted with 2 m HCl, then analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after proper pre-treatment. Fe and Al in iron plaque were extracted with DCB (dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate) solution. KEY RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Both methods (I and II) could induce the formation of iron plaque on rice root surfaces. The amounts of DCB-extractable Fe and Al on root surfaces were much higher in the presence of iron plaque than in the absence of iron plaque. Al contents in root tips were significantly decreased with iron plaque; translocation of Al from roots to shoots was significantly reduced with iron plaque. Al-induced secretion of citrate was observed and iron plaque could greatly depress this citrate secretion. These results suggested that iron plaque on rice root surfaces can be a sink to sequester Al onto the root surfaces and Fe ions can pre-saturate Al-binding sites in root tips, which protects the rice root tips from suffering Al stress to a certain extent.     

Chaperone-Like Activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis> Hsp16.3 Does Not Require Its Intact (Native) Structures

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) were found to exhibit efficient chaperone-like activities under stress conditions although their native structures are severely disturbed. Here, using an alternative approach (site-directed mutagenesis), we obtained two structurally and functionally distinct Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hsp16.3 single-site mutant proteins. The G59W mutant protein (with Gly59 substituted by Trp) is capable of exhibiting efficient chaperone-like activity even under non-stress conditions although its secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures are very different from that of the wild type protein. By contrast, the G59A mutant protein (with Gly59 substituted by Ala) resembles with the wild type protein in structure and function. These observations suggest that the Gly59 of the Hsp16.3 protein is critical for its folding and assembly. In particular, we propose that the exhibition of chaperone-like activity for Hsp16.3 does not require its intact (native) structures but requires the disturbance of its native structures (i.e., the native structure-disturbed Hsp16.3 retains its chaperone-like activity or even becomes more active). In addition, the behavior of such an active mutant protein (G59W) also strongly supports our previous suggestion that Hsp16.3 exhibits chaperone-like activity via oligomeric dissociation.     

Identification and characterization of FHL3 as a novel angiogenin-binding partner

Angiogenin (Ang) is known to induce cell proliferation and inhibit apoptosis by cellular signaling pathways and by direct nuclear functions of Ang, but the mechanism of action for Ang is not yet clear. The aim of present study was to identify novel binding partner of Ang and to explore the underlying mechanism. With the use of yeast two-hybrid screening system, Ang was used as the bait to screen human fetal hepatic cDNA library for interacting proteins. Four and a half LIM domains 3 (FHL3) was identified as a novel Ang binding partner. The interaction between Ang and the full length FHL3 was further confirmed by yeast two-hybrid assay, co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. Furthermore, FHL3 was required for Ang-mediated HeLa cell proliferation and nuclear translocation of Ang. These findings suggest that the interaction between Ang and FHL3 may provide some clues to the mechanisms of Ang-regulated cell growth and apoptosis.     

胸腺素α原体外诱导小鼠胸腺细胞凋亡的初步探讨

胸腺细胞经ProTα和/或氢化考的松处理以后,采用PI染色法检测亚二倍体细胞百分率、荧光光度计检测细胞内游离Ca~(2 )浓度及琼脂糖凝胶电泳定性检验DNA片段化。结果发现单独或与氢化考的松联合应用,ProTα均可明显促进DNA片断化、提高亚二倍体细胞百分率并且也明显提高细胞内游离Ca~(2 )浓度。本实验说明ProTα能促进胸腺细胞的凋亡。     

基于开发区规划环评的土地资源承载力评价

土地资源承载力评价是规划环境影响评价的重点,是决定规划是否可以实施的重要依据.基于地理信息系统技术的空间分析功能,选取高程、坡度、土地利用现状、距居民点距离、距主要交通道路距离和距环境敏感区距离作为敏感因子,综合评价了漳州招商局经济技术开发区生态敏感性程度及其空间分布状况,并将评价结果与用地布局规划图叠加进行生态适宜性分析.结果表明： 研究区84.0%的居住用地、93.1%的工业用地、86.0%的交通用地和760%的其他建设用地处于非敏感区和一般敏感区,用地规划实施总体上对区域陆域生态环境造成的影响较小,规划区内土地资源可以满足规划用地需求.以生态用地为约束条件进行人口承载力评价的结果表明,高度敏感区和60%的中度敏感区可视为生态用地,开发区规划期内人口规模为24.0万,区域人均用地可达134.0 m2,该人口规划规模适宜,符合相关建设用地标准.     

C.elegans野生型和par突变体早期胚胎卵裂的观察

不对称分裂在动植物的发育中起到了非常重要的作用。Caenorhabditis elegans（C．elegans）胚胎最早的两次卵裂为研究控制不对称分裂的机制提供了很好的机会。用普通光学显微镜观察了野生型胚胎早期卵裂和par-1、par-2、par-3、par-4突变体胚胎的早期卵裂。野生型胚胎最早的分裂是不等的,产生了两个不同大小的子细胞。两个子细胞又以不同的方向进行第二次分裂。在C．elegans中任意一个par基因的缺失会使胚胎的第一次卵裂丧失不对称性。这会导致一些发育调控因子不能在特定的胚胎细胞中准确地定位,造成细胞分裂纺锤体方向的异常。par类基因参与不对称性的建立,这种不对称性决定了C．elegans身体的前后轴。     

Characterization of Chrysanthemum ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2, homologous genes of SOC1

The MADS-box gene SOC1/TM3 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1/ Tomato MADS-box gene 3) is a main integrator in the Arabidopsis flowering pathway; its structure and function are highly conserved in many plant species. SOC1-like genes have been isolated in chrysanthemum, one of the most well-known ornamental plants, but it has not been well characterized thus far. We isolated and characterized ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2, two putative orthologs of Arabidopsis SOC1, from the wild diploid chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium, to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of flowering time control in chrysanthemum. Expression analysis indicated that ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 were expressed in all examined organs/tissues (leaves, shoot apices, petioles, stems and roots) with different expression levels, and with high expression in the shoot apices and leaves during the early stage of floral transition. The expression levels of ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 in the shoot apices increased at different developmental stages with the highest expression levels after 7 days of short-day treatment. Overexpression of ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 in wild-type Arabidopsis resulted in early flowering, which was coupled with the upregulation of one of the flowering promoter genes LEAFY. Our results suggested that the ClSOC1-1 and ClSOC1-2 genes play an evolutionarily conserved role in promoting flowering in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium and could serve as a vital target for the genetic manipulation of flowering time in the chrysanthemum.