The transmission of gas pressure to xylem fluid pressure when plants are inside a pressure bomb

In earlier work tobacco leaves were placed in a Scholander-Hammel pressure bomb and the end of the petiole sealed with a pressure transducer in order to measure pressure transmission from the compressed gas (Pg) in the bomb to the xylem fluid (Px). Pressure bomb theory would predict a 1:1 relationship for Pg:Px when tobacco leaves start at a balance pressure of zero. Failure to observe the expected 1:1 relationship has cast doubt on the pressure-bomb technique in the measurement of the xylem pressure of plants. The experimental and theoretical relationship between Px and Pg was investigated in Tsuga canadensis (L) branches and Nicotiana rustica (L) leaves in this paper. It is concluded that the non 1:1 outcome was due to the compression of air bubbles in embolized xylem vessels, evaporation of water from the tissue, and the expansion of the sealed stem segment (or petiole) protruding beyond the seal of the pressure bomb. The expected 1:1 relationship could be obtained when xylem embolism was eliminated and stem expansion prevented. It is argued that the non 1:1 relationship in the positive pressure range does not invalidate the Scholander pressure bomb method of measuring xylem pressure in plants because Px never reaches positive values during the determination of the balance pressure.     

Cigarette smoke-induced accumulation of lung dendritic cells is interleukin-1α-dependent in mice

Background

Evidence suggests that dendritic cells accumulate in the lungs of COPD patients and correlate with disease severity. We investigated the importance of IL-1R1 and its ligands IL-1α and β to dendritic cell accumulation and maturation in response to cigarette smoke exposure.

Methods

Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke using a whole body smoke exposure system. IL-1R1-, TLR4-, and IL-1α-deficient mice, as well as anti-IL-1α and anti-IL-1β blocking antibodies were used to study the importance of IL-1R1 and TLR4 to dendritic cell accumulation and activation.

Results

Acute and chronic cigarette smoke exposure led to increased frequency of lung dendritic cells. Accumulation and activation of dendritic cells was IL-1R1/IL-1α dependent, but TLR4- and IL-1β-independent. Corroborating the cellular data, expression of CCL20, a potent dendritic cells chemoattractant, was IL-1R1/IL-1α-dependent. Studies using IL-1R1 bone marrow-chimeric mice revealed the importance of IL-1R1 signaling on lung structural cells for CCL20 expression. Consistent with the importance of dendritic cells in T cell activation, we observed decreased CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell activation in cigarette smoke-exposed IL-1R1-deficient mice.

Conclusion

Our findings convey the importance of IL-1R1/IL-1α to the recruitment and activation of dendritic cells in response to cigarette smoke exposure.     

Functional normalization of 450k methylation array data improves replication in large cancer studies

We propose an extension to quantile normalization that removes unwanted technical variation using control probes. We adapt our algorithm, functional normalization, to the Illumina 450k methylation array and address the open problem of normalizing methylation data with global epigenetic changes, such as human cancers. Using data sets from The Cancer Genome Atlas and a large case–control study, we show that our algorithm outperforms all existing normalization methods with respect to replication of results between experiments, and yields robust results even in the presence of batch effects. Functional normalization can be applied to any microarray platform, provided suitable control probes are available.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-014-0503-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Cavitation fatigue in conifers: a study on eight European species

After drought-induced embolism and repair, tree xylem may be weakened against future drought events (cavitation fatigue). As there are few data on cavitation fatigue in conifers available, we quantified vulnerability curves (VCs) after embolism/repair cycles on eight European conifer species. We induced 50% and 100% loss of conductivity (LC) with a cavitron, and analyzed VCs. Embolism repair was obtained by vacuum infiltration. All species demonstrated complete embolism repair and a lack of any cavitation fatigue after 50% LC . After 100% LC, European larch (Larix decidua), stone pine (Pinus cembra), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and silver fir (Abies alba) remained unaffected, while mountain pine (Pinus mugo), yew (Taxus baccata), and common juniper (Juniperus communis) exhibited 0.4–0.9 MPa higher vulnerability to embolism. A small cavitation fatigue observed in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) was probably biased by incomplete embolism repair, as indicated by a correlation of vulnerability shifts and conductivity restoration. Our data demonstrate that cavitation fatigue in conifers is species-specific and depends on the intensity of preceding LC. The lack of fatigue effects after moderate LC, and relevant effects in only three species after high LC, indicate that conifers are relatively resistant against cavitation fatigue. This is remarkable considering the complex and delicate conifer pit architecture and may be important considering climate change projections.     

Impact of simulated herbivory on water relations of aspen (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus tremuloides</Emphasis>) seedlings: the role of new tissue in the hydraulic conductivity recovery cycle

Physiological mechanisms behind plant–herbivore interactions are commonly approached as input–output systems where the role of plant physiology is viewed as a black box. Studies evaluating impacts of defoliation on plant physiology have mostly focused on changes in photosynthesis while the overall impact on plant water relations is largely unknown. Stem hydraulic conductivity (k _h), stem specific conductivity (k _s), percent loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC), CO₂ assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance (g _s) were measured on well-irrigated 1-month-old Populus tremuloides (Michx.) defoliated and control seedlings until complete refoliation. PLC values of defoliated seedlings gradually increased during the refoliation process despite them being kept well irrigated. k _s of defoliated seedlings gradually decreased during refoliation. PLC and k _s values of control seedlings remained constant during refoliation. k _s of new stems, leaf specific conductivity and A of leaves grown from new stems in defoliated and control seedlings were not significantly different, but g _s was higher in defoliated than in control seedlings. The gradual increase of PLC and decrease of k _s values in old stems after defoliation was unexpected under well-irrigated conditions, but appeared to have little impact on new stems formed after defoliation. The gradual loss of conductivity measured during the refoliation process under well-irrigated conditions suggests that young seedlings of P. tremuloides may be more susceptible to cavitation after herbivore damage under drought conditions.     

How old is this mutation? - a study of three Ashkenazi Jewish founder mutations

Background

Several founder mutations leading to increased risk of cancer among Ashkenazi Jewish individuals have been identified, and some estimates of the age of the mutations have been published. A variety of different methods have been used previously to estimate the age of the mutations. Here three datasets containing genotype information near known founder mutations are reanalyzed in order to compare three approaches for estimating the age of a mutation. The methods are: (a) the single marker method used by Risch et al., (1995); (b) the intra-allelic coalescent model known as DMLE, and (c) the Goldgar method proposed in Neuhausen et al. (1996), and modified slightly by our group. The three mutations analyzed were MSH2*1906 G->C, APC*I1307K, and BRCA2*6174delT.

Results

All methods depend on accurate estimates of inter-marker recombination rates. The modified Goldgar method allows for marker mutation as well as recombination, but requires prior estimates of the possible haplotypes carrying the mutation for each individual. It does not incorporate population growth rates. The DMLE method simultaneously estimates the haplotypes with the mutation age, and builds in the population growth rate. The single marker estimates, however, are more sensitive to the recombination rates and are unstable. Mutation age estimates based on DMLE are 16.8 generations for MSH2 (95% credible interval (13, 23)), 106 generations for I1037K (86-129), and 90 generations for 6174delT (71-114).

Conclusions

For recent founder mutations where marker mutations are unlikely to have occurred, both DMLE and the Goldgar method can give good results. Caution is necessary for older mutations, especially if the effective population size may have remained small for a long period of time.

     

Diffusion and Electric Mobility of Ions within Isolated Cuticles of Citrus aurantium: Steady-State and Equilibrium Values

We report a new method for measuring cation and anion permeability across cuticles of sour orange, Citrus aurantium, leaves. The method requires the measurement of two electrical parameters: the diffusion potential arising when the two sides of the cuticle are bathed in unequal concentrations of a Cl⁻ salt; and the electrical conductance of the cuticle measured at a salt concentration equal to the average of that used in the diffusion-potential measurement. The permeabilities of H⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and Cs⁺ ranged from 2 × 10⁻⁸ to 0.6 × 10⁻⁸ meters per second when cuticles were bathed in 2 moles per cubic meter Cl⁻ salts. The permeability of Cl⁻ was 3 × 10⁻⁹ meters per second. The permeability of Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺ was about five times less when measured in 500 moles per cubic meter Cl⁻ salts. We also report an asymmetry in cuticle-conductance values depending on the magnitude and the direction of current flow. The asymmetry disappears at low current-pulse magnitude and increases linearly with the magnitude of the current pulse. This phenomenon is explained in terms of transport-number effects in a bilayer model of the cuticle. Conductance is not augmented by current carried by exchangeable cations in cuticles; conductance is rate limited by the outer waxy layer of the cuticle.     

Stem hydraulic conductance of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) grown in elevated CO2

Over two seasons in c. 600 ppm CO₂, oak had lower stomatal conductancein CO₂-enriched compared to amblent air. Beech showed no responseto CO₂ concentration on sunny days. Mirroring this pattern,exposure to elevated CO₂ reduced whole-shoot hydraulic conductanceper unit leaf area in oak, but not in beech. Key words: Climate change, Fagaceae, gas exchange, trees, water relations     

Branch sacrifice: cavitation-associated drought adaptation of riparian cottonwoods

In their native riparian zones (floodplains), Populus deltoides (prairie cottonwood) and P. fremontii (Fremont cottonwood) commonly experience substantial branch die-back. These trees occur in semi-arid areas of North America and unexpectedly given the dry regions, they are exceptionally vulnerable to xylem cavitation, drought-induced air embolism of xylem vessels. We propose that the vulnerability to cavitation and branch die-back are physiologically linked; drought-induced cavitation underlies branch die-back that reduces transpirational demand enabling the remaining shoot to maintain a favorable water balance. This proposal follows field observation along various western North American rivers as precocious branch senescence, the yellowing and death of leaves on particular branches during mid- to late summer, was common for P. deltoides and P. fremontii during hot and dry periods of low stream-flow. Branches displaying precocious senescence were subsequently dead the following year. The proposed association between cavitation, precocious senescence and branch die-back is also supported by experiments involving external pressurization of branches to about 2.5 MPa with a branch collar or through an adjacent cut-branch. The treatments induced xylem cavitation and increased leaf diffusive resistance (stomatal closure) that was followed by leaf senescence and branch death of P. deltoides. P. trichocarpa (black cottonwood) appeared to be less affected by the pressurization treatment and this species as well P. angustifolia (narrowleaf cottonwood) and P. balsamifera (balsam poplar) seldom display the patchy summer branch senescence typical of P. deltoides and P. fremontii. ’Branch sacrifice’ describes this cavitation-associated senescence and branch die-back that may provide a drought adaptation for the prairie and Fremont cottonwoods. Received: 13 May 1999 / Accepted: 4 November 1999