Effects of Simulated Acid Rain on Anatomy of Primary Leaves of Phaseolus Vulgaris

Ten-days-old bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. Cheren Starozagorski) were treated with simulated acid rain (pH 2.4, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.8). Anatomical changes in the primary leaves were studied 3, 48 and 168 h after a single treatment. This treatment induced: 1) change in the shape of palisade cells, contraction of their contact surfaces and expansion of spongy cells (pH 1.8, 3 h after treatment); 2) reduction of symplast connections among palisade cells and of apoplast in the spongy mesophyll (pH 1.8, 48 h after treatment); 3) destruction of adaxial epidermis and portions of palisade mesophyll, plasmolysis of spongy cells (pH 1.8, 168 h after treatment); 4) full destruction of mesophyll (pH 2.4, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.8, 168 h after treatment). The structure of abaxial epidermis was more stable than that of the adaxial one. With respect to anatomical parameters the studied species could be considered as comparatively resistant to acid rain.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">ATHB23</Emphasis>, an <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> class I homeodomain-leucine zipper gene,is expressed in the adaxial region of young leaves

Homeobox genes are essential regulators of plant development. ATHB23, a class I homeodomain leucine zipper gene of Arabidopsis, was found to be induced by treatment with the phytohormone gibberellin (GA). In order to clarify its role in development, we performed a histochemical analysis of transgenic plants containing a construct with a GUS::GFP reporter under the control of the 1.5 kb upstream region of ATHB23. The construct was mainly expressed in young leaves and the styles of flowers but not in mature leaves. Microscopic examination of young leaves revealed that it was expressed in the adaxial domain of leaf primordia and the rib meristem. Expression of ATHB23, like that of GA5 encoding GA 20-oxidase, was reduced in mutants related to adaxial-abaxial leaf polarity (phb-1d, se-2, and kan1 kan2). Reduced expression of the GUS::GFP reporter gene was also observed in an se-2 background. These results indicate that ATHB23 is under the control of GA and other activators such as PHB, and is involved in establishing polarity during leaf development.     

Hedgehog signaling is required for commitment but not initial induction of slow muscle precursors

In the embryonic mouse retina, retinoic acid (RA) is unevenly distributed along the dorsoventral axis: RA-rich zones in dorsal and ventral retina are separated by a horizontal RA-poor stripe that contains the RA-inactivating enzyme CYP26A1. To explore the developmental role of this arrangement, we studied formation of the retina and its projections in Cyp26a1 null-mutant mice. Expression of several dorsoventral markers was not affected, indicating that CYP26A1 is not required for establishing the dorsoventral retina axis. Analysis of the mutation on a RA-reporter mouse background confirmed, as expected, that the RA-poor stripe was missing in the retina and its projections at the time when the optic axons first grow over the diencephalon. A day later, however, a gap appeared both in retina and retinofugal projections. As explanation, we found that CYP26C1, another RA-degrading enzyme, had emerged centrally in a narrower domain within the RA-poor stripe. While RA applications increased retinal Cyp26a1 expression, they slightly reduced Cyp26c1. These observations indicate that the two enzymes function independently. The safeguard of the RA-poor stripe by two distinct enzymes during later development points to a role in maturation of a significant functional feature like an area of higher visual acuity that develops at its location.     

Gas Exchange and Epidermal Characteristics of Miscanthus Populations in Taiwan Varying with Habitats and Nitrogen Application

Seventeen clones of C₄ grass Miscanthus spp. collected from different climatic regions and elevations of Taiwan were transplanted in pots. 15–16 months after collection the plants received 0, 1, and 2 g of nitrogen fertiliser (N₀, N₁, and N₂, respectively) per pot. All the measurements were done 10–12 d after N application. The relationships between net photosynthetic rate (P _N) and photon flux density (PFD) showed a saturated curve, with PFD saturation at about 1 000 µmol m^–2 s^–1. The ranges of PFD saturated P _N (P _sat) for all the tested clones with N₀, N₁, and N₂ were 8–16, 11–18, and 12–21 µmol m^–2 s^–1, respectively. The clones from southern Taiwan, a tropical region, showed the highest P _sat, followed by the clones from northern Taiwan, a subtropical region, while those from mountainous area showed the lowest P _sat. The clones collected from southern Taiwan showed the highest frequency of stomata on the adaxial surface, and those collected from the high mountainous area showed the lowest frequency. Also the adaxial surface of leaves from the higher mountainous area had more wax deposited than the leaves from the lowland. Thus the low P _sat in mountain clones is limited by both stomatal and non-stomatal factors. Further, the lower leaf conductance and different epidermal characteristics of mountain clones might prevent excessive loss of heat through transpiration and provide production against ultraviolet-B radiation.     

广西泥盆纪早埃姆斯期郁江组Heterophaulactis Yu,1974的再研究

Heterophaulactis Yu是作者建立并发表于1974年的一四射珊瑚属,产自广西郁江沿岸、南宁至六景一带的泥盆纪郁江组,其时代属早埃姆斯期牙形刺kitabacus带(前dehiscens带)。对此珊瑚属再行研究,是出于:1)发表在中国南方泥盆系的新进展一文,是与其它门类化石共同作为划分和对比地层的化石依据,只限于中文简短描述,对化石图影的展示也有严格的数量限制。尽管此属己被收录在Hill(1981)主编的古生物专论的珊瑚分册中,也只是简短的英文描述和有限的图影,未能充分展示其骨骼演变特征;2)此属的分类位置、科的归属及与相关属的属征比较与讨论,当初均未交待,应予阐明;3)Heterophaulactis属的地理分布广,遍及滇桂两省,通过再研究,其产地已扩展至中国西北地区;其地层分布又有一定的时限性,在广西仅限于郁江组下部的石州段,时代为kitaba-cus带,其它地区也仅见于下泥盆统。文中对Heterophaulactis属的模式种,Heterophaulactis semicrassa的骨骼特征及个体发育过程中的演变均作详细的英文描述和图影展示;与相关属比较之后,认为与本属关系最为密切的是产于西秦岭山区下泥盆统、发表在西北区化石图册上的有些属种,其中的有些属种可以归于本属。文中还记述一新建种Heterophaulactis yujiangense sp.nov.。文章对Heterophaulactis的分类位置和科的归属也有详细比较讨论,认为它是源出自志留纪Pycnactis—Phaulactis的演化序列,应归属于Lykophyllidae Wedekind,1927科。对Miroelasmatinae Cao,1983亚科的原始定义作全面修订后,把它归为Lykophyllidae Wedekind,1927科下的一个亚科;在对化石图册及相关文献上记述的产自西秦岭区下泥盆统四射珊瑚属种的全面修订之前,暂把以下各属置于此亚科:Heterophaulactis Yu,Miroelasma Cao,Qinlingophyllum Cao,Wenxianophyllum Cao,Protaulacophy-llum Cao,Bethanyphyllum sensu Cao,Aulacophyllum sensu Cao和Aulacophyllum sensu Zhang。     

A molecular mechanism that confines the activity pattern of miR165 in Arabidopsis leaf primordia

In Arabidopsis leaf primordia, the expression of HD‐Zip III, which promotes tissue differentiation on the adaxial side of the leaf primordia, is repressed by miRNA165/166 (miR165/166). Small RNAs, including miRNAs, can move from cell to cell. In this study, HD‐Zip III expression was strikingly repressed by miR165/166 in the epidermis and parenchyma cells on the abaxial side of the leaf primordia compared with those on the adaxial side. We also found that the MIR165A locus, which was expressed in the abaxial epidermis, was sufficient to establish the rigid repression pattern of HD‐Zip III expression in the leaf primordia. Ectopic expression analyses of MIR165A showed that the abaxial‐biased miR165 activity in the leaf primordia was formed neither by a polarized distribution of factors affecting miR165 activity nor by a physical boundary inhibiting the cell‐to‐cell movement of miRNA between the adaxial and abaxial sides. We revealed that cis‐acting factors, including the promoter, backbone, and mature miRNA sequence of MIR165A, are necessary for the abaxial‐biased activity of miR165 in the leaf primordia. We also found that the abaxial‐determining genes YABBYs are trans‐acting factors that are necessary for the miR165 activity pattern, resulting in the rigid determination of the adaxial–abaxial boundary in leaf primordia. Thus, we proposed a molecular mechanism in which the abaxial‐biased patterning of miR165 activity is confined.     

Effects of Salicylic Acid on the Structure of Second Leaves of Hordeum Vulgare L.

The structure and ultrastructure of the second leaves of 10-d-old barley plants (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Alfa) was investigated after long-term treatment with salicylic acid (SA) in concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mM. The treatment induced: 1) suppressed bulliform cells formation in the adaxial epidermis (1.0 mM SA); 2) reduction of apoplast in the mesophyll (0.5 and 1.0 mM SA); 3) formation of invaginations (0.1 and 0.5 mM SA) and proliferations (0.5 mM SA); and 4) thylakoid destruction and coagulation of the stroma (1.0 mM SA).     

中国剪股颖属部分种叶下表皮微形态的研究

用光学显微镜对中国剪股颖属植物14种及1变种叶下表皮微形态特征进行了研究.结果显示:(1)剪股颖属植物叶下表皮长细胞多为长筒形,副卫细胞为平行形,脉上常见刺细胞,脉间有刺细胞或无或偶见,脉间具有短细胞或缺如;脉上硅细胞大多为结节形.(2)种间叶表皮的差异主要表现在脉间长细胞的形状及细胞壁的平直与否,气孔器分布的列数,脉间短细胞的有无,脉间刺细胞的有无,表明叶下表皮的差异可以作为种间的分类依据.(3)叶下表皮微形态的证据不支持山东剪股颖(Agrostis shandongensis F.Z.Li)作为玉山剪股颖(A.infirma Büse.)的异名处理,支持山东剪股颖和昆嵛山剪股颖(A.transmorrisonensis Hayata var.kunyushanensis F.Z.Li)的成立.并对昆嵛山剪股颖重新命名为[A.sozanensis Hayata var.kunyushanensis(F.Z.Li)F.Z.Li & C.M.Xu].