The influence of calcium and pH on growth in primary roots of Zea mays

Hasenstein, K. H. and Evans, M. L. 1988. The influence of calcium and pH on growth in primary roots of Zea mays. - Physiol. Plant. 72: 466–470.
We investigated the interaction of Ca²⁺ and pH on root elongation in Zea mays L. cv. B73 × Missouri 17 and cv. Merit. Seedlings were raised to contain high levels of Ca²⁺ (HC, imbibed and raised in 10 m M CaCl₂) or low levels of Ca²⁺ (LC, imbibed and raised in distilled water). In HC roots, lowering the pH (5 m M MES/Tris) from 6.5 to 4.5 resulted in strong, long-lasting growth promotion. Surprisingly, increasing the pH from 6.5 to 8.5 also resulted in strong growth promotion. In LC roots acidification of the medium (pH 6.5 to 4.5) resulted in transient growth stimulation followed by a gradual decline in the growth rate toward zero. Exposure of LC roots to high pH (pH shift from 6.5 to 8.5) also promoted growth. Addition of EGTA resulted in strong growth promotion in both LC and HC roots. The ability of EGTA to stimulate growth appeared not to be related to H⁺ release from EGTA upon Ca²⁺ chelation since, 1) LC roots showed a strong and prolonged response to EGTA, but only a transient response to acid pH, and 2) promotion of growth by EGTA was observed in strongly buffered solutions. We also examined the pH dependence of the release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from roots of 3-day-old seedlings grown from grains imbibed in ⁴⁵Ca²⁺. Release of ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the root into agar blocks placed on the root surface was greater the more acidic the pH of the blocks. The results indicate that Ca²⁺ may be necessary for the acid growth response in roots.     

酸雨对翅荚木的生理反应及其机理的研究

本文指出了酸雨对翅荚木细胞透性、pH值、等电点、耐酸力均有显著的影响。其影响是随酸雨pH值的下降和浸没时间的延长而增加。发芽种子的抗坏血酸氧化酶、多酚氧化酶的活性,呼吸强度和可溶性糖、粗脂肪和蛋白质的含量,也是随酸雨pH值的下降而降低。叶绿素总量、叶绿素a,b和a/b的比值,pH 5处理与对照无差异,低于pH4以下的处理叶绿素a含量则大幅度减少。叶绿素b含量则较稳定。根系的活力也是随酸雨pH值下降而急剧减少。酸雨对翅荚木种子的发芽率、出苗率及胚和幼苗的生长,都表现有不同程度的抑制效应,酸雨对叶片的伤害,也是随酸雨pH值的降低、喷洒次数的增多和浸没时间的延长而加重。     

Requirements for plant regeneration from protoplasts of the shrubby ornamental honeysuckle,Lonicera nitida cv. Maigrun

Leaf protoplasts of axenic shoot cultures of Lonicera nitida cv Maigrun underwent sustained division to give multicellular colonies (microcalli) on a modified, ammonium-free MS (Murashige & Skoog) medium containing 0.5 mg l^-1 NAA (1-naphthaleneacetic acid), 1.0 mg l^-1 BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) and 150 mg l^-1 casein enzymatic hydrolysate. Callus was produced upon transfer of cell colonies to MS medium with 2.0 mg l^-1 NAA and 0.2 mg l^-1 BAP. About 110 days from isolation protoplast-derived shoots were regenerated on a half-strength MS medium with 0.01 mg l^-1 NAA, 5.0 mg l^-1 BAP, 0.5 mg l^-1 zeatin and a complex mixture of group B vitamins. The replacement of such mixture by 250 mg l^-1 casein enzymatic hydrolysate promoted rhizogenesis in calli, with shoot buds being subsequently regenerated from the protoplast-derived roots. Micropropagation of protoplast-derived shoots (of either origin) was difficult, due to a strong apical dominance, but could be accomplished by transferring single-node explants to half-strength MS medium with 1.5 mg l^-1 BAP. Such shoots were, in turn, successfully rooted and transferred to the glasshouse where they completed acclimatization.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - CPW Power et al. (1989) medium - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - FDA fluorescein diacetate - F.P.E. final plating efficiency - f.wt. fresh weight - IAA 4-indole-3yl-acetic acid - IBA 4-indole-3yl-butyric acid - I.P.E. initial plating efficiency - MES 2-N-morpholinoethane sulfonic acid - M.P.E. intermediate plating efficiency - MS Murashige & Skoog (1962) medium - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - PVP-10 polyvinylpirrolidone - Av MW 10,000, TIBA 2,3,5-tri-iodobenzoic acid - Z zeatin     

Cu~(2+),Cu~(2+)/Vit C对亚油酸过氧化起动机理的ESR研究

本文直接用亚油酸为材料,利用ESR自旋捕集技术和紫外分光技术,分别检测了脂质过氧化反应过程中产生的中间自由基产物L·和共轭二烯结构,对Cu~(2+),Cu~(2+)/Vit C起动脂质过氧化反应的机理进行了研究。结果表明:Vit C自由基,Cu~(2+),Cu~+都不能起动纯的亚油酸的过氧化;Cu~(2+),Cu~+可以使含有部分过氧化成份的亚油酸继续氧化。     

Utilization of carbon and nitrogen sources and acid/alkali production by cowpea rhizobia

Summary Sixteen slow-growing strains of rhizobia (15 cowpea rhizobia and oneR. japonicum) were examined to determine the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on acid/alkali production in culture media. We found that the pH changes of the medium were more influenced by nitrogen sources than carbon sources (with the exception of ribose). When ammonium sulphate was used as a nitrogen source, all the cowpea rhizobia strains produced acid. When yeast-extract was used as a nitrogen source, however, a heterogenous pattern for acid/alkali production was found. The majority of the strains produced alkali from nitrate, glutamate and urea irrespective of carbon sources and acid from ribose irrespective of nitrogen sources.     

Use of an organic buffer for the selection of acid tolerantRhizobium meliloti strains

Summary Nine media used to grow rhizobia were examined for their ability to maintain a stable low pH during the growth ofR. meliloti Large fluctuations in the pH of all media were recorded within 72 h, indicating their unsuitability for use in the selection of acid tolerant rhizobia. Morpholino-ethanesulphonic acid (MES) was assessed for its ability to buffer the pH of the media whilst still permitting rapid growth ofR. meliloti, R. trifolii, andBr. lupini. With 30.7 mM MES, the pH of a defined medium containing galactose, arabinose, and glutamate did not change from the initial value of 5.5 even though rhizobial numbers increased from 10⁴ to 10⁹ cells.ml^–1. Even at a buffer concentration of 15.3 mM, pH only increased from 5.5 to 5.6. There was no effect of the buffer on rhizobial growth.     

Formation of autophagosomes in the pinealocytes of the rat and Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus): A lysosome wrapping mechanism?

Summary Autophagosome formation in rat and gerbil pinealocytes is described. It starts with the setting up of a tubular acid phosphatase-rich cisterna which gradually wraps around cytoplasmic areas to be catabolized. In light of obtained findings, it seems that the autophagosome formation in pinealocytes is a type of lysosome wrapping mechanism.     

Effects of short-term treatment with calcium on the parathyroid gland of the rat,under particular consideration of the alteration of storage granules

Summary Short-term effects of CaCl₂-treatment on parathyroid cells of the rat, especially on their storage granules, were studied at the ultrastructural level. After an injection of 4% CaCl₂, serum calcium levels (SCL) rapidly increased from 9.1 mg/dl (controls) to a maximum of 14.9 mg/dl at 20 min. At 5 min after the injection, the number of type-I storage granules (large core) [NSG-I] and that of type-II storage granules (small core) [NSG-II] remained unchanged, in spite of elevated SCL (12.4 mg/dl). As soon as SCL rose to 13.2 mg/dl at 7.5 min, NSG-I gradually decreased to a minimum at 30 min; in contrast, NSG-II gradually increased to a maximum at 30 min. Vacuolar bodies also increased together with the augmentation of type-II storage granules. The average diameter of the core of the storage granules decreased significantly after the injection. Protein A-gold method for immunocytochemistry showed that the cores of these granules contain parathormone. Acid-phosphatase activity was occasionally found in storage granules of both types, especially in those of type II. It is concluded (i) that type-I storage granules may be transformed into vacuolar bodies via type-II granules as a result of hydrolysis, and (ii) that these processes may be accelerated during hypercalcemia.