水稻高脯氨酸愈伤组织变异体盐胁迫下氨基酸和蛋白质组分的变化

游离氨基酸组分分析表明,水稻培养细胞中谷氨酸和丙氨酸含量很高,占氨基酸总量的４０％。高脯氨酸愈伤组织变异体总游离氨基酸含量比原型高４５．５％,其中脯氨酸增加最多,其次是雨氨酸和谷氨酸。当ＮａＣｌ１００ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ处理时变异体和原型的总氨基酸都增加,而变异体的增量约为原型增量的３倍。蛋白水解氨基酸组分中变异体和原型各氨基酸的相对含量无大差异。蛋白质双向电泳表明,高脯氨酸变异体的蛋白组分发生变化,明显比原型多４个蛋白点。在ＮａＣｌ１００ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ处理下原型亦产生５３．３ｋＤ蛋白,变异体中该蛋白的含量变得更多。盐胁迫下变异体和原型的蛋白质组分变化的差异十分显著,主要表现在蛋白质等电点的变化不同。     

Stimulation of the Cyclic GMP Pathway by NO Induces Expression of the Immediate Early Genes c-fos and junB in PC12 Cells

Abstract: Stimulation of several second messenger pathways induces the expression of immediate early genes such as c- fos , c- jun , junB , and junD , but little is known about their induction via the stimulation of the cyclic GMP pathway. Here we looked at the expression of early genes in pheochromocytoma PC12 cells after activation of cytosolic guanylate cyclase by sodium nitroprusside. This compound spontaneously releases NO, a molecule known to be involved in cell communication. We found that expression of c- fos and junB but not of c- jun or junD is increased upon activation of cyclic GMP pathway. c- fos mRNA expression was the most activated (fourfold at 30 min), whereas junB response was more modest (2.2-fold activation at 60 min). Nuclear extracts of stimulated cells show increased binding capacity to the AP1 binding site consistent with the dose-response curve. The activating effect of nitroprusside could be reproduced by dipyridamole, a selective cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor and by 8- p -chlorophenylthio-cyclic GMP, a permeant selective cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase activator, and abolished by KT5823, an inhibitor of that kinase. The results show that NO promotes early gene activation and AP1 binding enhancement through the stimulation of the cyclic GMP pathway.     

Presence of β-cyanoalanine synthase in unimbibed dry seeds and its activation by ethylene during pre-germination

Evolution of HCN from both rice ( Oryza sativa ) and cocklebur ( Xanthium pennsylvanicum ) seeds increased during a pre-germination period and preceded the evolution of (C₂H₄). These two species were adopted as the representatives of starchy and fatty seeds, respectively. Ethylene promotes seed germination of many species. However, HCN evolution declined abruptly when the radicles emerged and before the peak in C₂H₄ evolution. More-over, both rice and soybean ( Glycine max ) seeds showed some activity of β-cyanoalanine synthase (CAS, EC 4.4.1.9) even in the unimbibed dry state. The activities of CAS in the lower seed of cocklebur and in soybean seeds increased rapidly after emergence of the radicle. However, the CAS of rice seeds, with high activity in the dry state, exhibited a bimodal change, gradually decreasing until radicle emergence had occurred, but then increaing. It is thus likly that HCN evolution during initial imbibition may be derived from cyanogenic reserves and controlled by both pre-existing and subsequently-developing CAS. The exogenous application of C₂H₄ stimulated the activities of CAS in both rice and upper cocklebur seeds and reduced their cyanogen contents. Therefore, the decline of HCN evolution after germination seems to be due to the increased activities of CAS by endogenously produced C₂H₄.     

Iron toxicity and other chemical soil constraints to rice in highland swamps of Burundi

Iron toxicity is suspected to be a major nutritional disorder in rice cropping systems established on flooded organic soils that contain reductible iron. A pot trial was carried out to assess Fe toxicity to rice in flooded Burundi highland swamp soils with a wide range of organic carbon contents. Soil and leaf analyses were performed and total grain weight was determined. Clear Fe toxicity was diagnosed, based on leaf Fe content at panicle differentiation. Leaf Fe contents higher than 250 g g^–1 dry matter induced lower Mg (and probably Mn) uptake, and a 50% total grain weight reduction. These features were associated with exchangeable Fe equivalent fractions higher than 86%. Besides, several non-Fe toxic soils exhibited an Mg-Mn imbalance.     

NEW EARLY JURASSIC ACTINOPTERYGIANS FROM WEIXIN,YUNNAN

PalaeoniscidaeVogt,l852Weixiniscusgen.nov.TypespeeiesWcixiniscusmicrolepis.Genericdiagnovi8Small'palaeoniscidofelongate-fusiformbody.Dorsalfinlong-based,opposingt0thespacebetweenpelvicandanalfins.Pelvicfinwithrela-tivelylongbase,nearertoanalfinthant0pectorals.Caudalfinheterocerca1,deepcleft,upper1obelongerthanlowerlobe-Fin-rays0fallfinscompletelyandsparselysegmented,brancheddistally.Fin-'fulcrapresentontheuppercaudallobe.Postorbitalpartofmaxilliaratherexpanded,ofpalaeoniscoidshape.Suspetis…     

DISCOVERY OF TWO MID-TERTIARY MAMMALIAN FAUNAS FROM HAIYUAN, NINGXIA, CHINA

Inl988-199otheRegionalGeologicalSurveyTeamoftheGeologicalBureauofNingxia(RGSN)foundsomefossilmammalsinthelowerpartoftheHo11g1iugouFormationandtheupperpartoftheOligocene.Inl992ajointteamoflnstituteofVertebratePaleontologyandPaleoanthropo1ogy,AcademiaSinica(IVPP),andtheRGSNwenttoHaiyuailCountyandcollectedmorefossilmamma1sfromtheYuanjia-wowoareausi11gascreen-washingmethodThemammalfaunafromthelowerpartoftheHongliugouFormationiscomposedofAprotodonsp.,Indricotheriidaeindet.,Rhinoceroti…     

Behavioral responses of the whitebacked planthopperSogatella furcifera (Homoptera: Delphacidae) on rice plants whose odors have been masked

In a two-choice test, moreS. furcifera females settled more often on exposed plants than on parafilm-masked ones, regardless of the susceptibility of rice varieties. This indicates that rice volatiles play an important role in the insect's short-range orientation to its host. The fact that more insects settled on exposed resistant Rathu Heenati (RHT) than to masked susceptible Taichung Native 1 (TN1) suggests that there must be certain common volatiles released by both varieties. Few females landed on masked plants of either RHT or TN1. This implies that the insect could not recognize at a distance that a plant was resistant or susceptible without olfactory stimuli.S. furcifera excreted less honeydew on masked plants than on exposed ones for both varieties and more on masked TN1 than on exposed RHT. The electronic monitoring of feeding behavior demonstrates that the insect made more frequent probes and had shorter phloem ingestion durations on exposed RHT than on exposed TN1 and on masked RHT than on masked TN1. Moreover, the insect had longer phloem ingestion durations on masked TN1 than on exposed RHT. These results suggest that volatile chemicals given off by resistant RHT plants have a negative effect on feeding.     

Ethylene production in rice bronzing leaves induced by ferrous iron

Bronzing, a nutritional disorder of rice plants which is widely distributed in tropical lowlands, was induced by dipping the cut end of rice leaves into FeSO₄ solution (pH 3.5). Ethylene production; the activities of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase; and the effects of Co²⁺, aminoethoxyvinylglycine, Ag⁺, cycloheximide, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, were investigated in the course of bronzing development. It was found that ethylene production could be stimulated up to about 20 times that of the control by Fe²⁺, and a peak could be reached at about 24 h after incubation. The Fe²⁺-treated leaves also had 10-fold higher peroxidase activity than the control, whereas in vitro enzyme activity was inhibited by Fe²⁺. Cycloheximide retarded in vivo stimulation of peroxidase, indicating that in vivo stimulation resulted from inducing de novo synthesis of the enzyme. No changes in the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol oxidase were observed. The results, obtained from the incubation of leaves with Co²⁺, aminoethoxyvinylglycine, Ag⁺, cycloheximide, or 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, showed that ethylene production was the effect of Fe²⁺ stress and that it was not involved in the process of bronzing development, which is probably an acclimation process to enable plants to cope with stress. The accelerated peroxidase activity may be associated with bronzing development.Abbreviations ACC 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid - AVG aminoethoxyvinylglycine - EFE ethylene forming enzyme - PAL phenylalanine ammonia-lyase - POD peroxidase - PPO polyphenol oxidase - SE standard error