AN ALTERNATE GROWTH PATTERN FOR LAMINARIA LONGICRURIS1,2

A population of Laminaria longicruris de la Pylaie was followed for a year at Bic Island, Quebec, Canada where nutrient levels in the seawater were elevated throughout the year. Tagged kelp were measured each month for growth and analyzed for alginic acid, laminaran, mannitol, carbon, nitrogen, and nitrate. Maximum growth (3.5 cm · d^?1) was observed in June, and minimal growth (0.18 cm · d^?1) from December to February, when ice cover limited light levels. No reserves of carbon or nitrate were formed. Laminaran levels remained below 2.7% dry weight while tissue nitrate did not exceed 0.75 μmol · g^?1 dry weight. Total carbon produced per plant was 40 g C · yr^?1. Nutrient availability enables the kelp to take advantage of summer light and temperature conditions to grow rapidly.     

Cellular changes during boron-deficient culture of the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis

The effects of boron-deficient culture were studied on the unicellular diatom. Cylindrotheca fusiformis Reimann and Lewin. After 24 to 30 h, cell division was almost completely inhibited in boron-deficient cultures. By 48 h of culture, boron-deficient diatoms had approximately twice the modal cell volume of control cells, and at least twice the amount of organic constituents such as protein (2.0x), insoluble carbohydrate (2.4x), total phenols (2.6x), and chlorophyll at (2.1x). Boron deficiency led to irreversible damage after this time.
Dark respiration was 1 nmol O₂/min × 10⁶ cells for both control and boron-deficient diatoms prior to 40 h of culture. By 48 h, the respiratory rate of boron-deficient diatoms was double that of controls. The proportion of ¹⁴C-glucose metabolized by the pentose phosphate pathway was similar in both control and boron-deficient diatoms after 24 and 48 h of culture. After 24 h, the in vitro activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was similar in both control and boron-deficient cells, although the pool size of its substrate, glucose-6-phosphate, was 26% greater in boron-deficient cells. The cellular amount of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase continued to increase once mitosis was arrested in boron-deficient diatoms. Boric acid (1 mM) inhibited 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase by 18% in diatom homogenates.
During the early stages of boron deficiency, the uptake of silicate, nitrate, and phosphate, and the in vitro activity of β-glucosidase were similar to control diatoms. After cell division was inhibited, boron-deficient diatoms accumulated more nitrate and phosphate, and retained a higher level of β-glucosidase than control cells.     

Protein synthesis during the transition from the resting to the growing state in suspension cultures of Paul's Scarlet rose cells

Cells derived from Paul's Scarlet rose ( Rosa sp. ) were grown in the chemically defined medium of Nesius. When a stationary phase culture was diluted with fresh medium, growth was initiated after a pronounced lag period. DNA replication, as revealed by thymidine labeling and autoradiography, did not begin until 36 h, and mitotic figures were not observed until 48 h after dilution. A 10–15 fold increase in the rate of protein synthesis occurred during the lag period. This was brought about by a 3.5 fold increase in the amount of ribosomal RNA per cell, plus a doubling of both the percentage of ribosomes that are present as polyribosomes and the average number of ribosomes per polyribosome. The spectrum of polypeptides synthesized by these cells during the lag and early log periods of growth was examined. Polyribosomes were extracted from the cells at intervals preceding and accompanying the initiation of proliferative growth. The polyribosomes were translated in a wheat germ cell-free protein synthesizing system and the ³⁵S-methionine-labeled translation products were separated on polyacrylamide slab gels and by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Comparatively few differences were observed between stationary phase, lag phase and log phase cells in terms of the spectrum of polypeptides synthesized in vitro. However, these various phases of the growth cycle could be characterized by a relatively high rate of synthesis of a few specific polypeptides. That is, while most proteins are synthesized throughout the growth cycle and even in non-growing cells at approximately the same relative rates, there are a few variable proteins whose synthesis marks a particular phase of the growth cycle.     

Auxin-induced changes in the cell wall structure: Changes in the sugar compositions, intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight distributions of matrix polysaccharides of the epicotyl cell wall of Vigna angularis

Rapid effects of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on the mechanical properties of cell wall, and sugar compositions, intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight distribution of cell wall polysaccharides were investigated with excised epicotyl segments of Vigna angularis Ohwi et Ohashi cv. Takara.

• 1 IAA caused cell wall loosening as studied by stress-relaxation analysis within 15 min after the IAA application.
• 2 IAA stimulated the decrease in the content of arabinose and galactose in the hemicellulose 1 h after its application. The amounts of other component sugars in the cell wall polysaccharides remained constant during the IAA-induced segment growth.
• 3 The intrinsic viscocity of the pectin increased as early as 30 min after the IAA application. This effect was not prevented when elongation growth of the segment was osmotically suppressed by 0.15 M mannitol.
• 4 Gel permeation chromatography of the pectin on a Sepharose 4 B column demonstrated that IAA caused increase in the mass-average molecular weight of the pectin. Analysis of the sugar compositions of the pectin eluted from the Sepharose 4 B column indicated that IAA increased the molecular weight of the polysaccharides composed of uronic acid, galactose, rhamnose and arabinose. This effect became apparent within 30 min after the IAA application. Furthermore, IAA increased the molecular weight of the pectin when elongation growth of the epicotyl segments was osmotically suppressed by 0.15 M mannitol.
• 5 Hemicellulose of the cell wall chromatographed on a Sepharose CL-4 B column. Analysis of the neutral sugar compositions and the iodine staining property (specific for xyloglucans) of the polysaccharide solution eluted from the column indicated that the hemicellulose consisted of xyloglucans, arabinogalactans and polysaccharides composed of xylose and/or mannose. IAA caused a decrease in the arabinogalactan content and depolymerization of xyloglucans. These IAA effects became apparent within 30 min after the IAA application. These changes occurred even when elongation growth of the epicotyl segments was osmotically suppressed by 0.15 M mannitol.

Polymerization of the pectin, degradation of arabinogalactans and depolymerization of xyloglucans appear to be involved in the mechanism by which IAA induces cell wall loosening and therefore extension growth of cells.     

Distribution of podolactone-type plant growth inhibitors in the coniferae

Plant growth inhibitors of the podolactone-type have been detected by bioassay in ten further species of Podocarpus. The most active extracts in P. elatus were from root tips, root cortex and very young leaves. Fifty-seven other conifers were examined for this type of activity. It is present in Cephalotaxus harringtonia where it is probably due to the presence of harringtonolide, which, like momilactone B from rice husks, shows podolactone-type inhibition of the growth of etiolated dwarf pea hooks.     

Steroid hormone effects on growth and apical dominance of sunflower

External application of estradiol-17β increased shoot growth but decreased root growth of sunflower seedlings. It completely inhibited cotyledonary axillary bud development in decapitated plants at the concentration of 1 μg/plant. Concentrations lower than this promoted cotyledonary axillary bud formation. Testosterone on the other hand inhibited both shoot and root growth and promoted cotyledonary axillary bud formation at all the concentrations used. Progesterone at high (0.25,μg/plant) concentration promoted shoot growth but inhibited root growth. A low concentration (0.1 μg/plant) of progesterone produced the opposite effect.     

The manipulation of polar head group composition of phospholipids in the wheat Miranovskaja 808 affects frost tolerance

Caryopses of the frost-resistant cultivar of the wheat Triticum aestivum L., Miranovskaja 808, were germinated and grown in the presence of various concentrations of choline chloride. Changes in the composition of leaf total phospholipids and leaf total fatty acids at two extreme temperatures (25°C and 2°C) as well as changes in frost resistance were followed. A choline chloride concentration-dependent accumulation of phosphatidyl choline was observed in the leaves. Seedlings grown at 2°C accumulated more phosphatidyl choline at each choline chloride concentration than those grown at 25°C. There was an inverse relationship between the contents of phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidic acid in the leaves. Neither the temperature nor choline chloride seemed to affect fatty-acid composition. Modification of polar-head group composition of phospholipids affected frost tolerance: Seedlings grown in the presence of 15 mM choline chloride at 25°C exhibited a freezing resistance equal to that of hardened controls. The data indicate that the polar-head group composition of membrane phospholipids in plants can be easily manipulated and point to the importance of phosphatidyl choline in cold adaptation processes.     

Correlations between proton-efflux patterns and growth patterns during geotropism and phototropism in maize and sunflower

By placing seedlings of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) or maize (Zea mays L.) on agar plates containing a pH indicator dye it is possible to observe surface pH patterns along the growing seedling by observing color changes of the indicator dye. Using this method we find that in geotropically stimulated sunflower hypocotyls or maize coleoptiles there is enhanced proton efflux on the lower surface of the organ prior to the initiation of curvature. As curvature develops the pattern of differential acid efflux becomes more intense. A similar phenomenon is observed when these organs are exposed to unilateral illumination, i.e. enhanced acid efflux occurs on the dark side of the organ prior to the initiation of phototropic curvature and the pattern of differential acid efflux intensifies as phototropic curvature develops. These observations indicate that differential acid efflux occurs in response to tropistic stimuli and that the acid efflux pattern may mediate the development of tropistic curvatures.     

Relationships between xanthoxin,phototropism, and elongation growth in the sunflower seedling Helianthus annuus L.

For phototropic curvature of a green sunflower seedling, only the hypocotyl has to be illuminated; the tip and cotyledons are not involved in stimulus perception. The etiolated seedling is phototropically insensitive, illumination of only the hypocotyl renders it sensitive. It is concluded that the photoreceptor is located within the responding organ. In curving seedlings, the endogenous indoleacetic acid (IAA) remains evenly distributed. However, the inhibitor, xanthoxin (Xa), accumulates on the illuminated side. The degree of phototropic response is generally related to the concentration of Xa. The amount of phototropic curvature is independent of the rate of elongation growth, the former can be changed without affecting the latter, and vice versa. The data conflict with the Cholodny-Went theory, whereas they support the hypothesis of Blaauw that the phototropic reaction is caused by the local accumulation of a growth-inhibiting substance on the irradiated side.Abbreviations CCC chlormequat, (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride - GA₃ gibberellic acid - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - Xa xanthoxin     

Control of light-induced bean leaf expansion: Role of osmotic potential,wall yield stress,and hydraulic conductivity

The role of three-turgor-related cellular parameters, the osmotic potential ( _s), the wall yield stress (Y) and the apparent hydraulic conductivity (L'p), in the initiation of ligh-induced expansion of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) leaves has been determined. Although light causes an increase in the total solute content of leaf cells, the water uptake accompanying growth results in a slight increase in _s. Y is about 4 bar; and is unaffected by light. L'p, as calculated from growth rates and isopiestic measurements of leaf water potential, is only slightly greater in rapidly-growing leaves. The turgor pressure of growing cells is lower than that of the controls by about 35%. We conclude that light does not induce cell enlargement in the leaf by altering any of the above parameters, but does so primarily by increasing wall extensibility.Abbreviations and symbols RL red light - WL white light - L'p apparent hydraulic conductivity - OC osmotic concentration - Y wall yield stress - _s osmotic potential