Nitrate reductase in cotyledons of cucumber seedlings as affected by nitrate, phytochrome and calcium

Regulation by the active form of phytochrome (P_FR) and the effect of Ca²⁺ was examined with nitrate reductase (NR) in etiolated cucumber ( Cucumis sativus cv. Beilpuig). Nitrate reductase activity (NRA) was studied in excised cotyledons of cucumber seedlings grown in distilled water and in darkness for seven days at 24 ± 0.5°C. All experiments were performed in the dark and a dim green safelight was used during analyses. In etiolated cucumber cotyledons NRA was induced by nitrate and a brief irradiation (15 min) with red light (R) resulted in 62% increase in NRA. This effect was nullified when R was followed immediately by a brief (5 min) far-red light (FR). NRA also showed a semidian (12 h) rhythmicity. Both P_FR, and nitrate effects were age dependent. Calcium seemed to be involved since the phytochrome effect was only observed when calcium was supplied in the external solution. The effect of R on NRA depended on the period of calcium nitrate incubation. An external supply of calcium ionophore mimicked the effect of R and, if supplied to R-irradiated cotyledons, produced a higher NR level than that caused by R alone. This suggested that intracellular free calcium was involved.     

Phytochrome-mediated control of respiratory activities of mitochondria in cotyledons of dark-grown cucumber seedlings

Mitochondria isolated from cotyledons of dark-grown cucumber ( Cucumber sativus L., cv. Shimotsuki-Aonaga) seedlings after illumination with continuous far-red light showed an increased capacity for oxidation of malate or α-ketoglutarate, as compared with those from cotyledons of non-illuminated seedlings. This increase is supposed to be caused by phytochrome action (high irradiance response). Exogenous NAD⁺ had no effect on the rate of the oxidation of α-ketoglutarate or malate by mitochondria isolated from far-red light-treated cotyledons, but it enhanced the oxidation rate of mitochondria from control cotyledons to the level of mitochondria from light-treated ones. The NAD (NAD⁺+ NADH) content was higher in mitochondria isolated from continuously far-red light-treated cotyledons than in mitochondria from controls. The NAD content was also increased by the treatment with a red light pulse and this response was reversed by a subsequent far-red light pulse. It is proposed that phytochrome controls respiratory activities of cucumber mitochondria by changing the size of the NAD pool in the mitochondria.     

Diamine oxidase ofLathyrus sativus seedlings. Purification and properties

Diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) was purified from 5-day-old etiolated seedlings ofLathyrus sativus by MnCl₂ treatment, (NH₄)₂SO₄ and acetone fractionations, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. A single step purification of the enzyme was achieved by using an immunoaffinity column, wherein rabbit antibodies to the homogeneous diamine oxidase were coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose. The enzyme thus obtained was homogeneous by electrophoretic, immunological and ultracentrifugal criteria. It had anM _r of 148,000 (6.46S) and was a dimer with similar sub-units (M _r 75,000). Amino acid analysis showed the absence of cysteine residues although it contained five disulphide bonds. The enzyme had copper (2.7 g atom/mol enzyme) but was not a glycoprotein. No absorption maximum in the visible region was detectable. Ethylenediamine 1,3-diaminopropane and histamine were potent competitive inhibitors for the substrate putrescine. The addition of monospecific antibodies to the enzyme increased the K_m for benzyl amine without any change in the V_max Diamine oxidase from pea seedling, partially purified, exhibited complete crossreactivity with the antibodies to theL. sativus enzyme.     

Photooxidative inhibition of nitrate reductase during chilling

The effect of a temperature close to the freezing point (chilling) on the nitrate reductase system of leaf discs of Cucumis sativus L. cv. Kleine Groene Scherpe was determined in the absence and presence of light. The capacity of leaf discs in the light (250 μE m⁻²s⁻¹) at 20°C to increase in vivo and in vitro nitrate reductase activity, was unaffected by chilling pretreatment in the dark, but 4 h of chilling pretreatment in the light (250 μE m⁻²s⁻¹) decreased the capacity to less than 50% of the unchilled control. The chilling inhibition of the capacity to increase nitrate reductase activity was of a photooxidative nature since it only occurred in the presence of light and oxygen. Plants grown at a low light intensity (65 μE m⁻²s⁻¹) lost 95% of their capacity to increase nitrate reductase activity, while plants grown at 195 μE m⁻²s⁻¹ retained 80% of their nitrate reducing capacity after 6 h chilling pretreatment in the 250 μE m⁻²s⁻¹ light. Previously induced nitrate reductase activity was also affected by light during chilling. A lag phase of 7 h preceded a fast phase of decrease in activity. Both in vivo and in vitro activity decreased to 15% of the control value after 18 h of chilling in the light. It is concluded that the induction mechanism of nitrate reductase is primarily affected by photooxidation during chilling. The decrease in nitrate reductase activity is attributed to a decrease in the amount of activity enzyme.     

Response of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) to an unequal distribution of salts in the root environment

Plant response to salinity as affected by an unequal distribution of salts in the root environment was studied with cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) as a test crop. In a series of six experiments use was made of a split root system, in which the plants were grown in separated rockwool strips irrigated with nutrient solutions with equal or different EC values, predetermined by different concentrations of either nutrients or NaCl. From low to standard EC values the uptake of nutrients was highest in the root parts with the highest concentration of nutrients. In root parts with concentrations of nutrients >4 dS m^-1, the uptake decreased rather quickly. Nutrient uptake from one root part with high NaCl concentrations was also retarded, if the NaCl concentration supplied to the other root part was low. If both root parts were supplied with high NaCl concentrations, the plant was able to adjust and absorbed adequate amounts of nutrients, despite the high NaCl concentrations. Water was preferably absorbed from the root part with the lowest EC. However, if no nutrients were supplied in one of the root parts the water uptake from that root part was retarded. Effects of high NaCl concentrations in specifically retarding the water uptake were not established from the data of the experiments. The results are discussed in relation to existing models predicting effects of spatial variation of salinity in the root environment under growing conditions in the glasshouse industry and in relation to the experiences previously gained with tomato. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic variation of petaloid male-sterile cytoplasm of carrots revealed by sequence-tagged sites (STSs)

The mitochondrial DNA of various carrot lines was characterized by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, and six sequence-tagged sites (STSs) led to identification of the petaloid type of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS). Using six STS primer combinations, we were able to classify five CMS lines into two groups and eight fertile carrots into six groups. Both the STS1 and the STS4 primer combinations differentiated CMS cytoplasms from the fertile cytoplasms, and the STS2 primer combination revealed two different types of CMS cytoplasms – of Wisconsin Wild and Cornell origins. Cybrid carrot lines with petaloid flowers which had been obtained by asymmetric cell fusion could also be separated from fertile cybrids by the STS1 primer combination. The STS1 fragment contained a homologous sequence with the orfB gene. DNA gel blot analysis indicated that homologous regions to the STS1 fragment existed in fertile types as well as the CMS types, although the restriction fragment size patterns differed. These observations demonstrate that rearrangements involving this region occurred in the mitochondrial genome. The STS4 fragment had a more complicated gene structure, including retrotransposon-like sequences and small segments of chloroplast genome. Received: 10 September 1998 / Accepted: 24 February 1999     

Study on in Vitro Regeneration of Style-Stigma-Like Structure in Crocus sativus L.

Effects of age and variety of explant as well as of exogenous hormones on regeneration of style-stigma-like structure in vitro were observed in saffron. (1) Explants excised from stalk, perianth, anther, ovary, style and stigma showed different reactions in vitro, only young perianth and style could regenerate the style-stigma-like structures; (2) Age of the perianth explant had obvious effect on induction frequency, and the explants excised from an inflorescence of 24mm in length showed the highest frequency (37.5%) and (3) Experiments on exogenous hormones made clear that supplement with K 5mg/L and NAA 4mg/L was advantageous to regeneration of style-stigma-like structure. Induction frequency reached 35.3%. Supplement with 6-BAP 7mg/L and NAA 9mg/L could promote the formation of stigma like structures.