Effects of Fatty Acids on Lipid Composition and Function of Tonoplast Vesicles in Barley Seedlings Under Salt Stress

When barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. ) seedlings were treated with 100 mmol/L NaC1 for 2 d, the index of unsaturated fatty acid (IUFA) increased in the tonoplast vesicles that were isolated from the seedlings mots of two barley cultivars with different salt tolerance, whereas no change were observed when the seedlings were treated with exogenous fatty acids with different satumbility. Exogenous stearic acid and linoleic acid decreased Na + absorption and transportation to the shoots, increased K + absorption and transportation, decreased the leakage of electrolytes, and increased the phospholipid and galactose contents of lipids in tonoplast, enhanced the activities of tonoplast H+ -ATPase and H+ -PPase. This is consistent with the results that the two fatty acids, linoleic acid and stearic acid, regulate ion absorption and distribution, mitigate salt stress to some extent, the effects of linoleic acid being more the latter.     

Unitary exocytotic and endocytotic events in guard-cell protoplasts during osmotically driven volume changes

Osmotically driven swelling and shrinking of guard-cell protoplasts (GCPs) requires adjustment of surface area which is achieved by addition and removal of plasma membrane material. To investigate the mechanism for adaptation of surface area we have used patch-clamp capacitance measurements. The recorded membrane capacitance (C(m)) trace of swelling and shrinking GCPs occasionally revealed discrete upward and downward deflecting capacitance steps, respectively, with a median value of about 2 fF. The observed capacitance steps resulted from the fusion and fission of single vesicles with a diameter of around 300 nm. We conclude that exo- and endocytosis of these vesicles accommodate for osmotically driven surface area changes in GCPs.     

Influence of Calcium on Alleviating NaCl-Induced Injury Effects in Wheat Seedlings

Wheat seedlings (Tritium aestivum "No. 1 Yuyuan") with 3 leaves were transplanted to 1/2 strangth Hoagland nutrient solution containing 100 mmol/L NaCl and supplemented with different concentrations of CaCI2, which were mode isosmotic by adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) and aerated by pump. Results showed that the Na+ content of shoots and roots, relative leaf expansion rate, plasma membrane permeability, the levels of membrane lipid superoxidation and the molar percentage of monogalacrosyl diglyceride(MGDG), digalactosyl diglyceride(DGDG) phosphatidyl choline(PC) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine(PE) in membrane lipids of roots increased, the plant dry weight, K+ content, SOD activity and the molar percentage of phosphatidic acid(PA), phospatidyl inositol (PI), phosphatidyl glycerol(PG) and polyphosphoglyceric acid(PPG) decreased in roots. There was no change in sulfolipid(SL). However, the above mentioned salt injury effects were all alleviated by the different Na+/Ca2+ ratios. The maximum alleviation of salt injury effect was at Na+/Ca2+ ratio of I0. As three kinds of free radical scavengers were used to pretreat wheat seedlings prior to NaC1 treatment the malondialdehyde(MDA) content decreased unanimously, but increased with SOD inhibitor sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) pretreatment to wheat seedlings. Obviously, the salt injury effects induced by NaC1 was relatied to the extent of superoxidation of membrane [ipids and also to the composkion of membrane of Ca2+ on lipids including their fatty acids as well. On the other hand, the alleviating effect of Ca2+ on NaC1 induced injury in wheat seedlings was also in relation to them.     

Application of conductance techniques to the detection of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in river water

A study of basal media identified Campylobacter enrichment broth, with (CEB+) and without (CEB) antibiotic supplement, as a suitable medium for the detection and enumeration of Campylobacter jejuni, C. coli and C. lari within aqueous samples via conductance methodology. Despite apparent differences in conductivity profiles between species in the presence of antibiotics, no significant differences (P<0.05) were detected between detection times for each species tested. CEB+ was successfully employed within a combined enrichment and conductance protocol to the detection of C. jejuni from river water at a concentration of 1 CFU ml⁻¹ from 83% of samples in under 39 h and thus demonstrated an improvement over an applied conventional membrane filtration technique.     

补体攻膜复合体致肾小球脏层上皮细胞粘附性改变研究

为探讨膜性肾病中补体攻膜复合体(MAC)介导蛋白尿机制,本研究制作了MAC致肾小球脏层上皮细胞(GVEC)亚溶破模型。通过对细胞局部粘附及相关蛋白的观察发现,MAC亚溶破致伤GVEC后,其粘附性发生改变。其机理与ECM分泌失调、膜硫酸化物质及整合素减少、细胞骨架重排有关。这些改变导致体内GVEC脱附,足突退缩融合,从而参与膜性肾病的蛋白尿产生。     

GM1对肌质网Ca~(2+)-ATPase活性及膜流动性的影响

外源性GM1对肌质网Ca2+-ATPase的水解及转运活性都有明显的抑制作用.在GM1浓度为0～8nmol/mg蛋白质范围内抑制作用具有浓度依赖性.当GM1浓度达到8nmol/mg蛋白质时,酶活性受到最大抑制,此时水解活性降低51%,转运活性降低49%.荧光偏振测定结果表明:GM1参入后,肌质网膜流动性降低.     

Alleviation of Waterlogging Damage in Winter Rape by Uniconazole Application: Effects on Enzyme Activity, Lipid Peroxidation, and Membrane Integrity

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) seedlings treated with uniconazole [(E)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-l-yl)-l-penten-3-ol] were transplanted at the five-leaf stage into specially designed experimental containers and then exposed to waterlogging for 3 weeks. After waterlogging stress, uniconazole-treated seedlings had significantly higher activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase enzymes and endogenous free proline content at both the seedling and flowering stages. Uniconazole plus waterlogging-treated plants had a significantly higher content of unsaturated fatty acids than the waterlogged plants. There was a parallel increase in the lipid peroxidation level and electrolyte leakage rate from the leaves of waterlogged plants. Leaves from uniconazole plus waterlogging-treated plants had a significantly lower lipid peroxidation level and electrolyte leakage rate compared with waterlogged plants at both the seedling and flowering stages. Pretreatment of seedlings with uniconazole could effectively delay stress-induced degradation of chlorophyll and reduction of root oxidizability. Uniconazole did not alter the soluble sugar content of leaves and stems, after waterlogging of seedlings. Uniconazole improved waterlogged plant performance and increased seed yield, possibly because of improved antioxidation defense mechanisms, and it retarded lipid peroxidation and membrane deterioration of plants. Received February 2, 1998; accepted November 30, 1998     

Leishmania amazonensis Infection Induces Changes in the Electrophysiological Properties of Macrophage-like Cells

Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were used to study the electrical properties of the macrophage-like cell line J774.1, after infection with Leishmania amazonensis. Infection induced a significant increase in cell size and membrane capacitance, suggesting that parasite invasion leads to the addition of plasma membrane to the host cell. By 24 hr after infection, the host cell membrane potential was significantly more hyperpolarized than control cells, and this difference remained for the subsequent 72 hr post-infection. The hyperpolarization was paralleled by an increase in the density of inward rectifying K⁺ currents. The shape of the conductance vs. voltage curve, the kinetic properties and the pharmacological profile of these currents were not significantly altered by infection. These results suggest that infection by L. amazonensis causes an increase in the number of functional inward rectifying K⁺ channels, leading to hyperpolarization of the host cell membrane. Received: 19 January 1999/Revised: 20 April 1999     

Protection from Cell Death by mcl-1 Is Mediated by Membrane Hyperpolarization Induced By K+ Channel Activation

Mcl-1, a member of the Bcl-2 family, has been identified as an inhibitor of apoptosis induced by anticancer agents and radiation in myeloblastic leukemia cells. The molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon, however, is not yet understood. In the present study, we report that hyperpolarization of the membrane potential is required for prevention of mcl-1 mediated cell death in murine myeloblastic FDC-P1 cells. In cells transfected with mcl-1, the membrane potential, measured by the whole-cell patch clamp, was hyperpolarized more than −30 mV compared with control cells. The membrane potential was repolarized by increased extracellular K⁺ concentration (56 mV per 10-fold change in K⁺ concentration). Using the cell-attached patch-clamp technique, K⁺ channel activity was 1.7 times higher in mcl-1 transfected cells (NP _o = 22.7 ± 3.3%) than control cells (NP _o = 13.2 ± 1.9%). Viabilities of control and mcl-1 transfected cells after treatment with the cytotoxin etoposide (20 μg/ml), were 37.9 ± 3.9% and 78.2 ± 2.0%, respectively. Suppression of K⁺ channel activity by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) before etoposide treatment significantly reduced the viability of mcl-1 transfected cells to 49.0 ± 4.6%. These results indicate that as part of the prevention of cell death, mcl-1 causes a hyperpolarization of membrane potential through activation of K⁺ channel activity. Received: 30 March 1999/Revised: 20 July 1999     

The Effects of Inhibitors Upon Pore Formation by Diphtheria Toxin and Diphtheria Toxin T Domain

The formation of pores by membrane-inserted diphtheria toxin is closely linked to the translocation of its catalytic chain across membranes. In this report a number of aromatic polyanionic molecules were identified that inhibit toxin-induced leakage of molecules from model membrane vesicles. One inhibitor, Cibacron blue, totally blocked pore formation. Aniline blue and Fast Green decreased the size of the molecule released by a given concentration of toxin. Amaranth appeared to reduce the maximal amount of leakage, without greatly affecting the size of the molecule released at a given toxin concentration. Finally, Ponceau S and Cibacron brilliant red appeared to exhibit a mixture of these various types of inhibition. The inhibitors neither prevented the conformational transition of the toxin to form a hydrophobic state at low pH, nor (with the exception of Cibacron Brilliant Red) appeared to strongly inhibit toxin binding to model membranes. Additional experiments showed release of trapped materials from model membranes by isolated T domain of the toxin was similar to that by whole toxin. The effects of inhibitors on T domain induced release was also similar to that they have on whole toxin. Therefore, it is likely that the inhibition of pore formation by whole toxin involves inhibitor interaction with the T domain. The inhibitors identified in this study may be helpful for development of agents that interfere with toxin action in vivo. Received: 10 March 1999/Revised: 22 June 1999