Seasonal development of the photosynthetic performance of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) under magnesium deficiency

In order to investigate the influence of different magnesium nutrition on photosynthesis, one hundred 6-year-old spruce trees derived from one clone were planted in October 1990 into a special out-door experimental construction, where they were cultivated in sand culture with an optimal supply of nutrients, except magnesium, via circulating nutrient solutions. Magnesium was added to the nutrient solutions in three different concentrations, varying from optimal to severe deficient supplies. During the first vegetative period in 1991, photosynthetic performance and carboxylation efficiency were measured under saturating light, controlled CO₂ conditions, optimal temperature and humidity, using a minicuvette system.During summer, the trees under moderate magnesium deficiency developed tip yellowing symptoms on older needles, while the youngest needles remained green with unchanged chlorophyll contents. Trees under severe magnesium deficiency showed yellowing symptoms on all needle age classes combined with decreased chlorophyll contents in the youngest needles as well. In comparison with the controls, the photosynthetic performance of the 1-year-old needles was significantly lower in both deficiency treatments. The same was observed in the youngest needles of the trees under severe deficiency. Trees under moderate deficiency treatment decreased in photosynthetic performance during the summer without reduction of chlorophyll contents. The reduction of photosynthetic rates corresponded to a decrease in carboxylation efficiency, which is taken as a measure of the activity of the enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. This reduction, together with the observed increase of carbohydrate contents in needles of trees growing under magnesium deficiency, led to the assumption that the photosynthetic carbonfixation is reduced as a consequence of the accumulation of carbohydrates.     

Revitalization experiments in magnesium deficient Norway spruce stands in Austria

Amelioration of degraded forest ecosystems on acidic substrates showing the new type of forest decline is a major goal of forest management. A number of experiments show positive effects of Mg-application to systems suffering from Mg-deficiencies. The current paper compares experiments conducted in the Austrian part of the Bohemian Massif, where both effects on soil solution chemistry and effects on plant nutrition, vitality and growth were investigated. It turned out that any type of Mg-source is able to improve Mg-nutrition of trees; both a neutral salt like KIESERITE as well as alkaline reacting magnesite and dolomite derived materials. A positive reaction of vitality and growth could however only be induced with dolomitic lime or magnesite. Using mineral NPK fertilizers, even with high Mg-content, induced Mg-deficiencies and led to nutritional imbalances. In addition significant NO₃ ^--leaching occured. On the other hand an organic slow release fertilizer (BACTOSOL*) amended with magnesite derived fertilizers (BIOMAG**) led to balanced nutrition and a fast recovery of tree health status, as judged by crown transparency, vitality index and growth rates. In both cases, when either magnesite derived compounds or combinations with the organic slow release fertilizer were applied, NO₃ ^--leaching occured only during the first three years after fertilization. The leaching rates declined afterwards to values comparable to unfertilized plots, while Mg-content of the soil solution could be elevated compared to the CONTROL, showing the sustainability of proper fertilization.     

Replacement of nutrient losses caused by acidification of a beech forest soil and its effects on transplanted field-layer species

Acidification of south Swedish forest soils has caused considerable decreases in pH and exchangeable cations during recent decades. The lowered abundance of several field-layer species is probably related to the altered soil chemistry. The present study focuses on the importance for the vegetation of reduced amounts of Ca, Mg and K. These elements were applied separately or mixed as C1+SO₄, six times the current exchangeable amount of the topsoil of an acid beech forest soil (pH H₂O 4.1). Soil pH was raised to 7 by Na₂CO₃ application and Na was also given as C1+SO₄. Survival and growth of the seven transplanted species were measured during three years (Dentaria bulbifera, Gagea spathacea, Galium odoratum, Lamium galeobdolon, Melica uniflora, Mercurialis perennis and Viola reichenbachiana.Half a year after the treatment the exchangeable amounts of K, Ca and Mg had increased by ca. 2.5 times when applied separately. Howerver, the retention of Mg was strongly disfavoured by the application of all other elements. Exchangeable K and Na thereafter decreased while the effects on Ca and Mg were persistent during the study. D. bulbifera, G. odoratum and M. perennis hardly survived any treatment, possibly due to the low soil pH, while 40–70% of the other species survived. Growth to normal size was only attained by G. spathacea, M. uniflora and V. reichenbachiana. The application of Ca+Mg+K was positive for G. spathacea, L. galeobdolon and M. perennis and Na (as C1+SO₄) for D. bulbifera, L. galeobdolon, M. uniflora and M. perennis. The effects of the Na treatment may partly be caused by the increased pH (5.3). Application of Mg favoured M. uniflora and Na₂CO₃ V. reichenbachiana. Addition of K gave no positive effects.It can be concluded that addition of Ca, Mg and K without raising pH was insufficient for a normal growth for all studied species but M. uniflora and V. reichenbachiana. These two species also had a relatively high survival in the control plots but performance was enhanced by Mg or Na₂CO₃ application.     

A superfamily of metalloenzymes unifies phosphopentomutase and cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase with alkaline phosphatases and sulfatases

Sequence analysis of the probable archaeal phosphoglycerate mutase resulted in the identification of a superfamily of metalloenzymes with similar metal-binding sites and predicted conserved structural fold. This superfamily unites alkaline phosphatase, N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase, and cerebroside sulfatase, enzymes with known three-dimensional structures, with phosphopentomutase, 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase, phosphoglycerol transferase, phosphonate monoesterase, streptomycin-6-phosphate phosphatase, alkaline phosphodiesterase/nucleotide pyrophosphatase PC-1, and several closely related sulfatases. In addition to the metal-binding motifs, all these enzymes contain a set of conserved amino acid residues that are likely to be required for the enzymatic activity. Mutational changes in the vicinity of these residues in several sulfatases cause mucopolysaccharidosis (Hunter, Maroteaux-Lamy, Morquio, and Sanfilippo syndromes) and metachromatic leucodystrophy.     

Apoplastic and membrane‐associated Ca2+ in leaves and roots as affected by boron deficiency

A combination of fluorescein‐isothiocyanate (FITC), coumarin‐benzothiazol (BTC), and chlorotetracycline (CTC) fluorescence was used to simultaneously monitor apoplastic pH, apoplastic free Ca²⁺, and plasma membrane‐bound Ca²⁺. As early boron deficiency reactions supposedly include alterations of plasma membrane‐bound transport processes besides rapid effects on cell wall physical properties, the corresponding changes were followed in leaves and roots of Vicia faba L. cv. Troy.
Boron deficiency did not alter the apoplastic pH, but it reduced plasma membrane‐bound Ca²⁺ in roots at 4 h and leaves at 3 days after starting the deficiency treatment. The decrease in plasma membrane‐bound Ca²⁺ coincided with an increase in apoplastic free Ca²⁺ and K⁺, and occurred before the first visible symptoms were noticed.
It is proposed that less Ca²⁺ is bound to the plasma membrane due to a reduction of specific Ca²⁺‐binding sites (borate esters with vic ‐diols or polyhydroxy‐carboxylates) before plasma membrane integrity deteriorates.     

Effects of nitrogen deficiency on accumulation of fructan and fructan metabolizing enzyme activities in sink and source leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Seedlings of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Agneta) were grown hydroponically under continuous light, constant temperature and relative humidity. During the first two weeks, the relative growth rate (RGR) was kept at 25% by limiting only the supply of nitrogen. The cultures were then transferred to nitrogen-free media and the amounts of fructan, starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose in sink and source leaves were measured at 0, 12, 24, 48, 72, 120 and 156 h. The activities of two key enzymes in fructan metabolism, sucrose:sucrose fructosyltransferase (SST), fructan exohydrolase (FEH), as well as acid invertase were also measured in the two types of leaves.
The fructan and starch levels in both sink and source leaves increased during nitrogen deficiency. The highest increase in starch was 200% of the control while for fmctans a 700% increase was recorded. The activity of SST increased parallel to fructan accumulation in sink leaves. However the FEH activity was constant and not affected by nitrogen deficiency. The invertase activity both in sink and source leaves was reduced by nitrogen deficiency. More fructans as well as sucrose and fructose accumulated in source leaves compared to sink leaves both before and after nitrogen starvation. The results show that fructan is the major carbohydrate reserve accumulating under nitrogen deficiency both in sink and source leaves in barley plants. The induction of fructan accumulation in sink leaves caused by nitrogen deficiency is intimately connected with the regulation of SST     

Reduction of root iron in Plantago lanceolata during recovery from Fe deficiency

Changes in root-associated Fe(III) reductase activity and Fe concentration during recovery from temporary iron starvation were investigated in hydroponically grown Plantago lanceolata L. Within two days, interruption of the Fe supply resulted in enhanced rates of reduction by intact plant roots. Transfer of iron deficient plants to a solution containing various amounts of chelated Fe caused a transient increase in reduction activity before the rates declined to a level determined by the amount of Fe added. Repression of root-associated redox activity was independent of the Fe concentration in the preculture. When iron deficient plants were submitted to a supply of Fe localized to a part of the root system (split-root plants), the decrease in reduction rates was much more pronounced in the Fe-deprived portion of the roots than in the Fe-supplied one. No correlation was observed between root Fe concentration and Fe(III) reductase activity. Continued growth of split-root plants in the +Fe/-Fe regime increased the reduction rates of the +Fe-grown portion of the root system over the rates in iron sufficient plants with non-divided roots. The results are discussed in relation to putative factors mediating intra- and interorgan regulation of iron nutrition.     

In vitro weathering of phlogopite by ectomycorrhizal fungi

Oxalate accumulation in external medium under hyphal mats of two ectomycorrhizal species is strongly stimulated (1.7 to 35 fold) by a simultaneous depletion of available K⁺ and Mg²⁺. Pisolithus tinctorius strain 441 accumulates oxalate both on NH₄–N and on NO₃–N whereas Paxillus involutus strain COU only accumulates oxalate on NO₃–N. On NO₃–N, under a simultaneous K⁺ and Mg²⁺ deficiency, P. involutus COU is a very active oxalate producer compared to P. tinctorius 441. The present results could explain the various mineralogical evolutions of a phlogopite mica previously recorded under P. involutus COU or P. tinctorius 441 and suggest a key role for fungal oxalic acid during mineral weathering in response to nutrient deficiency.     

A new protoplast culture system in Daucus carota L. and its applications for mutant selection and transformation

Petiole protoplasts from in vitro-grown carrot plants are a very good alternative to traditionally obtained protoplasts from suspension cultures. High plating and regeneration efficiencies were obtained in most of the breeding lines that were tested. The embedding of the protoplasts in alginate was crucial for initiating cell division and further development. Several streptomycin resistant and chlorophyll-deficient plant lines were selected for using the petiole protoplast system. Maternally inherited streptomycin resistance was demonstrated by sexual crosses. Protoplast fusion of several chlorophyll-deficient lines did not result in complementation, indicating the cytoplasmic nature of the mutations. Petiole protoplasts were used for direct transformation with plasmid DNA pNUNV containing NPTII as a selectable marker. High transformation frequencies (up to 1%) were obtained after PEG treatment of the protoplasts. Kanamycin resistance was shown to be inherited as a single dominant nuclear trait.     

Effect of Maternal Iron Deficiency in Rat on Serotonin Uptake In Vitro by Brain Synaptic Vesicles in the Offspring

The effect of maternal dietary iron deficiency on brain synaptic vesicle [³H]serotonin (5-HT) uptake and iron content in the offspring was examined in rats. Pups born to iron-deficient mothers revealed significant deficits in vesicular [³H]5-HT uptake and iron concentration at 21 days of age. These changes were, however, found to be reversible with postweaning iron repletion.