蚕豆保卫细胞质膜水通道蛋白的鉴定及其在气孔运动中的作用

水通道或水通道蛋白是水分运动的主要通道.以RD28 cDNA和RD28抗体为探针证明了蚕豆(Vicia fabaL.)保卫细胞中存在水通道蛋白,并以气孔运动为指标,结合抗体和抑制剂处理证明水通道蛋白是水分运动的主要通道.研究表明编码质膜水通道蛋白的RD28转录体在叶片保卫细胞、叶肉细胞和维管束中高表达,尤以保卫细胞中最多;荧光免疫染色和Confocal显微镜观察表明,RD28抗体反应主要位于保卫细胞质膜.进一步采用RD28抗体和水通道蛋白抑制剂--HgCl2 (25μmol/L)处理可抑制壳梭孢素(FC)、光照诱导的气孔开放和原生质体体积膨胀以及ABA诱导的气孔关闭,但这种抑制作用可以被水通道抑制剂的逆转剂β-巯基乙醇(ME)逆转.表明蚕豆保卫细胞中存在水通道蛋白并参与蚕豆保卫细胞的运动过程.     

The dual face of connexin-based astroglial Ca communication: A key player in brain physiology and a prime target in pathology

For decades, studies have been focusing on the neuronal abnormalities that accompany neurodegenerative disorders. Yet, glial cells are emerging as important players in numerous neurological diseases. Astrocytes, the main type of glia in the central nervous system , form extensive networks that physically and functionally connect neuronal synapses with cerebral blood vessels. Normal brain functioning strictly depends on highly specialized cellular cross-talk between these different partners to which Ca^2 +, as a signaling ion, largely contributes. Altered intracellular Ca^2 + levels are associated with neurodegenerative disorders and play a crucial role in the glial responses to injury. Intracellular Ca^2 + increases in single astrocytes can be propagated toward neighboring cells as intercellular Ca^2 + waves, thereby recruiting a larger group of cells. Intercellular Ca²⁺ wave propagation depends on two, parallel, connexin (Cx) channel-based mechanisms: i) the diffusion of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate through gap junction channels that directly connect the cytoplasm of neighboring cells, and ii) the release of paracrine messengers such as glutamate and ATP through hemichannels (‘half of a gap junction channel’). This review gives an overview of the current knowledge on Cx-mediated Ca^2 + communication among astrocytes as well as between astrocytes and other brain cell types in physiology and pathology, with a focus on the processes of neurodegeneration and reactive gliosis. Research on Cx-mediated astroglial Ca^2 + communication may ultimately shed light on the development of targeted therapies for neurodegenerative disorders in which astrocytes participate. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Calcium signaling in health and disease. Guest Editors: Geert Bultynck, Jacques Haiech, Claus W. Heizmann, Joachim Krebs, and Marc Moreau.     

Aquaporin and brain diseases

Background

The presence of water channel proteins, aquaporins (AQPs), in the brain led to intense research in understanding the underlying roles of each of them under normal conditions and pathological conditions.

Scope of review

In this review, we summarize some of the recent knowledge on the 3 main AQPs (AQP1, AQP4 and AQP9), with a special focus on AQP4, the most abundant AQP in the central nervous system.

Major conclusions

AQP4 was most studied in several brain pathological conditions ranging from acute brain injuries (stroke, traumatic brain injury) to the chronic brain disease with autoimmune neurodegenerative diseases. To date, no specific therapeutic agents have been developed to either inhibit or enhance water flux through these channels. However, experimental results strongly underline the importance of this topic for future investigation. Early inhibition of water channels may have positive effects in prevention of edema formation in brain injuries but at later time points during the course of a disease, AQP is critical for clearance of water from the brain into blood vessels.

General significance

Thus, AQPs, and in particular AQP4, have important roles both in the formation and resolution of edema after brain injury. The dual, complex function of these water channel proteins makes them an excellent therapeutic target. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Aquaporins.     

逆境条件下水孔蛋白PIPs作用的研究进展

质膜内在蛋白（PIPs）能促进水分及不带电分子的跨膜转运。当植物处于干旱、盐碱、低温和低氧等胁迫条件下,由于脱水等原因造成植物体内水分平衡被打破,PIPs在维持植物体内水平衡以及促进水分运输过程中起重要作用。本文综述最新关于PIPs在各种逆境条件下作用的研究进展,以期PIPs研究提供参考。     

植物水孔蛋白研究进展

水孔蛋白是植物重要的膜功能蛋白,不仅介导植物各组织间水分的高效转运,还参与植物体内其他物质的跨膜转运,同时在植物光合作用、生长发育、免疫应答以及信号转导等生理过程中也发挥重要作用。本文主要综述了植物水孔蛋白结构特征和分类,多种生理功能,以及其转录水平和转录后水平活性调节等方面的最新研究进展,并就如何系统全面地开展水孔蛋白参与植物生长发育过程的分子调控机制研究提出展望。植物水孔蛋白的深入研究有助于阐明植物体内物质转运的分子机理及其生理作用机制,对指导农业生产中作物的生长发育调控有重要理论意义。     

Concerted action of two cation filters in the aquaporin water channel

Aquaporin (AQP) facilitated water transport is common to virtually all cell membranes and is marked by almost perfect specificity and high flux rates. Simultaneously, protons and cations are strictly excluded to maintain ionic transmembrane gradients. Yet, the AQP cation filters have not been identified experimentally. We report that three point mutations turned the water-specific AQP1 into a proton/alkali cation channel with reduced water permeability and the permeability sequence: H⁺ ≫K⁺ >Rb⁺ >Na⁺ >Cs⁺ >Li⁺. Contrary to theoretical models, we found that electrostatic repulsion at the central asn-pro-ala (NPA) region does not suffice to exclude protons. Full proton exclusion is reached only in conjunction with the aromatic/arginine (ar/R) constriction at the pore mouth. In contrast, alkali cations are blocked by the NPA region but leak through the ar/R constriction. Expression of alkali-leaking AQPs depolarized membrane potentials and compromised cell survival. Our results hint at the alkali-tight but solute-unselective NPA region as a feature of primordial channels and the proton-tight and solute-selective ar/R constriction variants as later adaptations within the AQP superfamily.     

Patterns of PIP gene expression in Populus trichocarpa during recovery from xylem embolism suggest a major role for the PIP1 aquaporin subfamily as moderators of refilling process

Embolism and the refilling of xylem vessels are intrinsic to the ability of plants to handle the transport of water under tension. Although the formation of an embolized vessel is an abiotic process, refilling against the pressure gradient requires biological activity to provide both the energy and the water needed to restore xylem transport capacity. Here, we present an analysis of the dynamics of embolism and refilling in Populus trichocarpa and follow temporal dynamics of co‐occurring changes in expression level of aquaporins. Under mesic conditions, we found that the percent loss of conductance (PLC) varied diurnally by as much as 20%, suggesting a continuous embolism/refilling cycle. An increase in water stress tilted the balance between the two processes and increased the PLC to as much as 80%. Subsequent re‐watering resulted in the reversal of water stress and recovery of PLC to pre‐stress levels. Stem parenchyma cells responded to drought stress with considerable up‐regulation of the PIP1 subfamily of water channels but not the PIP2 subfamily. Even more significant was the finding that PoptrPIP1.1 and PoptrPIP1.3 genes were up‐regulated in response to embolism, but not to water stress, and were down‐regulated after embolism removal, suggesting a local ability of plants to sense an embolism presence.     

Aquaporins and glycerol metabolism

The discovery of aquaporin (AQP) has made a great impact on life sciences. AQPs are a family of homologous water channels widely distributed in plants, unicellular organisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates. So far, 13 AQPs have been identified in human. AQP3, 7, 9, and 10 are subcategorized as aquaglyceroporins which permeabilize glycerol as well as water. Many investigators have demonstrated that AQPs play a crucial role in maintaining water homeostasis, but the physiological significance of some AQPs as a glycerol channel is not fully understood. Adipose tissue is a major source of glycerol and glycerol is one of substrates for gluconeogenesis. This review focuses on recent studies of glycerol metabolism through aquaglyceroporins, and briefly discusses the importance of glycerol channel in adipose tissues and liver.