转反义Wx基因水稻颖果中与淀粉合成和积累相关酶活性的变化

将反义Wx基因转入水稻,导致Wx蛋白不同程度减少,颖果中的直链淀粉含量不同程度下降,总淀粉含量显著降低,直链淀粉与总淀粉的比值极显著降低。在水稻颖果发育过程中,ADPG-PPase、GBSS、SSS和SBE的活性在灌浆前期迅速升高,达最大值后很快下降,在灌浆中后期下降趋缓。Wx蛋白减少后的转基因水稻颖果中的GBSS活性明显下降,下降幅度与直链淀粉含量相一致,而且活性高峰期比其亲本有所提前。转基因水稻颖果中ADPG-PPase和SSS的活性在颖果发育的前中期,SBE则在中后期高于相应的亲本。     

A Comparative Study on the Role of Cytokinins in Caryopsis Development in the Maize miniature1 Seed Mutant and Its Wild Type

We report here on a comparative developmental profile of plant hormone cytokinins in relation to cell size, cell number and endoreduplication in developing maize caryopsis of a cell wall invertase-deficient miniature1 ( mn1 ) seed mutant and its wild type, Mn1 , genotype. Both genotypes showed extremely high levels of total cytokinins during the very early stages of development, followed by a marked and genotype specific reduction. While the decrease of cytokinins in Mn1 was associated with their deactivation by 9-glucosylation, the absolute and the relative part of active cytokinin forms was higher in the mutant. During the exponential growth phase of endosperm between 6 d after pollination and 9 d after pollination, the mean cell doubling time, the absolute growth rate and the level of endoreduplication were similar in the two genotypes. However, the entire duration of growth was longer in Mn1 compared with mn1 , resulting in a significantly higher cell number in the Mn1 endosperm. These data correlate with the previously reported peak levels of the Mn1 -encoded cell wall invertase-2 (INCW2) at 12 d after pollination in the Mn1 endosperm. A model showing possible crosstalk among cytokinins, cell cycle and cell wall invertase as causal to increased cell number and sink strength of the Mn1 developing endosperm is discussed.     

Differential expression of two β-amylase genes of rye during seed development

The expression of two β-amylase loci was analysed in the developing seeds of two inbred lines of rye (Secale cereale L.), one of which was a β-amylase deficient mutant. Enzymatic activity and the contents of enzymatic protein and mRNA specific for each of an endosperm-characteristic and ubiquitous β-amylase were determined throughout the course of caryopsis development. Both loci were expressed in the developing normal line caryopses according to different temporal and quantitative patterns. The ubiquitous enzyme-specific locus β-Amy 2 was expressed earlier; both mRNA and enzymatic protein accumulated to a maximum extent at 10 to 15 days after pollination. In contrast, the highest content of mRNA for endosperm β-amylase (encoded by the β-Amy I locus) was found 20 days after pollination, and the corresponding enzymatic protein accumulated throughout seed development. The expression of the β-Amy I locus was 30- to 40-fold higher than that of the β-Amy 2 locus in terms of maximum specific mRNA accumulation. The expression product of only the β-Amy 2 locus was found in the developing mutant line caryopses. The expression pattern of this locus was similar in the developing normal and mutant line seeds in terms of the temporal accumulation of mRNA and enzymatic protein. However, an approximately 4-fold higher level of ubiquitous β-amylase-specific mRNA was found in the mutant than in the normal line caryopses, and the content of ubiquitous β-amylase protein decreased to near zero at seed maturity in the mutant line, but not in the normal line, caryopses. The enzymatic activities of both β-amylases appeared to be regulated at the level of accumulated enzymatic protein.     

Identification and characterization of the mitochondrial membrane sorting signals in phosphatidylserine decarboxylase 1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Phosphatidylserine decarboxylase 1 (Psd1p) catalyzes the formation of the majority of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Psd1p is localized to mitochondria, anchored to the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) through membrane spanning domains and oriented towards the mitochondrial intermembrane space. We found that Psd1p harbors at least two inner membrane-associated domains, which we named IM1 and IM2. IM1 is important for proper orientation of Psd1p within the IMM (Horvath et al., J. Biol. Chem. 287 (2012) 36744–55), whereas it remained unclear whether IM2 is important for membrane-association of Psd1p. To discover the role of IM2 in Psd1p import, processing and assembly into the mitochondria, we constructed Psd1p variants with deletions in IM2. Removal of the complete IM2 led to an altered topology of the protein with the soluble domain exposed to the matrix and to decreased enzyme activity. Psd1p variants lacking portions of the N-terminal moiety of IM2 were inserted into IMM with an altered topology. Psd1p variants with deletions of C-terminal portions of IM2 accumulated at the outer mitochondrial membrane and lost their enzyme activity. In conclusion we showed that IM2 is essential for full enzymatic activity, maturation and correct integration of yeast Psd1p into the inner mitochondrial membrane.     

小麦果皮绿色层中^1^4C标记同化物在胚珠内的分配与定位

小麦离体颖果饲喂~14CO_2后,经冷冻取代,于膜显微放射性自显影,追踪与检查了包括可溶性糖在内的~14C标记同化物在胚珠内的分配与定位。颖果绿色层细胞的高光合效率不仅保证了同化物的即时输出,而且还可以淀粉形式暂贮在叶绿体内。绿色层光合产物主要向腹沟处汇集,通过该处的维管束与珠心突起向胚乳方向迁移。~14C标记同化物以逆浓差梯度方式从珠心向珠心—胚乳交界处质外体空间输出并在胚乳内呈不均匀分布和富集于原胚端活跃增殖生长的区段内。绿色层同化物以多种方式进入原胚,主要以可溶态形式存在。同化物可能通过珠孔直接就近为原胚吸收。     

Movement of fluorescein into isolated caryopses of wheat and barley

Abstract. The movement of fluorescein, a symplastic fluorescent tracer, into isolated caryopses of wheat and barley is described. The dye followed the pathway to the endosperm which has been proposed previously from anatomical studies, namely a movement from the phloem, through cells of the pigment strand and nucellar projection, followed by a radial spread of the dye from the endosperm cavity into the starchy endosperm. By contrast, the fluorochromes calcofluor white M2R and ANS remained confined to the apoplast and failed to cross the 'xylem discontinuity' at the base of the caryopses.     

Genetic Analysis and Histological Study of Red Seed in Rice

Reciprocal crosses between red and achromatic rice revealed that the seed color of F₁ was determined by its female parent. According to the seed color and plant segregation ratio of F₁, F₂, and F₃ generations, the red phenotype of red double-haploid seed was determined by a dominant, monogene with maternal effect. Histological study showed that the red pigments accumulated in the pericarp layer only. The assay of developmental timing of pigment accumulation showed that the red color accumulated from desiccation stage to perfectly maturation stage of the seeds.     

A Tropical, Gregariously Semelparous Bamboo Shows No Seed Dormancy

Seed dormancy may be disadvantageous for gregariously semelparous plants because it disrupts the high levels of reproductive synchrony necessary for success. Alternately, it may provide a bet-hedging option for an otherwise 'all eggs in the one basket' reproductive strategy. Rapid germination of seeds upon hydration has been demonstrated for a range of tropical, semelparous bamboos, but the fate of seeds that failed to germinate promptly has been inadequately investigated. We demonstrate prompt germination of seeds upon hydration and the absence of a dormant seedbank in a long-lived, gregariously semelparous bamboo, Bambusa arnhemica , from monsoonal northern Australia. However, we refute the suggestion that seed dormancy is necessarily maladaptive in a gregariously semelparous plant. Rather, caryopsis dormancy may not be possible in a seasonally moist tropical climate. Given an inability to adjust or bet-hedge their germination, bamboo germinants must cope with the vagaries of the monsoonal climate, a factor that may contribute to the general restriction of bamboos to regions with higher rainfall.     

沙埋对无芒雀麦种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响

研究了沙埋对浑善达克沙地植物群落中多年生禾草无芒雀麦种子萌发、出苗和幼苗生长的影响.结果表明:无芒雀麦种子能在深度≤12cm的沙埋中萌发,≤8cm的沙埋中出苗.在此范围内,随着沙埋深度的增加,无芒雀麦种子的萌发率和出苗率逐渐降低.沙埋深度在植株高度的33%时,无芒雀麦1周龄和2周龄幼苗均全部存活,且总生物量≥对照(未沙埋幼苗);当沙埋深度增至植株高度的66%时,1周龄和2周龄幼苗的存活率分别降至70%和25%,生长也受到抑制;而遭受全部沙埋时,1周龄和2周龄幼苗均不能存活.遭受沙埋后,无芒雀麦幼苗分配较多的生物量用于地上部分的生长,其生物量分配模式改变可能是无芒雀麦幼苗对沙埋环境的重要适应对策.