Cold tolerance of hatched and unhatched second stage juveniles of the potato cyst-nematode Globodera rostochiensis

Perry R. N. and Wharton D. A. 1985. Cold tolerance of hatched and unhatched second stage juveniles of the potato cyst-nematode, Globodera rostochiensis. International Journal for Parasitology15: 441–445. Hatched second-stage juveniles of Globodera rostochiensis can survive sub-zero temperatures by supercooling when not in contact with water. When frozen in water free juveniles cannot survive ice seeding across the cuticle and concomitant freezing of their body contents. Unhatched juveniles can survive in water, probably because the egg-shell protects the juvenile from ice seeding across from the medium; in this state juveniles survive by supercooling.     

Physiology of diapause in the adult bark beetle, Ips acuminatus Gyll., studied in relation to cold hardiness

The ovarioles of the bark beetle, Ips acuminatus are telotrophic. Ovarian development is suppressed at an immature stage with primary germ cells present in the germaria. Lower oxygen consumption is found in beetles during autumn and early winter, and a substantial rise in mean respiration rates occurs in the beginning of January paralleled by a resumption of pre-vitellogenesis in all females maintained either at 3°C or out of doors after return to 21°C for 2 weeks. It is concluded that I. acuminatus enters faculative diapause soon after enclosure to the adult, and that diapause is terminated by mid-winter in beetles kept for 18 weeks at either 3°C or out of doors. The specimens remain thereafter in reproductive quiescence until ovarian development can proceed.Photic cues are neither involved in the elevation of mean respiration rates, nor needed to abolish the inhibition of ovarian maturation in beetles kept at 3°C or in those returned to 21°C. However, follicle formation in ovarioles is only seen in positive phototactic females reared during “long-day” conditions, suggesting a photoperiodic regulation of the later stages of vitellogenesis.Detectable amounts of ethylene glycol are found at the beginning of November in freezing-susceptible I. acuminatus hibernating in its galleries underneath bark of Scots pine (Pinus silvestris) at 3°C. The gradual catabolism of the cryoprotective solute at 3°C through December occurred at a time when individuals achieved the competence to resume ovarian maturation during 2 weeks at 21°C, but prior to the substantial rise in their mean respiration rates. However, resumption of ovarian development in spring had no effect on the capability of outdoor beetles to enhance their supercooling capacity when subjected to sub-zero temperatures. Since the ability to respond to temperature changes occurred in post-diapause I. acuminatus as well, the maintenance of prolonged cold hardiness in specimens could not be related to diapause itself. Apparently, the ability of beetles to resynthesize ethylene glycol when a detectable level is present in the organism remains unaltered during overwintering.     

Oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity of a terrestrially hibernating hatchling turtle

Hatchlings of the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, hibernate terrestrially and can survive subfreezing temperatures by supercooling or by tolerating the freezing of their tissues. Whether supercooled or frozen, an ischemic hypoxia develops because tissue perfusion is limited by low temperature and/or freezing. Oxidative stress can occur if hatchlings lack sufficient antioxidant defenses to minimize or prevent damage by reactive oxygen species. We examined the antioxidant capacity and indices of oxidative damage in hatchling C. picta following survivable, 48 h bouts of supercooling (−6°C), freezing (−2.5°C), or hypoxia (4°C). Samples of plasma, brain, and liver were collected after a 24 h period of recovery (4°C) and assayed for Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and carbonyl proteins. Antioxidant capacity did not vary among treatments in any of the tissues studied. We found a significant increase in TBARS in plasma, but not in the brain or liver, of frozen/thawed hatchlings as compared to untreated controls. No changes were found in the concentration of TBARS or carbonyl proteins in supercooled or hypoxia-exposed hatchlings. Our results suggest that hatchling C. picta have a well-developed antioxidant defense system that minimizes oxidative damage during hibernation.     

Activity, stability and structural studies of lactate dehydrogenases adapted to extreme thermal environments

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate to lactate with concomitant oxidation of NADH during the last step in anaerobic glycolysis. In the present study, we present a comparative biochemical and structural analysis of various LDHs adapted to function over a large temperature range. The enzymes were from Champsocephalus gunnari (an Antarctic fish), Deinococcus radiodurans (a mesophilic bacterium) and Thermus thermophilus (a hyperthermophilic bacterium). The thermodynamic activation parameters of these LDHs indicated that temperature adaptation from hot to cold conditions was due to a decrease in the activation enthalpy and an increase in activation entropy. The crystal structures of these LDHs have been solved. Pairwise comparisons at the structural level, between hyperthermophilic versus mesophilic LDHs and mesophilic versus psychrophilic LDHs, have revealed that temperature adaptation is due to a few amino acid substitutions that are localized in critical regions of the enzyme. These substitutions, each having accumulating effects, play a role in either the conformational stability or the local flexibility or in both. Going from hot- to cold-adapted LDHs, the various substitutions have decreased the number of ion pairs, reduced the size of ionic networks, created unfavorable interactions involving charged residues and induced strong local disorder. The analysis of the LDHs adapted to extreme temperatures shed light on how evolutionary processes shift the subtle balance between overall stability and flexibility of an enzyme.     

Specific and unspecific responses of plants to cold and drought stress

Different environmental stresses to a plant may result in similar responses at the cellular and molecular level. This is due to the fact that the impacts of the stressors trigger similar strains and downstream signal transduction chains. A good example for an unspecific response is the reaction to stressors which induce water deficiency e.g. drought, salinity and cold, especially frost. The stabilizing effect of liquid water on the membrane bilayer can be supported by compatible solutes and special proteins. At the metabolic level, osmotic adjustment by synthesis of low-molecular osmolytes (carbohydrates, betains, proline) can counteract cellular dehydration and turgor loss. Taking the example of Pinus sylvestris, changes at the level of membrane composition, and concomitantly of photosynthetic capacity during frost hardening is shown. Additionally the effect of photoperiod as measured via the phytochrome system and the effect of subfreezing temperatures on the incidence of frost hardening is discussed. Extremely hydrophilic proteins such as dehydrins are common products protecting not only the biomembranes in ripening seeds (late embryogenesis abundant proteins) but accumulate also in the shoots and roots during cold adaptation, especially in drought tolerant plants. Dehydrins are characterized by conserved amino acid motifs, called the K-, Y-or S-segments. Accumulation of dehydrins can be induced not only by drought, but also by cold, salinity, treatment with abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate. Positive effects of the overexpression of a wild chickpea (Cicer pinnatifidum) dehydrin in tobacco plants on the dehydration tolerance is shown. The presentation discusses the perception of cold and drought, the subsequent signal transduction and expression of genes and their products. Differences and similarities between the plant responses to both stressors are also discussed.     

低温诱导蛋白及其与植物的耐寒性研究进展

低温诱导蛋白是植物在温度逆境条件下诱导产生的一系列蛋白,以抗冻蛋白、脱水蛋白、热激蛋白和热稳定蛋白较多,而且低温诱导蛋白质一旦在体内形成,植物体就会尽快地适应外界环境,表现出较强的抗逆性.本文对几种主要的低温诱导蛋白——抗冻蛋白、脱水蛋白、热激蛋白和热稳定蛋白的特性及其与植物耐寒性的关系研究进行综述,以期为进一步阐明植物耐寒的分子机制以及提高植物耐寒力研究提供新的思路.     

寒区生态系统中多年冻土研究进展

近地表面的多年冻土是陆地生态系统重要的组成部分,其研究是生态、水文和工程建设研究者关心的重要议题。气候是多年冻土重要的影响因子,国内外研究中,与气候变化相结合的多年冻土研究是当前研究的重要方面;同时,多年冻土的水文学、生态学意义研究也在广泛开展。我国的多年冻土研究一直与寒区经济建设和开发紧密联系,在冻土分布、类型、温度、冻土退化及冻土区开发利用等方面取得了丰硕的成果。未来还应注重高分辨率冻土分布制图、融深变化的研究,并建立长期的多年冻土变化监测机制,以便更好地研究气候变化下,陆地生态系统对全球变化的响应与反馈。     

低温锻炼和低温胁迫期间翠南报春叶肉细胞超微结构的适应变化

低温锻炼(10℃)期间翠南报春叶肉细胞线粒体增加并出现质膜内陷现象,低温胁迫(0℃)过程中,低温锻炼植株的细胞超微结构表现相对稳定,叶绿体片层结构和线粒体数目都未发生明显变化。未受低温锻炼植株线粒体数目在低温胁迫第2天增多,第3、4天逐渐减少,并在第3天出现质膜内陷现象。多泡体和囊泡结构有时伴随着质膜内陷出现。这种变化可能是经低温锻炼的翠南报春抗寒性提高的细胞结构基础。