Will photosynthesis of maize (Zea mays) in the US Corn Belt increase in future [CO2] rich atmospheres? An analysis of diurnal courses of CO2 uptake under free‐air concentration enrichment (FACE)

The C₄ grass Zea mays (maize or corn) is the third most important food crop globally in terms of production and demand is predicted to increase 45% from 1997 to 2020. However, the effects of rising [CO₂] upon C₄ plants, and Z. mays specifically, are not sufficiently understood to allow accurate predictions of future crop production. A rainfed, field experiment utilizing free‐air concentration enrichment (FACE) technology in the primary area of global corn production (US Corn Belt) was undertaken to determine the effects of elevated [CO₂] on corn. FACE technology allows experimental treatments to be imposed upon a complete soil–plant–atmosphere continuum with none of the effects of experimental enclosures on plant microclimate. Crop performance was compared at ambient [CO₂] (354 μ mol mol^?1) and the elevated [CO₂] (549 μmol mol^?1) predicted for 2050. Previous laboratory studies suggest that under favorable growing conditions C₄ photosynthesis is not typically enhanced by elevated [CO₂]. However, stomatal conductance and transpiration are decreased, which can indirectly increase photosynthesis in dry climates. Given the deep soils and relatively high rainfall of the US Corn Belt, it was predicted that photosynthesis would not be enhanced by elevated [CO₂]. The diurnal course of gas exchange of upper canopy leaves was measured in situ across the growing season of 2002. Contrary to the prediction, growth at elevated [CO₂] significantly increased leaf photosynthetic CO₂ uptake rate (A) by up to 41%, and 10% on average. Greater A was associated with greater intercellular [CO₂], lower stomatal conductance and lower transpiration. Summer rainfall during 2002 was very close to the 50‐year average for this site, indicating that the year was not atypical or a drought year. The results call for a reassessment of the established view that C₄ photosynthesis is insensitive to elevated [CO₂] under favorable growing conditions and that the production potential of corn in the US Corn Belt will not be affected by the global rise in [CO₂].     

Research Priorities for Conservation of Metallophyte Biodiversity and their Potential for Restoration and Site Remediation

Plants that have evolved to survive on metal‐rich soils—metallophytes—have key values that must drive research of their unique properties and ultimately their conservation. The ability of metallophytes to tolerate extreme metal concentrations commends them for revegetation of mines and metal‐contaminated sites. Metallophytes can also be exploited in environmental technologies, for example, phytostabilization, phytoremediation, and phytomining. Actions towards conserving metallophyte species are imperative, as metallophytes are increasingly under threat of extinction from mining activity. Although many hundreds of papers describe both the biology and applications of metallophytes, few have investigated the urgent need to conserve these unique species. This paper identifies the current state of metallophyte research, and advocates future research needs for the conservation of metallophyte biodiversity and the sustainable uses of metallophyte species in restoration, rehabilitation, contaminated site remediation, and other nascent phytotechnologies. Six fundamental questions are addressed: (1) Is enough known about the global status of metallophytes to ensure their conservation? (2) Are metallophytes threatened by the activities of the minerals industry, and can their potential for the restoration or rehabilitation of mined and disturbed land be realized? (3) What problems exist in gaining prior informed consent to access metallophyte genetic resources and how can the benefits arising from their uses be equitably shared? (4) What potential do metallophytes offer as a resource base for phytotechnologies? (5) Can genetic modification be used to “design” metallophytes to use in the remediation of contaminated land? (6) Does the prospect of using metallophytes in site remediation and restoration raise ethical issues?     

Construction of ethanol-tolerant yeast strains with combinatorial library-selected peptides

Combinatorial yeast libraries were constructed by transformation of expression plasmids containing artificially synthesized random sequences into Saccharomyces cerevisiae MT8-1 and IFO10150. Approximately 200 yeast strains with enhanced ethanol tolerance were obtained from yeast libraries by incubation in 10% ethanol for 24 h. Following separate evaluation of their ethanol tolerance, the 10 clones with the highest values were selected. After 3 h incubation in 12.5% ethanol, whereas most of the control cells died, the clone with the highest tolerance from the MT8-1 library, M-1, showed approximately 40% cell viability, and the corresponding clone from the IFO10150 library, I-12, 48% viability. The half-life of M-1 cells was 20 times greater than that of control cells. Three of the library-selected peptides endowing with ethanol tolerance were identified as Gly-Thr-Arg-Leu-His pentapeptides. Four seemed to be extremely hydrophobic, and three of these were predicted to be transmembrane peptides. The three other peptides seemed to be more hydrophilic than standard yeast proteins. The results of the study show that yeast strains with fairly high ethanol tolerance can be successfully constructed by directed selection from yeast libraries expressing combinatorial peptides.     

不同浓度NaCl溶液对水稻不同品种(系)幼苗生长的影响

在清水和0.25%、0.5%的NaCl溶液中分别砂培38份水稻品种(系),测芽长、根长、鲜重和干重,计算芽长敏感指数、根长敏感指数、鲜重敏感指数、干重敏感指数,研究水稻的耐盐性.根据相关分析,主成分分析和聚类分析,选出6个主成分(即芽长因子,干重因子,根敏感因子,芽敏感因子,低盐胁迫、鲜重敏感因子),将全部品系分成5个类群并筛选出8个综合品质特性较好的材料(即滇榆3号A,Kyongsan 2,Talsung 18,Kwangyang7-1,Keng Chi Ju,Thou Bir,Ma Gu Tsaw,Tie Gau Tsan).     

全球水稻分子育种核心种质资源耐低钾品种的苗期筛选

以全球水稻分子育种计划提供的117份核心种质资源为供试材料,进行苗期水培试验,比较两种不同K 浓度处理下的苗期根茎性状表现.结果表明:两种处理条件下,品种间存在显著差异;以发根数、总根长、苗高、地下部干重、地上部干重等5个性状相对指数的平均值构成品种的综合指数,作为筛选耐低钾品种的评判标准,结合稻苗生长情况,从117份核心种质资源中筛选出9个耐低钾品种和32个较耐低钾品种.     

通过农杆菌介导法获得耐盐转甜菜碱醛脱氢酶基因白三叶草

通过农杆菌介导法将耐盐植物山菠菜甜菜碱醛脱氢酶(Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase,BADH)基因成功地转化了白三叶草。转基因植株在经过48h 1％NaCl胁迫后相对电导率为20％左右,而非转基因植株高达40％,表明转基因植株细胞膜在盐胁迫下受到的伤害较非转基因的轻,并且转基因植株能够在含有0．5％NaCl的水培养中正常生长两周以上,而非转基因植株则呈现不正常生长。     

细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成对自絮凝酵母质膜ATP酶响应酒精刺激的影响及其与菌体耐酒精的关系

研究揭示细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成与质膜ATP酶在酵母菌耐酒精中的一种新颖关系。实验表明,细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成特点对生长于未添加酒精条件下的自絮凝颗粒酵母质膜ATP酶活性没有影响,但却明显影响生长于添加酒精(1％～10％,V／V)条件下的菌体质膜ATP酶对酒精激活的敏感性：预培养于添加0．6mmol／L棕榈酸、亚油酸、或亚麻酸条件下的菌体的质膜ATP酶的最大激活水平分别为各自酶的基态水平(未激活)的3．6、1．5和1．2倍,而对照组(预培养于未添加脂肪酸条件下的菌体)的相应值为2．3倍,酶产生上述最大激活水平时的酒精浓度分别为7％、6％、6％、和7％(V/V)。酶激活后米氏常数Km、最适pH和对钒酸钠(质膜ATP酶特异性抑制剂)的敏感性等性质不变,但最大反应速度υmax明显增加。实验表明,细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成特点对提高菌体的耐酒精能力越有利,则其质膜ATP酶被酒精激活的幅度越大,说明菌体耐酒精能力的提高与其质膜ATP酶对酒精激活的敏感性的增加密切相关。细胞膜磷脂脂肪酸组成会影响酵母菌质膜ATP酶对酒精激活的敏感性是观察到的新的实验现象。     

cry3A和vhb基因在转基因马铃薯中的表达

分别构建了含cry3A和cry3A+vhb基因的植物表达载体pBCry3A和pBC₃Vhb,并通过根癌农杆菌介导转化了马铃薯. 对转化再生植株进行PCR和DNA印迹分析表明,外源基因已整合到马铃薯基因组中, 且连续三代无性繁殖后转基因仍存在. ELISA分析表明cry3A基因在转基因植株中得到了高效表达, 在单转cry3A植株中最高表达量达0.1%, 转cry3A与vhb双基因株系中为0.065%. 水涝试验显示,转双基因且vhb mRNA的RT-PCR呈阳性的马铃薯植株,对低氧胁迫有较好的耐受性, 表明获得的上述转双基因马铃薯株系可能会具有很好的抗虫和耐涝性能.     

延安地区5种灌木叶旱性结构的解剖研究

选取角质层厚度,栅栏组织厚度/海绵组织厚度,第一层栅栏组织细胞密集度,侧维管束密度,主脉厚度作为叶片旱生结构指标,对比观测了5种灌木的抗旱性能。方差分析结果显示5种灌木角质层厚度、侧维管束密度和主脉厚度均具极显著差异,多重比较显示5种灌木主脉厚度两两间差异均显著,白刺花、沙棘和文冠果叶子的角质层厚度差异不明显,黄刺玫与虎榛子之间角质层厚度差异明显;而白刺花、沙棘、文冠果与黄刺玫和虎榛子之间差异显著。用非加权指数法对树种抗旱性能大小排序结果为:白刺花>文冠果>沙棘>虎榛子>黄刺玫。     

干旱胁迫下几种荒漠植物抗氧化能力的比较研究

对3种荒漠植物沙拐枣、梭梭和沙枣在干旱胁迫下的抗氧化能力进行了比较研究。结果表明,3种荒漠植物长期处于干旱生境下,都受到不同程度的膜脂过氧化,其中,沙枣的膜脂过氧化程度大于梭梭和沙拐枣。在1d的变化中,随着水势的下降,上午10：00前3种植物体内MDA含量都表现为上升趋势,此后梭梭和沙拐枣体内MDA含量表现为持续下降,到下午18：00达到最低,说明尽管水分胁迫在加强,它们却表现出极强的抗氧化胁迫能力;而沙枣体内MDA含量在下午18：00又开始上升,表明沙枣表现出一定的调节能力,但其能力有限,低于梭梭和沙拐枣。3种植物对干旱胁迫的应激方式不同;沙拐枣体内的SOD活性和ASA含量明显高于梭梭和沙枣,这与其体内相对较低的O2含量具有很好的一致性;对于植物体内H2O2的清除,抗氧化酶系统对沙拐枣体内的H2O2的清除起了一定的作用,但不是主要的,抗氧化剂GSH起主要作用,而梭梭体内南抗氧化酶系统中的CAT起主要作用,抗氧化剂起辅助作用;沙枣体内的AsA-POD起主要作用,其它的抗氧化酶和氧化剂起辅助作用。同时,植物体内还保持管各种酶的平衡。