Change in Chemical Composition of Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Essential Oil Caused by Alfalfa mosaic virus

The effects of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) infection on essential oil (EO) content and composition of a Sweet Basil cv. Gigante di Napoli were evaluated. A 10‐fold lower extraction yield from infected plants was observed, suggesting that morphological alterations induced by the disease may affect abundance and efficacy of secretive tissues. Organoleptic properties and thus quality of EO were severely affected and EO composition resulted severely altered, with a great increase in sesquiterpenes (from 72.8 to 19.8%) and a decrease in both monoterpenes (from 35 to 11%) and phenylpropanoids (from 44.5 to 15.8%, despite a slight increase in eugenol). Such report is indicative of possible direct or indirect metabolic consequences of AMV in a commercially important species like Ocimum basilicum is. The possible consequences of linalool and trans‐β‐farnesene content changes on the dispersion of viruliferous aphids are also examined and discussed.     

From canopy to seed: Loss of snow drives directional changes in forest composition

Climate change is altering the conditions for tree recruitment, growth, and survival, and impacting forest community composition. Across southeast Alaska, USA, and British Columbia, Canada, Callitropsis nootkatensis (Alaska yellow‐cedar) is experiencing extensive climate change‐induced canopy mortality due to fine‐root death during soil freezing events following warmer winters and the loss of insulating snowpack. Here, we examine the effects of ongoing, climate‐driven canopy mortality on forest community composition and identify potential shifts in stand trajectories due to the loss of a single canopy species. We sampled canopy and regenerating forest communities across the extent of C. nootkatensis decline in southeast Alaska to quantify the effects of climate, community, and stand‐level drivers on C. nootkatensis canopy mortality and regeneration as well as postdecline regenerating community composition. Across the plot network, C. nootkatensis exhibited significantly higher mortality than co‐occurring conifers across all size classes and locations. Regenerating community composition was highly variable but closely related to the severity of C. nootkatensis mortality. Callitropsis nootkatensis canopy mortality was correlated with winter temperatures and precipitation as well as local soil drainage, with regenerating community composition and C. nootkatensis regeneration abundances best explained by available seed source. In areas of high C. nootkatensis mortality, C. nootkatensis regeneration was low and replaced by Tsuga. Our study suggests that climate‐induced forest mortality is driving alternate successional pathways in forests where C. nootkatensis was once a major component. These pathways are likely to lead to long‐term shifts in forest community composition and stand dynamics. Our analysis fills a critical knowledge gap on forest ecosystem response and rearrangement following the climate‐driven decline of a single species, providing new insight into stand dynamics in a changing climate. As tree species across the globe are increasingly stressed by climate change‐induced alteration of suitable habitat, identifying the autecological factors contributing to successful regeneration, or lack thereof, will provide key insight into forest resilience and persistence on the landscape.     

The Arabidopsis thaliana trehalase is a plasma membrane-bound enzyme with extracellular activity

The lack of trehalose accumulation in most plant species has been partly attributed to the presence of an active trehalase. Although trehalose synthesis enzymes are thought to be cytosolic, and previous studies have indicated that trehalase activity is extracellular, the exact location of the enzyme has not yet been established in plant cell. We present evidence that the yet uncharacterised full-length Arabidopsis trehalase is a plasma membrane-bound protein, probably anchored to the membrane through a predicted N-terminal membrane spanning domain. The full-length AtTRE1, when expressed in yeast can functionally substitute for the extracellularly active trehalase Ath1p, by sustaining the growth of an ath1 null mutant strain on trehalose and at pH 4.8. We further demonstrate that AtTRE1 expressed in yeast is plasma membrane-bound as in plant cell. In light of these findings, the regulation of plant cell endogenous trehalose by trehalase is discussed.     

Structural basis of different substrate preferences of two old yellow enzymes from yeasts in the asymmetric reduction of enone compounds

Old yellow enzymes (OYEs) are potential targets of protein engineering for useful biocatalysts because of their excellent asymmetric reductions of enone compounds. Two OYEs from different yeast strains, Candida macedoniensis AKU4588 OYE (CmOYE) and Pichia sp. AKU4542 OYE (PsOYE), have a sequence identity of 46%, but show different substrate preferences; PsOYE shows 3.4-fold and 39-fold higher catalytic activities than CmOYE toward ketoisophorone and (4S)-phorenol, respectively. To gain insights into structural basis of their different substrate preferences, we have solved a crystal structure of PsOYE, and compared its catalytic site structure with that of CmOYE, revealing the catalytic pocket of PsOYE is wider than that of CmOYE due to different positions of Phe²⁴⁶ (PsOYE)/Phe²⁵⁰ (CmOYE) in static Loop 5. This study shows a significance of 3D structural information to explain the different substrate preferences of yeast OYEs which cannot be understood from their amino acid sequences.

Abbreviations: OYE: Old yellow enzymes, CmOYE: Candida macedoniensis AKU4588 OYE, PsOYE: Pichia sp. AKU4542 OYE     

Comparative Analysis of Three Different Total Nucleic Acid Extraction Protocols for the Diagnosis of Geminiviruses in Squash (Cucurbita moschata)

Squash (Cucurbita moschata) is one of the most important crops in tropical countries. Geminiviruses are an important group of plant pathogens. In 2002 a new begomovirus was reported to naturally infect squash and some other crops in Costa Rica. Our objective was to compare, using molecular techniques, the extraction and further purification of DNA from squash by different extraction protocols and storage methods. A single infected sample was collected, half of the material was stored frozen at ?70°C, and the remainder was stored dehydrated in silica gel (SG). Total nucleic acids (TNAs) were extracted by three different protocols and were quantified by fluorometry, and the quality was analysed by electrophoresis in agarose gels, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the virus genome, dot blot and Southern blot hybridization. Even though the tissue stored in SG yielded a higher amount of TNAs, the genetic material exhibited lower integrity and this made it useful exclusively for the detection of geminiviral DNA by PCR amplification of short viral sequences and by hybridization with short viral probes. The Dellaporta method proved to be the most effective for the detection of geminiviral DNA in infected squash tissue. Although the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide method showed similar results, the procedure is more time‐consuming. Surprisingly, the citrate method showed either similar or worse results than the other methods.     

芝麻病毒病害研究：Ⅱ.芝麻黄花叶病病原鉴定

继对芝麻矮化坏死病源研究之后,又对普遍发生的芝麻黄花叶病害分离物(YMo—I)进行了系统鉴定。该分离物普遍存在于各芝麻主产区,普通年份发病率为1～5％。YMo—I侵染芝麻引起叶片褪绿及黄绿相间花叶。摩擦接种能够侵染4科12种(品种)植物。局部侵染苋色藜、昆诺藜;系统侵染大豆、花生、望江南、克氏烟等。该病毒能够由桃蚜、花生蚜、大豆蚜以非持久性方式进行传播。ELISA检测其病株种子带毒率为0.5％,但尚未发现种生病苗。病毒在组织汁液中存活期3天;钝化温度55～60℃,稀释限点4×10~(-3)。提纯病毒为弯曲线状粒体,大小约为13×730nm。并有极易凝聚的趋势。病组织中诱导大量典型PVY第一亚组的风轮形和卷筒状细胞质内含体和少数多边形结晶核内含体。血清学上该病毒与花生条纹病毒(PStV)、西瓜花叶病毒—2(MMV—2)密切相关,与花生斑驳病毒、大豆花叶病毒弱相关;与芜菁花叶病毒不相关。但它不侵染WMV—2的寄主—黄瓜,并且该病害田间的发生流行与芝麻、花生的间作方式以及PStV在花生田间的流行密切相关。根据上述结果,YMo—I分离株被鉴定为花生条纹病毒的一芝麻分离株。     

栀子黄色素制备藏红花酸研究

以栀子黄色素为原料,对其水解反应制备藏红花酸及其纯化条件进行了研究,结果表明,栀子黄色素经碱水解法制备藏红花酸的最佳条件为:KOH溶液10%、温度为60℃、反应时间120 min,水解所得藏红花酸通过甲醇除杂,重结晶后,所得结晶其mp.、uv与文献报道一致,其质谱的诱导碰撞解离技术获得碎片裂解信息均表明所得到的结晶为藏红花酸,经HPLC检测纯度达到98.43%,得率为8.42%。     

Massenentwicklungen von Algen und Wasserlinsen in der Talsperre Bleiloch (Thüringen) — gegenwärtige Situation,Ursachenanalyse und erste Ergebnisse zu deren Verringerung Algal Blooms and Duckweed Covers in the Bleiloch Reservoir (Thuringia) — Actually Situation,Causal Analysis and First Results of its Overcome

The effects of a decreased sewage release from a cellulose mill on the hypertrophic Bleiloch reservoir were studied. The waste water treatment reduced the concentration of yellow substances in the reservoir and resulted in a more light-coloured waterbody. It is estimated that the changes in the light attenuation in the Bleiloch reservoir after 1989 can be described as eutrophication. Selected physical, chemical, and biological parameters from 1994 show the effect of changes. Three large pelagic enclosures (diameter 10 m, length 20 m) were installed in the reservoir to assess effects of artifical mixing on phytoplankton biomass and composition. Two circulation techniques have been used in the enclosures (relase of compressed air at the bottom of the enclosure and mechanical mixing, where water was pumped from the surface downward). The investigation demonstrate that the magnitude of seasonal peaks of chlorophyll were depressed in the mixed enclosures during circulation. The results were discussed in comparison with a reference enclosure without mixing and the waterbody of the reservoir. Cryptophytes and other flagellates achieved dominance during mixing in the “air”-enclosure, while diatoms were the most abundant species in the „pump”︁-enclosure. The development of filamentous cyanobacteria, which are significant indicators of eutrophication, was disturbed in the enclosures. They were outcompeted by cryptophytes, movable chlorophytes and diatoms. Both mechanical pump and compressed air can be used to control excessive algal growth. Further studies on the dynamics of phytoplankton to artifical mixing are suggested. The results of further studies should design an in situ experiment in the reservoir to reduce algal growth by light limitation. Further on a dense duckweed cover spreads over the surface of the Bleiloch reservoir, which influences the light regime in the waterbody. Therefore factors influencing the duckweed growth were analysed. Special attention was focused on the influence of the pH, consequences of the mixing in the waterbody and the role of resting stages.     

Seasonal Shifts in Nocturnal Habitat Use by Coastal Bat Species

Sensitivity of bats to land use change depends on their foraging ecology, which varies among species based on ecomorphological traits. Additionally, because prey availability, vegetative clutter, and temperature change throughout the year, some species may display seasonal shifts in their nocturnal habitat use. In the Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius), tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), and northern yellow bat (Lasiurus intermedius) are species of conservation concern that are threatened by habitat loss. Our objective was to identify characteristics of habitat used by these species during their nightly active period and compare use between summer and winter. We conducted acoustic surveys at 125 sites during May–August and at 121 of the same 125 sites December–March 2018 and 2019 in upland forests, bottomland forests, fields, ponds, and salt marsh and used occupancy models to assess habitat use. The northern long-eared bat and southeastern myotis (i.e., myotis bats) used sites that were closer to hardwood stands, pine stands, and fresh water year-round. We did not identify any strong predictors of tri-colored bat habitat use in summer, but during winter they used bottomland forests, fields, and ponds more than salt marsh and upland forests. During summer and winter, northern yellow bats used sites close to fresh water and salt marsh. Additionally, during summer they used fields, ponds, and salt marsh more than upland and bottomland forests, but in winter they used bottomland forests, fields, and ponds more than upland forest and salt marsh. Our results highlight important land cover types for bats in this area (e.g., bottomland forests, ponds, and salt marsh), and that habitat use changes between seasons. Accounting for and understanding how habitat use changes throughout the year will inform managers about how critical habitat features may vary in their importance to bats throughout the year. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

Influence of chloroplastic photo-oxidative stress on mitochondrial alternative oxidase capacity and respiratory properties: a case study with Arabidopsis yellow variegated 2

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), the unique respiratory terminal oxidase in plants, catalyzes the energy-wasteful cyanide (CN)-resistant respiration. Although it has been demonstrated that leaf AOX is up-regulated under high-light (HL) conditions, the in vivo mechanism of AOX up-regulation by light is still unknown. In the present study, we examined whether the photo-oxidative stress in the chloroplast modulates mitochondrial respiratory properties, especially the AOX capacity, using Arabidopsis leaf-variegated mutant yellow variegated 2 (var2) and exposing plants to HL. var2 mutants lack FtsH2 metalloprotease required for the repair of damaged PSII. Indeed, var2-1 suffered from photo-oxidative stress even before the HL treatments. While the activities of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes and cytochrome c oxidase in var2-1 were almost identical to those in the wild type, the amount of AOX protein and the CN-resistant respiration rate were higher in var2-1. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that HL treatment induced the expression of some energy-dissipating respiratory genes, including AOX1a, NDB2 and UCP5, more strongly in var2-1. Western blotting using var2-1 leaf extracts specific to green or white sectors, containing functional or non-functional photosynthetic apparatus, respectively, revealed that more AOX protein was induced in the green sectors by the HL treatment. These results indicate that photo-oxidative stress by excess light is involved in the regulation of respiratory gene expression and the modulation of respiratory properties, especially the AOX up-regulation.