Physiological integration among ramets of Lathyrus sylvestris L.

Summary Lathyrus sylvestris is a pioneer legume often found in disturbed habitats. Mainly reproduced through vegetative propagation, this clonal species presents a system of ramets that remain connected for several years. The existence of carbon transfer among ramets within a clone has been studied using ¹⁴C in situ. Assimilate translocation from primary to secondary ramets was observed in all clones when the primary ramet was exposed to ¹⁴CO₂. The amount of transfer ranged from trace up to 90% of the total ¹⁴C incorporated. However, in only half of the clones there was consistent enrichment of the secondary ramet (5 to 89%) suggesting that interramets transfer of carbon may be facultative. Furthermore, when significant export occurred from the primary ramet, it was always principally towards only one ramet even when the clone included more than one. The transfer of ¹⁴C from secondary to primary ramets was shown to be significant only when photosynthesis of the latter was decreased by shading. In this case import of carbon was never more than 60% of the incorporated ¹⁴C.No correlation was found between age or size of the ramets and the intensity of transfer. The shading effect let suppose that transfers are mainly driven by carbon limitation due to changing environmental conditions and not to the state of ramet maturity. The adaptative advantage of such facultative physiological integration between ramets of a clone is discussed.     

胁迫处理对林生山黧豆蛋白质多肽及其含量的影响

应用二维电泳技术,分析了经水分胁迫（ＰＥＧ）、盐分胁迫（ＮａＣｌ）和热激（４０℃）处理后林生山黧豆（ＬａｔｈｙｒｕｓｓｙｌｖｅｓｔｒｉｓＬ．）体内蛋白质多肽及其含量的变化。有些蛋白质经ＰＥＧ、ＮａＣｌ和热激处理后可以产生相同的变化。两种不同的胁迫因子对某些蛋白质的影响有一定的共同性。特定的胁迫条件可以造成特定的影响。不同胁迫因子对同一蛋白质多肽可以造成不同的影响。胁迫下蛋白质的变化可能与林生山黧豆抵抗和适应胁迫条件的能力以及体内非蛋白质氨基酸的代谢有关     

Chromosomal instability in Lathyrus sativus L.

Summary In Lathyrus sativus (2n=14), variety LSD-1 shows an instability of somatic chromosome number which can be observed in root tip and shoot tip mitoses. In this variety, approximately 54% of the seedlings showed intra-individual variation in chromosome number ranging from 2n=14–3. This variability in chromosome number was recorded in approximately 60% of the dividing cells. Two seedlings were triploid with 21 chromosomes. Variation in chromosome number in somatic cells within individual plants is possibly controlled by genetic factors, which result in spindle abnormalities, chromosome degradation and minute chromosomes. The variation in chromosome number is probably responsible for the pollen polymorphism noted in this particular strain. The possible mechanism of intra-individual variability and the occurrence of the phenomenon vis-a-vis its applications are discussed.     

翻压山黧豆绿肥与氮肥减施对水稻生长及其养分吸收与产量的影响

为探明种植翻压山黧豆绿肥与减施氮肥下的水稻生产潜力,通过3年田间定位试验,设置冬闲+不施肥(NF)、山黧豆绿肥(GM)、冬闲+常规氮肥(100%N,CK)、山黧豆绿肥+80%常规氮肥(GM+80%N)、山黧豆绿肥+70%常规氮肥(GM+70%N)、山黧豆绿肥+60%常规氮肥(GM+60%N)6个处理,研究不同处理对水稻生长、养分吸收及产量的影响。结果表明：(1)与CK相比,翻压山黧豆绿肥并减施氮肥处理均能够显著提升水稻株高、增加水稻分蘖数、提高水稻干物质积累量,其中以GM+70%N施肥处理提升效果最为明显。(2)GM+70%N施肥处理下,不同生育时期水稻株高、有效分蘖数分别较对照常规施肥(100%N)提升了13.32%~ 15.73%和33.98%~59.47%,水稻干物质积累量提高了23.19%~144.18%,且随着生育时期的推进增加速率依次降低。(3)种植翻压山黧豆绿肥并减施氮肥处理下水稻产量均有所提高,其中GM+70%N和GM+80%N处理显著提高,增产分别达13.84%,7.25%,且GM+70%N处理下水稻植株和籽粒养分吸收更为全面。研究发现,种植翻压山黧豆并适量减施氮肥能有效促进水稻生长和养分的吸收积累,显著提高水稻产量,说明翻压山黧豆绿肥可替代稻田30%~40%的氮肥施入量,并可在避免水稻旺长的同时实现水稻高产,是四川水稻种植较好的耕作措施。     

A new species of Lathyrus L. (Fabaceae) from Central Apennine (Italy)

Abstract

Lathyrus apenninus, from beech woods margins and scrub in the Central Apennine (Italy), is described as a species new to science. The relationship of L. apenninus with L. linifolius, which it had been confused with, is briefly discussed.     

In vitro Activation of Protein Kinase C by β-N-oxalyl-l-α, β-diaminopropionic acid,the Lathyrus sativus Neurotoxin

-N-oxalyl-l-,-diaminopropionic acid (l-ODAP) toxicity has been associated with lathyrism; a spastic paraparesis caused by excessive dietary intake of the pulse Lathyrus sativus. We investigated the effect of Lathyrus neurotoxin l-ODAP on protein kinase C (PKC) activity under in vitro conditions. l-ODAP activated phosphorylation activity of purified chick brain PKC. Both lysine-rich (histone III-S) and arginine-rich (protamine sulfate) substrate phosphorylation was enhanced in the presence of l-ODAP. The activation is concentration dependent, and maximal activation is observed at 100 M concentration. Protamine sulfate phosphorylation was enhanced by 47%, whereas histone III-S phosphorylation was enhanced by 50% over PS/PDBu/Ca²⁺ dependent activity. The nontoxic d-isomer (d-ODAP) did not affect both histone III-S and protamine sulfate phosphorylation activity. These results indicate that l-ODAP taken up by neuronal cells could also contribute to PKC activation and so be associated with toxicity.     

High-frequency plant regeneration by <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> shoot proliferation in cotyledonary node explants of grasspea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lathyrus sativus</Emphasis> L.)

Summary Multiple shoots were induced from cotyledonary nodes of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) derived from 7-d-old in vitro seedlings on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing N⁶-benzyladenine (BA), kinetin, or thidiazuron, BA being the most effective. Among the five genotypes tested, shoot proliferation frequency was the highest (93.3%) for IC-120487, giving the maximum number of shoots (11.3 shoots per explant) on MS medium augmented with 2.0 mgl⁻¹ (8.87 μM) BA. Shoot cultures were established by repeatedly subculturing the original cotyledonary nodes on fresh medium after each harvest of the newly formed shoots. Thus 30–40 shoots were obtained in 2 mo. from a single cotyledonary node. Up to 81.8% of the shoots developed roots following transfer to half-strength MS medium containing 0.5 mgl⁻¹ (2.85 μM) indole-3-acetic acid. Plantlets were successfully acclimatized and established in soil.     

Effects of europium ions (Eu3+) on the distribution and related biological activities of elements in Lathyrus sativus L. roots

Scanning electron microscopic and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses were used to study the distributions of different types of elements in the epidermis, exodermis, endodermis, and vascular cylinder of the fracture face in the Lathyrus sativus L. roots in the presence or absence of Eu³⁺. Some index of the biological activity related to the elements binding with protein were determined also. The results showed that the tissular distributions of elements in the fracture face are different in the presence and absence of Eu³⁺. The atomic percentages of P, S, Ca, and Mn were influenced more than those of other elements. Eu³⁺ promoted the biological activities of various kinds of element. The one possible mechanism changing the biological activities was that the reaction of Eu³⁺ Eu²⁺ would influence the electron capture or transport in elements of binding protein. Another mechanism was that CaM-Ca²⁺ becoming CaM-Eu³⁺ through Eu³⁺ instead of Ca²⁺ would affect the biological activity of elements by regulating the Ca²⁺ level in the plant cell.     

Seasonal changes in oleosomic lipids and fatty acids of perennial root nodules of beach pea

Seasonal changes in the fatty acid composition of phospholipids (PL), monoglycerides (MG), diglycerides (DG), free fatty acids (FA) and triglycerides (TG) separated from oleosomes (lipid bodies) of perennial root nodules of beach pea (Lathyrus maritimus) were analysed. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) revealed that PL and MG are the major lipids in nodule oleosomes. The fatty acid profile and overall double bond index (DBI) varied among lipid classes depending upon the season. High DBI in PL and MG found during late winter and early spring indicated that they may play a major role in winter survival and regeneration of perennial nodules. The DBI of DG was high at the end of the fall season and the DBI of FA and TG was high in summer months. The dominant fatty acids are C16:0 followed by C18:0 and C18:1. The levels of many unsaturated fatty acids such as C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 increased while saturated fatty acid C18:0 decreased during winter. These unsaturated fatty acids possibly play an important role in the protection of nodule cells from cold stress. Nodules seem to retain some fatty acids and selectively utilize specific fatty acids to survive the winter and regenerate in spring.     

Screening of the occurrence of copper amine oxidases in Fabaceae plants

Aim of this work was to find the best source for obtaining high amount of copper amine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6) that can be further used for analytical or industrial applications. The study focused on plant enzymes, because they occur in much higher content in the starting material than the enzymes from other sources, have higher specific activity and are also more thermostable. Presence of the amine oxidase was tested in extracts from 4 to 7-d-old seedlings of thirty-four various Fabaceae plants. Amine oxidases from nine selected plants were purified by general method involving ammonium sulfate fractionation, controlled heat denaturation, and three chromatographic steps. Kinetic properties of the amine oxidases purified were tested with a wide range of substrates and inhibitors and were found to be very similar. Best purification yield, and total and specific activities were obtained for the enzyme from grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) throughout all purification steps. Hence, the grass pea extract was chosen as a suitable candidate for massive production of the amine oxidase. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.