Atmospheric humidity and genotype are key determinants of the diurnal stomatal conductance pattern

Great understanding of the genotypic difference in diurnal stomatal conductance (g_s) pattern and the key determinants of the pattern is important for saving water by adopting cultivars appropriately. Fifteen wheat genotypes were studied under different soil conditions and various meteorological conditions with pot cultivation in rain shelter for two years. Genotype and air humidity were found to be key determinants of diurnal g_s pattern. All genotypes under low relative humidity (LRH) and most genotypes under high relative humidity (HRH) displayed a gradual decline pattern from morning through the afternoon. Under moderate relative humidity (MRH), all genotypes present a single-peak curve pattern, but they differed in peak time, which may lead to unreliable g_s comparison between genotypes and get ostensible contrasting materials. The stomatal conductance was significantly different among genotypes under LRH and the increased g_s magnitude is also significantly different when it was compared between LRH and HRH. The present results provide new thinking for selecting and adopting appropriate cultivars with specific stomata traits for the area with various meteorological conditions.     

重金属Cd、Pb复合污染对植物生理生化和细胞结构影响的研究进展

我国受重金属污染的土地面积广大,因采矿等造成的环境和土壤重金属污染问题日趋严重。因金属矿床形成特点及开采方式单一等原因,造成Cd、Pb居于重金属复合污染前列。通过总结单一Cd、Pb污染对植物生理生化特征的影响以及Cd、Pb复合污染对植物生理生化及细胞结构的影响等研究进展,明晰土壤重金属Cd、Pb复合污染对植物影响和损害的研究热点,进而探明植物重金属胁迫的生理响应机制。     

Acquired Thermo‐Tolerance and Trans‐Generational Heat Stress Response at Flowering in Rice

In rice, pre‐exposure to sublethal treatment followed by harsh lethal treatment is known to improve tolerance of different abiotic stresses at the vegetative stage within and across generations. Our major aim was to test the phenomenon of thermo‐tolerance at flowering across (trans)‐generations and within generation using rice cultivars contrasting for heat stress tolerance at flowering. To test trans‐generational response, plants were exposed to higher temperature at flowering stage and seeds obtained from previous generations were exposed to heat stress during flowering, which recorded significantly lower fertility when exposed to the same degree of stress in their subsequent generations. A pre‐acclimation to moderately high acclimating temperatures imposed over three different durations during the vegetative and initial reproductive stage showed positive response in the tolerant N22, particularly under severe heat stress (40 °C). This finding indicates the possibility of acquiring ameliorative thermo‐tolerant mechanisms at anthesis, restricted to tolerant genetic backgrounds to combat subsequent harsh conditions within the same generation. However, trans‐generational memory was ineffective in mitigating spikelet sterility losses in both tolerant and susceptible backgrounds. Rice is extremely sensitive to heat stress during flowering; hence, similar exercise across other crops of interest needs to be carried out before generalizing conclusions.     

Puerarin improved growth performance and postmortem meat quality by regulating lipid metabolism of cattle under hot environment

This study aims to evaluate the effect of puerarin on performance, meat quality, and serum indexes of beef cattle under hot environment. Thirty-two bulls were divided into four groups and fed diet supplemented with puerarin at 0, 200, 400, or 800 mg/kg. Results showed that heat stress was employed for 54 out of 60 days, 400 mg/kg group declined serum cortisol (COR) contents, all treatments increased the contents of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total superoxide dismutase activity; in addition, glutathione peroxidase activity of 200 mg/kg group were enhanced, only 800 mg/kg group enhanced immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM, and IgG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol contents compared with the control (p < .05). Moreover, 400-mg/kg puerarin increased serum growth hormone levels compared with 200 mg/kg group but declined COR concentrations compared with 200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg groups (p < .05). More importantly, average daily gain and daily matter intake, and intramuscular fat contents of 400 mg/kg group were enhanced, but the shear force of beef in 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg groups were declined compared with the control (p < .05). These findings indicated that supplemental with puerarin enhanced immune and antioxidant, and 400 mg/kg of puerarin improved performance and meat quality by normalizing levels of stress hormones and increasing intramuscular fat deposition of beef cattle under hot environment.     

马齿苋水提物对热应激小鼠空肠结构及吸收功能的影响

旨在探讨马齿苋水提物（aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea L.）对热应激小鼠空肠结构及吸收功能的影响。将40只昆明种小鼠随机分为4组（n=10）：空白对照组（C）、热应激组（HS）、马齿苋水提物组（AEP）、维生素C组（Vc），HS、AEP和Vc组每天于（40±1）℃环境下处理0.5 h，连续热应激6 d后将小鼠转置于室温下给药治疗。给药7 d后眶窦采血，并采集小鼠空肠；测定小鼠血清中D-木糖、葡萄糖含量；HE染色观察空肠组织病理学变化；qRT-PCR法检测空肠黏膜ZO-1、SGLT1及GLUT2 mRNA的相对转录水平。结果显示，与C组比较，HS组小鼠空肠黏膜绒毛高度极显著降低（P<0.01）；血清中D-木糖的含量极显著降低（P<0.01）；空肠黏膜中ZO-1、SGLT1和GLUT2 mRNA的相对转录水平均极显著降低（P<0.01）；与HS组相比，AEP组小鼠空肠绒毛高度极显著提高（P<0.01）；血清中D-木糖及葡萄糖的含量均显著升高（P<0.01或P<0.05）；空肠黏膜中ZO-1、SGLT1和GLUT2 mRNA的相对转录水平均显著升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）。高温处理可导致小鼠空肠黏膜脱落及吸收功能下降，而在给予马齿苋水提物治疗后可通过提高空肠ZO-1 mRNA表达量修复空肠黏膜结构，通过促进空肠黏膜SGLT1和GLUT2 mRNA的转录量改善吸收功能。马齿苋水提物能在一定程度上修复热应激导致小鼠空肠黏膜结构损伤，改善热应激小鼠肠道的吸收能力。     

高丹草种子萌发和幼苗生长对模拟盐碱互作胁迫的响应

为限制盐碱地高丹草种子萌发和幼苗生长的主导影响因素,将2种中性盐(NaCl、Na2SO4)和2种碱性盐(NaHCO3、Na2CO3)按照不同比例混合,模拟出16种盐碱互作条件,研究盐碱互作胁迫对高丹草种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明,高丹草种子萌发及幼苗生长参数与总盐浓度、pH以及CO2-3和HCO-3浓度的影响较大,而CO2-3和HCO-3浓度又是影响pH的主要因素,总盐浓度和pH可作为影响高丹草种子萌发及幼苗生长的主导因素。但是,反映种子萌发参数的发芽率(Gr)、发芽势(Gp)、发芽指数(Gi)等指标以及反映幼苗生长参数的芽长(GL)、根长(RL)和侧根数(LRN)等指标对盐浓度和pH胁迫的敏感性不同,在相同等盐浓度下,随着pH的增加,GL、RL和LRN降低幅度较Gr、Gp、Gi等参数的降低幅度更为明显,盐害系数之间也存在明显的差异,说明盐浓度对高丹草种子萌发的影响较大,而高pH胁迫则主要影响其幼苗生长。因此,盐碱地高丹草的种植过程中不仅要考虑土壤含盐量的因素,而且要考虑pH的影响。     

Comparison of Salt and Drought‐Stress Effects on Maize Growth and Yield Formation with Regard to Acid Invertase Activity in the Kernels

The long‐term effects of salt stress (11 dS m^?1) and drought stress (35 % WHC) were investigated for two maize genotypes, focusing on the relation between metabolic changes around the time of pollination and the impact on yield determinants at maturity. The relatively salt‐resistant hybrid Pioneer 3906 and the relatively drought‐resistant hybrid Fabregas were compared. The experiments were conducted in large plastic containers in a vegetation hall in two consecutive years (2011 and 2012). Plant height and leaf area were significantly reduced under both stress conditions. The transpiration rate was only slightly reduced under drought stress; but under salt stress, a significant reduction occurred 40–53 days after sowing. As a significant increase in sucrose concentrations was observed in the salt‐treated maize kernels 2 days after pollination, the availability of assimilates was not limiting and the plants could afford to save water by reduced stomatal opening. Although under both stress conditions the soluble acid invertase activity was reduced 2 days after pollination, concomitantly, an increase in hexose concentrations was observed. Thus, in these experiments, the delivery of hexoses by acid invertase activity did not limit kernel development. Differences in grain yield at maturity between salt and drought stress were most likely caused by salt‐specific effects (Na⁺ toxicity), Fabregas being more affected than Pioneer 3906.     

拟南芥响应3-羰基己酰基高丝氨酸内酯的膜蛋白质组分析

为了探索植物响应细菌信号N-酰基高丝氨酸内酯(AHLs)的分子机制。本文利用二维差异凝胶电泳技术分析了3-羰基己酰基高丝氨酸内酯(3OC6-HSL)处理引起拟南芥膜蛋白质组的变化情况,结果表明3OC6-HSL共诱导53个蛋白点发生显著变化,涉及天然免疫、逆境胁迫响应、碳代谢、能量代谢、光合作用等多种生物学功能,暗示了3OC6-HSL在调控植物生长发育和抗逆性方面发挥着重要作用,可为阐明植物-细菌跨界通讯的分子机制提供更多的功能蛋白质信息。     

MdMYB73的分子克隆及其在苹果愈伤组织和拟南芥幼苗中的盐抗性功能鉴定

从‘嘎拉’苹果中克隆了一个MYB转录因子基因(序列号:MDP0000894463)。该基因包含长为729 bp完整的开放阅读框,编码243个氨基酸,预测其蛋白质分子量为26.34 kD,等电点为9.29。系统进化树分析表明,这一MYB转录因子与拟南芥AtMYB73同源序列相似性最高,因此将其命名为MdMYB73。功能域分析表明,MdMYB73蛋白含有保守的R2R3-typeMYB绑定域。荧光定量PCR分析表明,MdMYB73在苹果的各个组织均有表达,在叶片和花中表达相对较高;MdMYB73的表达明显受盐胁迫的诱导。将异位表达MdMYB73的拟南芥幼苗进行抗盐鉴定,结果表明MdMYB73负调控拟南芥盐胁迫抗性;同时,AtSOS1,AtSOS3和AtNHX1抗盐相关基因的表达水平显著降低,表明MdMYB73可能负调控SOS反应,影响拟南芥抵抗高盐胁迫过程。将MdMYB73基因遗传转化苹果愈伤组织,抗盐表型分析表明,MdMYB73过量表达也明显降低了转基因愈伤组织对盐胁迫的抗性。