Glycosylated Porphyra-334 and Palythine-Threonine from the Terrestrial Cyanobacterium Nostoc commune

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are water-soluble UV-absorbing pigments, and structurally different MAAs have been identified in eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria. In this study novel glycosylated MAAs were found in the terrestrial cyanobacterium Nostoc commune (N. commune). An MAA with an absorption maximum at 334 nm was identified as a hexose-bound porphyra-334 derivative with a molecular mass of 508 Da. Another MAA with an absorption maximum at 322 nm was identified as a two hexose-bound palythine-threonine derivative with a molecular mass of 612 Da. These purified MAAs have radical scavenging activities in vitro, which suggests multifunctional roles as sunscreens and antioxidants. The 612-Da MAA accounted for approximately 60% of the total MAAs and contributed approximately 20% of the total radical scavenging activities in a water extract, indicating that it is the major water-soluble UV-protectant and radical scavenger component. The hexose-bound porphyra-334 derivative and the glycosylated palythine-threonine derivatives were found in a specific genotype of N. commune, suggesting that glycosylated MAA patterns could be a chemotaxonomic marker for the characterization of the morphologically indistinguishable N. commune. The glycosylation of porphyra-334 and palythine-threonine in N. commune suggests a unique adaptation for terrestrial environments that are drastically fluctuating in comparison to stable aquatic environments.     

Acidification of Growing Cloud Droplet by Rainout of SO2(g)

Growing cloud droplets absorb such atmospheric gaseous pollutant as SO₂(g), condensing atmospheric water vapor into themselves. Then, the cloud droplets are acidified by absorption of SO₂(g) during condensational growth on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Characteristics of this process, which is a part of rainout, have not been made clear yet. In order to estimate the contribution of rainout to acid rain formation, the acidification of growing cloud droplets is investigated numerically, using a mathematical model. The numerical simulations show that: (1) the time to attain the equilibrium state for mass transfer (acidity and growth) and heat transfer (temperature) is much longer than the time for disappearance of CCN; (2) time variation of acidity and temperature of cloud droplets are greatly dependent on the existence of undissolved CCN; and (3) there seems to be a close correlation between the time variation of the acidity and that of the temperature.     

Mechanisms for coping with submergence and waterlogging in rice

Background

Oligopeptide transporters (OPTs) play important roles in the mobilization of organic nitrogenous compounds and usually associate with tissues that show signs of rapid protein hydrolysis, such as germinating seeds and senescing leaves. This study is to investigate rice OPT genes.

Results

A total of sixteen OsOPT genes (Os for Oryza sative L.) were identified in the rice genome, which were then classified into six sections that belong to two subfamilies (the PT and YSL subfamily). The major mechanisms for evolutionary expansion of the sixteen genes during the rice genome evolution include segmental and tandem duplication. Calculation of the duplication event dates indicated that the sixteen genes originated from nine original OsOPT genes, and the duplication events could be classified into three evolutionary stages. The first evolutionary stage occurred approximately 50 million years ago (Mya) and involved the evolution of four new genes. The second evolutionary stage was approximately 20 Mya and was marked by the appearance of two new genes, and the third evolutionary stage was approximately 9 Mya when two new genes evolved. Mining of the expression database and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of most duplicated OsOPT genes showed high tissue specificities. Diverse expression patterns for the sixteen genes were evaluated using both semi-quantitative RT-PCR and the MPSS data. Expression levels of some OsOPT genes were regulated by abiotic and biotic stresses suggesting the potential involvement of these gene products in rice stress adaptation. Five OsOPT gene mutants showed abnormal development and growth, the primary analysis of five OsOPT gene mutants suggested that they may be necessary for rice development.

Conclusions

These results suggested that rice-specific OsOPT genes might be potentially useful in improving rice.     

Mechanisms for coping with submergence and waterlogging in rice

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), unlike other cereals, can grow well in paddy fields and is highly tolerant of excess water stress, from either submergence (in which part or all of the plant is under water) or waterlogging (in which excess water in soil limits gas diffusion). Rice handles submergence stress by internal aeration and growth controls. A quiescence strategy based on Submergence-1A (SUB1A) or an escape strategy based on SNORKEL1 (SK1) and SNORKEL2 (SK2) is used for the growth controls. On the other hand, rice handles waterlogging stress by forming lysigenous aerenchyma and a barrier to radial O₂ loss (ROL) in roots in order to supply O₂ to the root tip. In this article, we summarize recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of responding to excess water stresses (i.e., submergence and waterlogging) in rice and other gramineous plants.     

水稻OsAPX1基因在烟草中的表达及其抗盐性研究

本研究采用RT-PCR方法克隆得到水稻细胞质抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(OsAPX1)基因全长cDNA(基因登录号:D45423);将该基因构建二元植物表达载体pBI121-OsAPX1;用农杆菌EHA105侵染介导烟草叶盘转化法转基因,获得转基因植株,PCR鉴定遗传转化的烟草植株成功地整合了水稻OsAPX1基因;Northern blot鉴定结果表明转基因T1代植株Ta在mRNA转录水平上表达;对Ta株系进行Kana抗性鉴定,表明转基因T2代株系有抗性;对T2代株系做NaCl、NaHCO3、Na2CO3抗盐性鉴定,结果表明与对照相比表现出转基因植株抗(耐)性提高;取T2代植株的叶片在不同浓度H2O2处理下,抗H2O2毒害的能力显著强于对照,转基因植物的抗性有所提高,有望在抗盐碱性育种上应用.     

Distribution and abundance of copepod nauplii in southern part of the East China Sea: implications for prey availability to jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus larvae

In the southern part of the East China Sea (ECS), a large spawning ground of jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus has recently been found: Larval survival during the period of transport from the spawning ground along the shelf break is potentially a critical stage prior to recruitment. As such, the distribution of copepod nauplii in this region was investigated during the main spawning period in 2003–2006. The average naupliar density in 2003 was significantly higher than the other years along the shelf break, which is a major transport pathway for jack mackerel larvae (sea-surface temperature 20–23°C). Estimated egg production rates for Paracalanus spp., one of the most dominant genera of copepods in the southern ECS, based on temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration could not fully explain the spatial and annual variation in naupliar distribution and abundance. Although naupliar densities showed significant positive correlations with chlorophyll-a concentration for all years, an analysis of covariance revealed that naupliar density in 2003 was high even if the effect of chlorophyll-a concentration was excluded. This suggests that apart from copepod production, adult female distribution plays an important role in variability of the naupliar distribution and abundance in the southern ECS.     

A molecular photodiode system that can switch photocurrent direction

We prepared a molecular photodiode system in which the photocurrent direction can be switched by choosing the wavelength of an irradiating light. The molecular system is composed of two types of helical peptides that carry different chromophores and have different directions of dipole moments when they are immobilized on gold. The mixed, self-assembled monolayer generated an anodic photocurrent when one of the two chromophores was photoexcited, whereas the photocurrent switched to being cathodic when the other chromophore was photoexcited. The opposite current response arises from the dipole moment of each helical peptide, which accelerates electron transfer in the same direction.     

Seasonal changes in oocyte size and maturity of the giant jellyfish, Nemopilema nomurai

To determine the reproductive season of the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai, we investigated gonadal maturity in specimens collected from the East China Sea, Korea Strait, Wakasa Bay, and the Shonai Coast of Yamagata Prefecture. After the sex of the samples was determined, the long axis of at least 256 oocytes from each female was measured. In specimens collected from the coast of Japan in 2005 and in 2006, all gonads were sufficiently developed to determine sex. However, 18 of the 20 specimens from the East China Sea collected in July 2005 were immature, and sex could not be determined. The maximum and third quartile of oocyte length had a significant correlation with days elapsed from 30 June, but they were not related to bell diameter. Observations of gonad tissue sections of specimens collected in Wakasa Bay in 2006 confirmed that oocyte length was a good proxy for female maturity. Male maturity could also be determined. In conclusion, the sex of all of the small-sized medusae collected along the coast of Japan was determinable, and their gonads were at various stages of development up to fully mature. Therefore, the occurrence of small-sized jellyfish during the autumn in Wakasa Bay is not caused by recruitment of young population from the nearby coast.     

拟南芥硫氧还蛋白M1型基因(AtTRX m1)与环境逆境之间的关系

硫氧还蛋白家族是约12 kD的小分子蛋白质,含有高度保守的活性反应位点WCG/PPC,催化硫醇一二硫键相互交换,调节细胞内的氧化还原作用.在本研究中,通过RT-PCR法获得目的基因拟南芥硫氧还蛋白M1型基因(AtTRX m1,GenBank Accession No.At1g03680).通过Northern杂交分析拟南芥悬浮细胞系在100 mmol/L NaCl、10 mmol/L NaHCO3、50 μmol/L ABA、10 mmol/L H2O2等逆境处理下mRNA表达水平的变化和硫氧还蛋白M1型转基因植株对NaCl、NaHCO3盐及ABA逆境的抗性分析,表明硫氧还蛋白M1型基因与生物环境胁迫有一定的相关性,尤其是氧化胁迫,能够增强植物对逆境的耐受力.从而为进一步研究硫氧还蛋白基因家族与逆境之间的相关作用奠定了基础.     

Ultrastructural and histochemical properties of the olfactory system in the japanese jungle crow, Corvus macrorhynchos

Although it has been commonly believed that birds are more dependent on the vision and audition than the olfaction, recent studies indicate that the olfaction of birds is related to the reproductive, homing, and predatory behaviors. In an attempt to reveal the dependence on the olfactory system in crows, we examined the olfactory system of the Japanese jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) by histological, ultrastructural, and lectin histochemical methods. The olfactory epithelium (OE) of the crow occupied remarkably a small area of the nasal cavity (NC) and had the histological and ultrastructural features like other birds. The olfactory bulb (OB) of the crow was remarkably small and did not possess the olfactory ventricle. The left and right halves of the OB were fused in many cases. In the lectin histochemistry, soybean agglutinin (SBA) and Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA) stained a small number of the receptor cells (RCs) in the OE and the olfactory nerve layer (ONL) and glomerular layer (GL) on the dorsocaudal region of the OB. Phaseolus vulgaris agglutinin-E (PHA-E) stained several RCs in the OE and the ONL and GL on the ventral region of the OB. These results suggest that 1) the crow has less-developed olfactory system than other birds, and 2) the dedicated olfactory receptor cells project their axons to the specific regions of the OB in the crow.