土壤条件与植物响应

植物对土壤状况的反应并不仅仅表现为根系具有吸收水分和营养元素的能力。植物根系能够感应到土壤的某些不利因素，对枝干发出信号，从而锻炼植株以抵抗退化或严酷的环境。这种信号能影响植株气孔导度、细胞伸长、细胞分裂及叶的出现速度等：对植物生长有重要影响的土壤物理条件包括土壤硬度、容器大小、孔隙大小和土壤干燥度等，在这些条件极端化的情况下，植物往往表现为生长变缓，根、叶等器官形态发牛改变。而在某些土壤化学条件不利的情况下，如土壤酸度增加、养分缺乏或发生铝毒时，植物则通过产生根际分泌物、降低生长速率及富集作用等来适应环境，维持生命。了解植物对不良环境的适应机制有利于筛选出具有一定抗性的优良基因类型。     

海拔梯度上的植物生长与生理生态特性

环境是植物生存和发展的条件,在各种不同的生境中聚生着特定的植物种类.全球气候变化迅速而显著地改变着高海拔地区的生态环境,这必将导致山地植物生理生态适应性、分布界限等发生变化,这些变化反过来又会对气候变化造成深远影响.因此,研究山地植物的生理生态特性,揭示其对全球气候变化的响应和适应性,具有重要的现实与科学意义.海拔梯度由于包含了温度、湿度、光照等诸多环境因子的剧烈变化而成为了研究植物对全球气候变化响应的理想区域.随着海拔升高,气温下降、大气压及CO2分压降低、光强增加等,植物的生态和生理特征将产生巨大的变化,可能影响到植物种类在海拔梯度上的分布、植物群落的结构组成.一些亟待回答的问题包括:全球气候变化将如何影响高山植物的生长环境?环境变化如何影响植物生理生态适应性?植物群落的分布、结构和组成将发生哪些变化?这些变化又将怎么样影响气候进一步变化?众多的研究报导了树木的生理生态特征、生长速率和生产力等对海拔的响应.本文在总结前人研究的基础上,系统地综述了海拔梯度上温度、水分、光照、土壤等环境因子的差异对高山植物的生长及生理生态特性的影响,以及植被分布的变化,旨在阐明植物对全球气候变化的行为与生理生态响应,以期为该领域的深入研究提供参考.     

龙眼BRI1基因家族的全基因组鉴定及光照响应表达

为了解龙眼BRI1基因家族的生物学功能及响应光照机制,对其BRI1基因成员鉴定、基因结构、蛋白保守结构域、启动子顺式作用元件、互作miRNA预测、不同体胚发生阶段和不同组织器官的FPKM值及其响应光照表达模式等进行分析.结果表明:DlBRI1基因家族包含4个成员,分别命名为DlBRI1-1、DlBRI1-2a、DlBRI1-2b和DlBRI1-3.DlBRI1是一种无内含子基因,无内含子基因在转录的过程中不需要经历内含子的剪切步骤,是响应外界因素的一种快速应答基因.龙眼BRI1蛋白家族为植物富亮氨酸重复类受体蛋白激酶的一种,其在植物激素信号转导和非生物胁迫中具有重要调控作用.龙眼BRI1四个家族成员启动子均含有大量的光响应元件、激素应答元件、非生物胁迫响应元件,表明龙眼BRI1家族基因可能是连接光信号转导与激素信号转导的重要纽带. DlBRI1-3为miR390e的靶基因. FPKM值分析表明,DlBRI1-1和DlBRI1-3在体胚发生过程和不同组织部位中均呈现高表达,推测DlBRI1-1和DlBRI1-3可能在龙眼整个生长发育过程中起到更为关键的作用.荧光定量PCR结果推测,蓝光信号使得miR390的表达量显著减少,导致靶基因BRI1-3的表达量增加,从而影响油菜素内脂从属基因BZR1、转录因子PIF4,进而影响龙眼功能性代谢产物积累.本研究表明DlBRI1具有功能多样性,可能在龙眼响应光信号、激素信号、非生物胁迫及代谢调控中发挥作用.(图8表3参46)     

Identification and expression analysis of the HvENOD93 gene family in barley北大核心CSCD

早期结瘤素93(ENOD93)蛋白在植物根瘤形成初期扮演着重要的角色.基于大麦基因组信息鉴定大麦ENOD93基因家族成员,分析其理化特性、进化关系、基因结构、蛋白质结构和启动子顺式作用元件;并分析ENOD93家族在不同组织和不同基因型(籽粒大小)的表达情况.结果显示,大麦ENOD93基因家族有16个成员,均含有ENOD93基因家族特有的保守结构域;编码区长度在207-627 bp之间,外显子数量有1-4个,平均2.75个,且大部分位于细胞膜上;进化树结果表明与水稻、小麦和玉米等禾本科植物ENOD93基因的亲缘关系较近;启动子顺式元件主要有植物生长发育响应元件、胁迫响应元件以及激素响应元件;大部分HvENOD93基因在灌浆期籽粒和大粒材料中表达量较高.推测大麦HvENOD93基因在籽粒大小形成中起关键性作用;另外,结合其他物种相关基因研究结果,共筛选出3个同源基因.(图4表2参45)     

苏云金芽胞杆菌YBT-1520中SigL及其增强子结合蛋白的结构与功能分析

为揭示SigL及其增强子结合蛋白(EBPs)在苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bt)中的调控功能,在全基因组测序的基础上,采用生物信息学方法,对YBT-1520菌株的SigL及其EBPs的结构和功能进行深入分析.结果表明,YBT-1520基因组中存在1个SigL和6个EBPs,而且EBPs在结构上具有丰富的多样性,包含了EBPs的所有可能的结构域组织类型.SigL所调控的基因涉及11个假定的COG代谢途径,其中包括能量代谢、氨基酸代谢、翻译与细胞周期等.根据EBPs在基因组的位置推测,YBT-1520的EBPs参与γ-氨基丁酸代谢途径、精氨酸代谢途径、支链脂肪酸降解途径、多糖分解代谢等代谢途径的调控.本研究将为揭示Bt杀虫晶体蛋白大量表达的调控机制提供新的思路.     

荒漠生态系统中生物的信息联系特征

探讨了生物与水分、植物与植物以及植物与动物之间的信息传递方式,信息传递在维持荒漠生态系统正常运转中的作用.阐明了把握荒漠生态系统信息传递的特征及过程对认识干旱环境形成机制、演变规律及发展趋势,构建退化生态系统重建及恢复模式的重要意义.     

温度调控植物开花研究进展

开花是植物生命周期中必不可少的阶段,它决定了植物能否顺利繁殖后代,同时也与人类生活息息相关.植物开花受温度、光照强度、日照长短等外界环境的影响,其中温度的调控尤为重要.近几十年来,国内外学者对温度诱导植物开花的分子机理的研究不断深入,研究结果日新月异,揭示了温度调控植物开花的多条途径.本文系统总结了温度调控植物开花(主要包括温度传感、春化和环境温度途径)的研究进展,主要对近期的研究热点温度传感器、开花促进因子、开花抑制因子进行了详细阐述.(1)植物主要通过响应温度的组蛋白修饰、冷诱导转录因子以及温度感应的关键基因来感知温度,Rea L在已知的春化和环境温度途径的基础上提出了4条温度传感途径,即以月(L)、以天(S)、以小时(C)以及昼夜时钟(D)为单位的路径,简称LSCD调节模型,揭示了VIN3表达中的分布式热传感器输入.(2)主要的开花抑制因子有SVP、FLM-β、FLC、FRI-C复合物、SPEN3、KHD1、miR156、PEP1和PEP2,这些负性调节因子的活性被一组促花因子抵消,这些促花因子包括PIF4(在SD条件下)、FCA、PRC2复合物、COOLAIR、COLDAIR、COLDWRAP、miR172和FT.(3)FLC的表达受FLC的反义转录物COOLAIR的抑制,并由COLDAIR和COLDWRAP来维持这种抑制,且FLC还受FT及互作蛋白FD的负反馈调节.最后对该领域的研究成果和发展进行了讨论与展望,认为未来对开花机制的研究应着重从温度依赖的选择性剪接、蛋白质修饰和降解或核小体周围的DNA包裹、对自然条件下环境温度的长期和短期变化作出反应和晚抽薹基因等方面来进行.(图2参90)     

环境胁迫下雌雄异株植物的性别响应差异及竞争关系

雌雄异株植物是陆地生态系统的重要组成部分之一,对物种多样性的保护和维持生态系统的稳定性有着积极的作用.当前,由于人类干扰加剧导致的环境恶化严重影响了植物个体、种群、群落和生态系统的结构和功能.本文综述了国内外关于干旱、养分缺乏、重金属、盐胁迫以及全球气候变化等环境胁迫下雌雄异株植物的性别响应差异,性别竞争与促进作用,性别竞争下雌雄异株植物识别和适应机制,性别竞争与性别空间分异以及环境胁迫对性别竞争的影响等的研究进展.多数研究显示雌雄植株对环境胁迫表现出显著的性别响应差异,雄株对环境胁迫有更好的耐受性和适应能力.但是,雌雄性别竞争关系的研究还相对不足,环境胁迫下雌雄竞争规律及机制还无定论.未来应该加强多种环境胁迫交互下雌雄异株植物性别响应差异及性别竞争关系的研究.参90     

石油烃降解酶及其基因的结构、功能和表达调控

研究烃降解酶及其基因是进行石油微生物分子检测和工程菌构建的重要基础.本文对目前烃降解酶及其基因的结构、功能和调控机制的最新研究进展进行了总结.催化烷烃好氧降解的起始酶有几类加氧酶,膜整合甲烷单加氧酶、萘-1,2-双加氧酶和异丙苯双加氧酶的晶体结构已经被解析.烷基或芳基琥珀酸合酶催化烃厌氧代谢的主要起始反应,而Azoarcus sp.乙苯厌氧代谢起始反应由乙苯脱氢酶催化.在细菌中,烃代谢相关基因主要通过形成操纵子进行表达调控,基因转录受烃或类似物诱导,并受细胞全局调控.一些微生物由于存在多种烃代谢途径而可能具有复杂的基因调控机制.此外,生态学研究表明,环境中烃降解基因的诱导动态与实验室内纯培养分析不同.在分析石油降解工程菌构建有待解决问题的基础上,提出了烃代谢综合调控和环境中相关酶及基因诱导研究的重要性,并对未来烃降解酶及其基因在有毒物降解理论研究和生物修复上的应用进行了展望.     

滇池铜绿微囊藻春化作用原理及其基因控制模型改进

为更好地阐述滇池铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa in Dianchi Lake)需求低温的原因、增长与低温高温之间的关系等,对长期的藻春化作用研究所获得的成果进行了梳理、归纳、凝练、提升,形成了藻春化作用原理。在此基础上,对旧的藻春化作用基因控制模型(假说)进行了改进。滇池铜绿微囊藻春化作用原理是:(1)该藻生长活动对低温有需求;(2)休眠高温具有停止藻增长的作用,生长高温具有抑制藻增长的作用;(3)诱导低温能解除休眠高温对藻的休眠作用,解除生长高温对藻的抑制作用;(4)藻的休眠程度和被抑制程度与休眠高温、生长高温的强度、作用时间呈正相关;(5)诱导低温解除藻的高温休眠作用、抑制作用的时间与藻的休眠程度、被抑制程度呈正相关;(6)连续低温诱导可出现最大藻增长率;(7)最适诱导低温产生藻春化作用和解除藻高温休眠作用的时间最短;(8)在最高到最适诱导温度(14~10℃)之间,藻的高温休眠作用、抑制作用的解除效果随诱导低温的降低而增强、随低温作用时间的延长而增强;在最适到最低诱导温度(13~7℃)之间,藻的高温休眠作用、抑制作用的解除效果随诱导低温的降低而减弱、随低温作用时间的延长而增强。滇池铜绿微囊藻春化作用原理可为该藻暴发的数量预测与工程控制提供新的科学理论和研究方法。对旧基因控制模型的改进主要是对激活基因、激活蛋白的结构、功能的细化,对调结蛋白特性的调整,对不同的诱导低温、休眠高温等温度起作用时调节蛋白构象变化的细化。改进后的新模型能够更好地阐释诱导低温与休眠高温等交互作用的藻春化作用原理。     

Clove bud oil: an efficient, economical and widely available oil for the inhibition of wheat seed germination

Pre-harvest sprouting refers to the precocious germination of the grain in the spike prior to harvest as a result of moist weather conditions at harvest time. From the agricultural viewpoint, it is necessary to impose an exogenous dormancy to wheat seeds in order to improve the resistance of seed to pre-harvest sprouting. In this regard, we found that clove bud essential oil is a strong inhibitor for wheat seed germination. The extract obtained from clove bud by supercritical fluid extraction using CO₂ as solvent minimized the number of extracts to two compounds, eugenol and eugenyl acetate. Eugenol, as the main constituent of the oil, was responsible for its strong inhibitory activity in wheat seeds. The aqueous solution of clove bud oil was submitted to germination assay at various concentrations from 50 to 400 mg/L. Complete inhibition of seed germination was recorded when the concentration was 400 mg/L. Roots and sprouts have similar sensitivity to inhibitory effect. In an empirical study, the synergistic cooperation of eugenol and eugenyl acetate from clove bud oil in the inhibition of seed germination was found to be a 1:1 ratio. The clove bud essential oil is widely available and will broaden the horizon of applications for natural and safe inhibitors in the fields.     

Orchids do not pay costs at emergence for prolonged dormancy

In plants, prolonged dormancy is often considered a response to resource depletion or environmental stress that comes at a fitness cost. However, apparent costs of dormancy could reflect the state in which plants entered dormancy, rather than effects of dormancy per se. We tested this hypothesis for a terrestrial orchid, Epipactis atrorubens, by analyzing differences in vital rates of dormant and emergent plants using generalized linear mixed models, applied to eight years of demographic data. Dormant E. atrorubens plants did not form one homogeneous stage class. Instead, the vital rates of dormant plants mirrored performance of plants in their life stage before dormancy. Plants emerging from dormancy were slightly (albeit only marginally statistically significantly) larger than plants transitioning from the matching aboveground stage class, especially for smaller and younger stage classes. Because small plants were most likely to go dormant, plants emerging from dormancy were also smaller than average, if one were to compare all previously dormant plants to all previously emergent plants. Therefore, misclassifying all dormant plants into a single stage class changes whether we view dormancy as intrinsically costly, in terms of future performance upon emergence. We suggest that prolonged dormancy may be a form of phenotypic plasticity in which plants distribute their performance and reproductive effort through time, rather than a simple stress response.     

Prediction of germination rates of weed species: Relationships between germination speed parameters and species traits

In fields, the timing of weed emergence flushes is mostly related to the timing and rate of seed germination, which depend on seed dormancy level, soil temperature and water potential conditions as well as soil tillage and crop sowing date. Seed germination parameters are essential in weed dynamics models to account for the effects of soil conditions on weed demography. Since these parameters are difficult to measure, our objective was to test the possibility of estimating them from easily accessible information. Seed germination parameters (germination lag-time, time to mid-germination and mid-germination rate) were measured or collected from the literature for 25 weed species with contrasted seed characteristics. Correlations were then searched for between these parameters and morphological, chemical and physiological seed traits as well as seed dormancy level. The dormancy level was positively correlated with speed of germination parameters. Earliness of germination was positively correlated with seed lipid content and the seed area to mass ratio. Germination was also earlier and faster in species with a high base temperature for germination. These relationships explained about half the observed variability in germination speed parameters but should be further tested before being used to predict the germination behaviour of weed species in the field in different seasons.     

Annual life cycle of Chattonella spp., causative flagellates of noxious red tides in the Inland Sea of Japan

Effects of storage temperature on the dormancy and maturation of dormant cells of Chattonella spp. were investigated by the extinction dilution method using sediment samples collected in 1984 after the blooming in Harima-Nada. Seasonality of germinability in fresh sediments was also studied in 1985. A storage period of more than 4 months with a low temperature (11°C) was essential for the maturation to induce the germination capacity of dormant cells. The optimal temperature for germination (22°C) had no effects on the maturation. Using fresh Suo-Nada sediments, a marked seasonality of germinability was confirmed. It was weak from autumn to early winter, then strengthened gradually up to a high level, which was maintained between spring and early summer, and again decreased rapidly during summer. The annual life cycle of Chattonella spp., including vetetative and dormant phases, was summarized as follows: (1) vegetative cells in early summer originate from germination of dormant cells in sediments; (2) they form overwintering dormant cells during the summer season; (3) dormant cells spend a period of spontaneous dormancy until next spring; (4) the duration of post dormancy, an enforced one due to low temperatures, follows until early summer. The life cycle of Chattonella spp. is therefore well adapted to the temperature regime in temperate seas such as the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.     

Innovation in wildland shrub establishment

Fluid drilling has the potential to improve establishment of direct seeded shrubs. This paper briefly reviews some fluid drilling equipment and reports two studies addressing the problems of shrub fluid drilling. Study one demonstrates the potential for fluid drilling in establishing shrubs which require cold-moist treatment to break dormancy. This study also provides evidence of water soluable substances which inhibit the dormancy breaking process in some species. The existence of these inhibitors is postulated. The second study found that land imprinting significantly improved seedling establishment of fluid drilled surface germinating seeds such as those ofEurotia. Fluid drilling is a means to increase our control and manipulation of the seed and its environment, while retaining the capability for extensive low cost dispersal.     

Effects of different pretreatments on germination of Prunus serotina seed sources

Establishing intensive plantations of fast growing hardwood tree species that have high market values in the forest industry can narrow the gap between Turkey's demand and the supply of quality hardwood products. Black cherry (P. serotina Ehrh.) is a fast growing hardwood species with a high market value. Introducing and intensively growing black cherry (BC) in Turkey may significantly reduce the country's quality wood shortage. Adequate seed germination constitutes the first essential step for successful establishments. In this paper effects of different pretreatments, including artificial and natural stratification, on the seeds of different BC seed sources (SSs) were studied. Pretreatments had substantial effects on the dormancy breaking and germination behaviours of the SSs. Consecutive periods of complex warm and cold artificial stratification regimes longer than 90 days or natural stratification (where seeds were assumed to be naturally exposed to this complexity) resulted in best dormancy breaking and, in turn, germination among all pretreatments. Deeper dormancy and reduced germination rates of some BC seeds as the altitude of the source increases might suggest an ecological adaptive strategy of the species. BC may have deeper morphophysiological dormancy than is commonly believed. Seed size may have a positive effect on seed germination.     

Bud formation and metamorphosis inCassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa): A developmental and ultrastructural study

Asexual reproduction by formation of swimming buds which metamorphose directly into polyps plays a most important role in the propagation ofCassiopea andromeda (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa). (C. andromeda polyps, originally supplied by the Löbbecke Museum and Aquarium Düsseldorf, FRG, were cultured in our laboratories.) We have defined five budding stages and investigated epithelial recruitment and dynamics during bud formation using intracellular vital stains. The region of cell recruitment was found to encircle the budding site asymmetrically. The aboral side contributing considerably less to the developing bud than the oral and lateral sides. Furthermore, it was found that the epithelial flow involved in bud formation is part of a permanent apico-basal displacement of ectodermal cells. Light and electronmicroscopic investigations revealed that no drastic changes occur at the cellular level, neither in the ectoderm nor in the endoderm which both participate in bud formation. Scanning and transmissionelectron microscopic investigations of the swimming bud revealed that the ectoderm is composed of three, and the endoderm of two, cell types. Nerve elements have been detected near the mesoglea between both ecto- and endodermal cells. Amoebocytes are regularly found either at the basis of epidermal cells or within the mesoglea, whereas symbionts are located in the endoderm. Buds induced to metamorphose by a bacterial-inducing factor were used to investigate morphological and ultrastructural changes occurring during metamorphosis and scyphistoma morphogenesis. Metamorphosis starts with the settling of a bud, followed by the formation of the pedal disk in which desmocytes, as typical cnidarian adhesive structures, are differentiated. Metamorphosis is completed with the formation of the mouth and tentacles. Whereas metamorphosis of cnidarian planulae implies considerable changes at the cellular level, tissue remodeling processes prevail in bud metamorphosis ofC. andromeda.     

Effects of cold stratification on germination rate and percentage of caper (Capparis ovata Desf.) seeds

Caper is an important plant because of its high adaptability to marginal agriculture fields that are not suitable for agricultural crops. Different parts of caper such as roots, fruits, flowers and buds can be used to increase the inhabitant's income. The goal of this research is to determine germination rate and percentage of caper according to different duration of cold stratification (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days) treatments. Cold stratification procedures under greenhouse condition were applied for eliminating seed dormancy to find the most suitable germination conditions because the presence of seed dormancy causes difficulties in seedling production. The seed germination started and stopped 21 and 57 days after sowing, respectively. While the highest germination percentage (46.6%) was obtained in seeds that were cold stratified for 60 days, the lowest germination percentage (3.6 7%) was determined in control seeds.     

The search for indigenous dune stabilizers: Germination requirements of selected South African species

The coastline of South Africa is characterized by extensive dune fields which are threatened by development, and thus the demand of stabilization of drift sand will increase. The non-invasive alien grass speciesAmmophila arenaria is at present the dominant sand stabilizer. Due to its foreign origin and invasiveness in North America its use was criticized and indigenous sand-binding species would be preferred. The germination requirements of the nativeArctotheca populifolia, Ipomoea pes-caprae. Myrica cordifolia andScaevola plumieri were investigated. The results showed that for all four species the total germination time and germination phase could be shortened and germination success (number of germinated seeds) improved. The different scarification and stratification treatments broke the dormancy ofI. pes-caprae, M. cordifolia andS. plumieri, whereas the seeds ofA. populifolia were not dormant. Seeds ofI. pes-caprae andM. cordifolia had induced an innate dormancy, respectively, whereas the type of dormancy in seeds ofS. plumieri dormancy processes remained unknown.     

Disappearing plants: why they hide and how they return

Prolonged dormancy is a life-history stage in which mature plants fail to resprout for one or more growing seasons and instead remain alive belowground. Prolonged dormancy is relatively common, but the proximate causes and consequences of this intriguing strategy have remained elusive. In this study we tested whether stored resources are associated with remaining belowground, and investigated the resource costs of remaining belowground during the growing season. We measured stored resources at the beginning and end of the growing season in Astragalus scaphoides, an herbaceous perennial in southwest Montana, USA. At the beginning of the growing season, dormant plants had lower concentrations of stored mobile carbon (nonstructural carbohydrates, NSC) than did emergent plants. Surprisingly, during the growing season, dormant plants gained as much NSC as photosynthetically active plants, an increase most likely due to remobilization of structural carbon. Thus, low levels of stored NSC were associated with remaining belowground, and remobilization of structural carbon may allow for dormant plants to emerge in later seasons. The dynamics of NSC in relation to dormancy highlights the ability of plants to change their own resource status somewhat independently of resource assimilation, as well as the importance of considering stored resources in understanding plant responses to the environment.