Glycinebetaine content of halophytes: Improved analysis by liquid chromatography and interpretations of results

The glycinebetaine content of plants can be determined by simple isocratic high performance liquid chromatography. The method is applicable to extracts from a wide range of species and, in most cases, is suitably rapid and specific to be preferable to other methods of analysis. The chromatographic system employed permits accurate and sensitive ultraviolet detection, free of most interferences. Because the principle plant carbohydrates elute well before glycine betaine, preparative ion exchange procedures can be simplified. Twenty-seven species, mostly inland halophytes, were screened by these methods and 13 were found to be glycinebetaine accumulators. On a dry weight basis, the glycinebetaine content of Salicornia europaea L. actually declined with exposure to progressively higher levels of NaCl. When expressed as a proportion of plant organic matter, however, patterns were more typical (up to 7.7% at higher salt concentrations).     

汉中地区引种油橄榄的生态环境及适应性研究

 本文根据生态环境因子的分析,对油橄榄在原产地和汉中地区引种的气温、降雨量(特别是降雨季节分配)和日照及土壤条件的分析研究表明：旱季灌溉和雨季排水,改善土壤的物理性,调正pH值及施钙、磷、硼等来补充某些生态因子的不足,并需选择适应我国气候条件的品种,才是引种的重要途径。     

3-Hydroxypropyl amide formation from 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid by a cell-free ethylene-forming system from olive leaves

The low ethylene yield in a cell-free ethylene-forming system from olive tree leaves ( Olea europaea L. cv. Picual) was investigated. During the incubation, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) was extensively transformed into 3-hydroxypropyl amide (HPA). Enzyme extract, Mn²⁺ and oxygen are responsible for this reaction. Horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) can substitute for the enzyme extract in this reaction. HPA formation could be one reason for the poor in vitro conversion efficiency of ACC to ethylene.     

A Comparison of Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Methods for Monitoring Wetland Restoration Success

Abstract Efficient and accurate vegetation sampling techniques are essential for the assessment of wetland restoration success. Remotely acquired data, used extensively in many locations, have not been widely used to monitor restored wetlands. We compared three different vegetation sampling techniques to determine the accuracy associated with each method when used to determine species composition and cover in restored Pacific coast wetlands dominated by Salicornia virginica (perennial pickleweed). Two ground‐based techniques, using quadrat and line intercept sampling, and a remote sensing technique, using low altitude, high resolution, color and color infrared photographs, were applied to estimate cover in three small restoration sites. The remote technique provided an accurate and efficient means of sampling vegetation cover, but individual species could not be identified, precluding estimates of species density and distribution. Aerial photography was determined to be an effective tool for vegetation monitoring of simple (i.e., single‐species) habitat types or when species identities are not important (e.g., when vegetation is developing on a new restoration site). The efficiency associated with these vegetation sampling techniques was dependent on the scale of the assessment, with aerial photography more efficient than ground‐based sampling methods for assessing large areas. However, the inability of aerial photography to identify individual species, especially mixed‐species stands common in southern California salt marshes, limits its usefulness for monitoring restoration success. A combination of aerial photography and ground‐based methods may be the most effective means of monitoring the success of large wetland restoration projects.     

Activity of cell wall-associated enzymes in ripening olive fruit

Enzymatically active cell wall isolaled from olive (Olea europaea) fruit was employed Hi investigate some hydrolytic enzymes bound to the cell wall and the changes in these during ripening. Seven glycosidases. β-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) α-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22). β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23). α-arabinosidase (EC 3.2.1.55), α-mannosidase (EC 3.2.1,24). β-xylosidase (EC 3.2.1.37) and β-N-acetylglucosamidase (EC 3.2.1.30). as well as Cx-cellulase (EC 3.2.1.4) and endo-polygalacturonase (EC 3.2.1.15). were identified in the cell wall preparation, at four stages of ripeness (mature green. changing colour, black and black-ripe). Activities of all these cell wall-associated enzymes fionicallv and covalently linked) were determined either by cell wall incubation with artificial substrate or after extraction from the cell wall with buffers of high salt concentration (Cx-cellulase). and were compared to those of forms solubilized from acetone powders with 500 nM citrate buffer (cytoplasmic and/or apoplastic plus ionically hound to cell wall) In general, the activities of low ionic strength buffer-soluble enzymes were found to be much higher than those of the bound enzymes. The bound enzymes are present in the fruit at the green colour stage, whereas the activities of the soluble enzymes only increased from the changing colour stage onwards. The tenacity of binding of enzymes to the wall was investigated by treating the walls with high salt and measuring residual activity. The nature of the ionic and covalent binding and the changes during ripening were also established for wall-hound glycosidase During ripening there was a marked change in the percentages of covalently- and tonically linked activities of β-glucosidase and β-galaclosidase: al the changing colour stages about 75–80% of the bound active in was present in high ionic strength buffer while al the black-ripe stage it was only 15–20. A possible role for these cell wall degradative enzymes in olive softening is discussed.     

Detection of Nitrosomonas spp. by polymerase chain reaction

Abstract A unique genomic DNA fragment was isolated from Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC 19718. Based on the sequence of this fragment, oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reaction amplification were prepared which amplify sequences of 775 and 658 bp. The predicted DNA fragments were both amplified from the genome of N. europaea and a Nitrosomonas spp. isolated from a local oxidation pond. The primers failed to amplify DNA from the genomes of the ammonia oxidiser Nitrosolobous multiformis , the nitrite oxidiser Nitrococcus mobilis as well as from the genomes of other unrelated heterotrophic bacteria. These DNA sequences could be amplified from 0.01 ng of N. europaea genomic DNA or from 100 intact cells, and it was possible to detect Nitrosomonas DNA in a DNA mixture extracted from water samples drawn from a local oxidation pond.     

毕氏海蓬子SbDREB基因的克隆与表达分析研究

以毕氏海蓬子的基因组为模板,通过PCR技术扩增到一个编码DREB蛋白AP2保守结构域的基因片段;根据该片段序列设计引物,以毕氏海蓬子经NaCl处理的植株肉质茎cDNA为模板,应用RACE技术获得该基因的cDNA全长,命名为SbDREB(GenBank登录号:JF894301)。SbDREB基因cDNA全长1206bp,包含一个编码284个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框。对氨基酸序列比对分析表明,该蛋白在靠近N端具有典型的AP2/EREBP保守结构域,且该结构域与一些高等植物DREB类转录因子的AP2区域具有高度同源性。进化树分析表明SbDREB属于DREB亚家族中的A-6亚族。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示:干旱、高盐和ABA能够诱导其表达,而低温则使其表达下调,表明该基因在毕氏海蓬子植株对干旱、盐和低温等非生物胁迫的应答中起作用。     

盐度和温度对北美海蓬子在厦门海区引种以及生长特性的影响

研究了厦门海区盐度和温度对北美海蓬子（Salicornia bigelovii）种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响。结果显示,海蓬子种子对温度变化反应非常敏感,在15°C时发芽率最高（94%）,但萌发指数最低,而在20°C时萌发指数最大;在盐度5g·L^-1时种子具有最高的发芽率和萌发指数,在盐度50g·L^-1时仍有13.3%的发芽率,并且各种盐度处理下逐日萌发指数均能在2天内达到最大。盐度10-20g·L^-1最适宜幼苗生长,高盐（〉30g·L^-1）具有一定的抑制作用,主要表现为生长缓慢,含水量和根系活力下降,并且根的盐敏感程度大于茎。在不同盐度处理下,北美海蓬子适应一种新的耐盐机制,在无盐（0g·L^-1）和高盐（40g·L^-1）胁迫下,过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）和过氧化物酶（peroxide,POD）这2种酶蛋白对盐离子效应敏感,起主要的抗氧化作用;相反,生长在适宜盐度范围（10-30g·L^-1）内,超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）维持较高活性。研究结果表明,北美海蓬子适宜在沿海滩涂环境条件下生长,有望作为一种抗盐耐海水蔬菜加以开发和利用,并进一步在污染海水净化修复中发挥可能的生态功能。     

Paternity tests support a diallelic self‐incompatibility system in a wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. laperrinei,Oleaceae)

Self‐incompatibility (SI) is the main mechanism that favors outcrossing in plants. By limiting compatible matings, SI interferes in fruit production and breeding of new cultivars. In the Oleeae tribe (Oleaceae), an unusual diallelic SI system (DSI) has been proposed for three distantly related species including the olive (Olea europaea), but empirical evidence has remained controversial for this latter. The olive domestication is a complex process with multiple origins. As a consequence, the mixing of S‐alleles from two distinct taxa, the possible artificial selection of self‐compatible mutants and the large phenological variation of blooming may constitute obstacles for deciphering SI in olive. Here, we investigate cross‐genotype compatibilities in the Saharan wild olive (O. e. subsp. laperrinei). As this taxon was geographically isolated for thousands of years, SI should not be affected by human selection. A population of 37 mature individuals maintained in a collection was investigated. Several embryos per mother were genotyped with microsatellites in order to identify compatible fathers that contributed to fertilization. While the pollination was limited by distance inside the collection, our results strongly support the DSI hypothesis, and all individuals were assigned to two incompatibility groups (G1 and G2). No self‐fertilization was observed in our conditions. In contrast, crosses between full or half siblings were frequent (ca. 45%), which is likely due to a nonrandom assortment of related trees in the collection. Finally, implications of our results for orchard management and the conservation of olive genetic resources are discussed.     

Effects of different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal backgrounds and soils on olive plants growth and water relation properties under well‐watered and drought conditions

The adaptation capacity of olive trees to different environments is well recognized. However, the presence of microorganisms in the soil is also a key factor in the response of these trees to drought. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effects of different arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi coming from diverse soils on olive plant growth and water relations. Olive plants were inoculated with native AM fungal populations from two contrasting environments, that is, semi‐arid – Freila (FL) and humid – Grazalema (GZ) regions, and subjected to drought stress. Results showed that plants grew better on GZ soil inoculated with GZ fungi, indicating a preference of AM fungi for their corresponding soil. Furthermore, under these conditions, the highest AM fungal diversity was found. However, the highest root hydraulic conductivity (Lp_r) value was achieved by plants inoculated with GZ fungi and growing in FL soil under drought conditions. So, this AM inoculum also functioned in soils from different origins. Nine novel aquaporin genes were also cloned from olive roots. Diverse correlation and association values were found among different aquaporin expressions and abundances and Lp_r, indicating how the interaction of different aquaporins may render diverse Lp_r values.