Photoprotection mechanisms protect photosynthetic organisms, especially under stress conditions, against photodamage that may inhibit photosynthesis. We investigated the effects of short-term immersion in hypo- and hypersalinity sea water on the photosynthesis and xanthophyll cycle in Sargassum fusiforme (Harvey) Setchell. The results indicated that under moderate light [110 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1], the effective quantum yield of PSII was not reduced in S. fusiforme fronds after 1 h in hyposalinity conditions, even in fresh water, but it was significantly affected by extreme hypersalinity treatment (90‰ sea water). Under high light [HL, 800 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1], photoprotective mechanisms operated efficiently in fronds immersed in fresh water as indicated by high reversible nonphotochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence (NPQ) and de-epoxidation state; the quantum yield of PSII recovered during the subsequent relaxation period. In contrast, fronds immersed in 90‰ sea water did not withstand HL, barely developed reversible NPQ, and accumulated little antheraxanthin and zeaxanthin during HL, while recovery of the quantum yield of PSII was severely inhibited during the subsequent relaxation period. The data provided concrete evidence supporting the
short-term tolerance of S. fusiforme to immersion in fresh water compared to hypersalinity conditions. The potential practical implications of these results were also discussed., X. J. Xie, X. L. Wang, L. D. Lin, L. W. He, W. H. Gu, S. Gao, X. F. Yan, G. H. Pan, M. J. Wu, G. C. Wang., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Sargassum fusiforme, a species of brown seaweed with economic importance, inhabits lower intertidal zones where algae are often exposed to various stresses. In this study, changes in the photosynthetic performance of S. fusiforme under saline stress were investigated. The PSII performance in S. fusiforme significantly improved, when the thalli were exposed to 0% salinity, and remained high with prolonging treatment time. In contrast, the PSII activity declined considerably under salinities of 4.5 and 6%. The PSI activity did not change remarkably under saline stress, thus demonstrating higher tolerance to saline stress than PSII. In addition, the PSI activity could be also restored after saline treatments, when PSII was inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea. It might be as a result of changes in the NAD(P)H content in the thalli under saline stress. Our results suggested that PSI was much more tolerant to different saline stress than PSII in S. fusiforme. We demonstrated that S. fusiforme was much more tolerant to hyposaline than to hypersaline stress., S. Gao, L. Huan, X.-P. Lu, W.-H. Jin, X.-L. Wang, M.-J. Wu, G.-C. Wang., and Seznam literatury
Monoaminergic neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), also known as serotonin, plays im portant roles in modulating the function of the olfactory system. However, thus far, the knowledge about 5-HT and its receptors in olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and their physiological role have not been fully characterized. In the present study, reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed the presence of 5-HT 1A and 5-HT 1B receptor subtypes in mouse olfactory epithelium at the mRNA level. With subtype selective antibodies and standard immunohistochemical techniques, both receptor subtypes were found to be positively labeled. To further elucidate the molecular mechanisms of 5-HT act on the peripheral olfactory transduction, the whole-cell patch clamp techniques were used on freshly isolated ORNs. We found that 5-HT decreased the magnitude of outward K + current in a dose- dependent manner and these inhi bitory effects were markedly attenuated by the 5-HT 1A receptor blocker WAY-100635 and the 5-HT 1B receptor antagonist GR55562. These data suggested that 5-HT may play a role in the modu lation of peripheral olfactory signals by regulating outward potassium currents, both 5-HT 1A and 5-HT 1B receptors were involved in this regulation., S. Gao, ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Gloiopeltis furcata (Postels & Ruprecht) J. Agardh, a macroalga, which grows in an upper, intertidal zone, can withstand drastic environmental changes caused by the periodic tides. In this study, the photosynthetic and morphological characteristics of G. furcata were investigated. The photosynthetic performance and electron flows of the thalli showed significant variations in response to desiccation and salinity compared with the control group. Both PSII and PSI activities declined gradually when the thalli were under stress. However, the electron transport rate of PSI showed still a low value during severe conditions, while the rate of PSII approached zero. Furthermore, PSI activity of the treated thalli recovered faster than PSII after being submerged in seawater. Even though the linear electron flow was inhibited by DCMU [3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea], the cyclic electron flow could still be restored. The rate of cyclic electron flow recovery declined with the increasing time of dark treatment, which suggested that stromal reductants from starch degradation played an important role in the donation of electrons to PSI. This study demonstrated that PSII was more sensitive than PSI to desiccation and salinity in G. furcata and that the cyclic electron flow around PSI played a significant physiological role. In addition, G. furcata had branches, which were hollow inside and contained considerable quantities of funoran. These might be the most important factors in allowing G. furcata to adapt to adverse intertidal environments., L. Huan, S. Gao, X. J. Xie, W. R. Tao, G. H. Pan, B. Y. Zhang, J. F. Niu, A. P. Lin, L. W. He, G. C. Wang., and Obsahuje bibliografii