Physiological Biochemical Processes Research Articles

Peculiarities of soybean-rhizobial systems subject to different levels of water supply fol-lowing treatment with succinic acid and epibrassinolide

All around the world, one of the leading – according to area of cultivated fields – oleic crops is soybean, which has a high demand for moisture. Given the significance of this crop and negative impact of drought on its yield, integrated research of the influence of insufficient water supply on the intensity of physiological-biochemical processes in those plants is necessary for identifying and understanding the drought-tolerance mechanisms of soybean, as well as symbiotic systems created with its participation, and also for search for ways to adapt it to this stressor. Therefore, our objective was determining the specifics of formation and functioning of the symbiotic systems of soybean and Bradyrhizobium japonicum, following treatment with succinic acid (0.01 g/L) and 24-epibrassinolide (0.00001 g/L), subject to different levels of watering. Our studies revealed that pre-sowing treatment of the seeds with a solution of 24-epibrassinolide with their subsequent inoculation with B. japonicum Т21-2 resulted in the most pronounced stimulation of formation and functioning of the symbiotic systems of soybean in the optimal growing conditions. At the same time, during water shortage, the intensity of nitrogen fixation was the highest in the plants grown from seeds that had been successively treated with the acid and the inoculant. We confirmed that water deficit led to significant increase in the overall content of phytohormones of cytokinin nature in the soybean root nodules, depending on the way the seeds were treated. However, the largest pool of cytokinins was seen in the plants that had been treated with succinic acid against the background of both optimal and insufficient water supply. Treatment of the seeds with 24-epibrassinolide caused significant excess of content of zeatin riboside over the content of zeatin during the flowering stage, whereas in the stage of pods formation it led to an opposite effect – excess of zeatin over zeatin riboside. Fourteen days-long water deficit decreased the content of chlorophylls in the leaves and grain productivity of the plants of all variants of the experiment. The use of growth regulators managed to alleviate the negative impact of stress and protect the pigment complex from ruination. Treatment of the seeds with solutions of succinic acid and 24-epibrassinolide provided the growth of soybean grain productivity regardless on water-supply level. The most efficient was 24-epibrassinolide. Therefore, use of 24-epibrassinolide for pre-sowing treatment of the soybean seeds provided formation of effective symbiotic systems with high nitrogen-fixing activity and caused a number of specific changes in the pattern of accumulation of free and complex forms of cytokinins in the root nodules of those plants. At the same time, the treatment provided the highest concentration of photosynthesis pigments in the soybean leaves, and as a result produced the greatest increase in grain productivity of plants of all the variants, regardless of levels of water supply. In turn, use of succinic acid produced the highest level of nitrogen-fixing activity in the case of the lowest number of root nodules in the conditions of insufficient water supply, and also caused significant accumulation of cytokinins in the nodules, compared with other studied variants against the background of both optimal and insufficient water supply. Therefore, it did result in increase in soybean grain productivity, but this was lower than in the plants treated with 24-epibrassinolide.

Resistance of mosses Bryum аrgenteum Hedw. and Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. to the effect of heavy metal ions

The tolerance of vegetative and generative clones of mosses of B. argenteum and F. hygrometrica from background and anthropogenically transformed territories to the influence of heavy metal ions was experimentally investigated. It has been established that the increase of the resistance of moss to the influence of heavy metal ions occurs through the activation of growth and physiological-biochemical processes. The level of adaptability of mosses depended on the concentration of toxic ions, the growing environment, and the vital strategy of the moss. It was established that with increasing concentration of lead ions in the environment, the generative propagation of mosses was suppressed, the percentage of germination of spores decreased, the differentiation of protonema and the speed of gametophore development slowed down, the size of cells, number and size of leaves decreased. Obviously, under the influence of elevated lead concentrations, significant changes in metabolic processes occurred in moss cells and showed signs of xeromorphism. The results of the analysis of the rates of gametophyte differentiation and the state of the antioxidant system of mosses B. argenteum and F. hygrometrica, depending on the content of heavy metal ions, show different adaptive capacity. Changes in the rate of gametophyte differentiation and the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase antioxidant enzymes have been shown to be sensitive biomarkers of the resistance of generative and vegetative moss clones to heavy metal contamination of man-made territories.

Polymethoxyflavones in black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) regulate the expression of circadian clock genes

Abstract Circadian rhythms are endogenous oscillations of approximately 24-h periods and regulate diel changes in physiological biochemical processes. We examined the effects of black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) on the expression of circadian clock genes and the disruption of circadian rhythms using in vitro and in vivo assays. K. parviflora extract increased the amplitude of circadian rhythms, extended the circadian period, and caused phase delays in NIH3T3 cells. We identified chemical components involved in the circadian clock gene expression using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. 3,5,7,3′,4′-Pentamethoxyflavone, 5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone, and 5,7-dimethoxyflavone were identified as components that regulated the circadian clock gene expression. In addition, we examined the effects of K. parviflora on behavioral entrainment in mice subjected to experimental jet lag (6-h phase advance), finding that K. parviflora enhanced adaptation to jet lag. These results suggested that polymethoxyflavones in K. parviflora could regulate the circadian clock and reduce circadian disruption.

Microelements application methods influence on physiological-biochemical processes and yellow pepper yields

According to the results of numerous researches carried out in the Russian Federation and abroad, it was found that microelements, at their skillful use, are an important factor in increasing crop yields and improving the quality of products. The aim of our research was to study the pepper plants pre-sowing seed treatment and foliar feeding with microelements influence on the growth, development and productivity of this crop. The experimental part of the work was carried out in the period of 2014 … 2016 in the conditions of the Volgograd region. Experiments on the study of microelements were carried out according to a scheme consisting of 3 options: application into soil; presowing seed treatment; foliar top dressing of plants. Chemically pure compounds of manganese sulphate, zinc sulphate, copper sulphate, ammonium molybdate, and boric acid were used as microelements. The use of microelements in the conditions of the dry steppe zone of the Nizhneje Pvolzhje region is an important agrotechnical method, contributing to the acceleration of growth, development, increase in yield and improve the quality of the pepper fruits. It is recommended to carry out pre-sowing seed treatment by 0.05% solutions of copper sulphate, boric acid and manganese sulphate, as a way to increase seed viability, accelerate yield and improve seedling quality. In order to increase the yield and improve the quality during the period of pepper budding, foliar top dressing should be carried out by 0.05% solutions of boric acid, ammonium molybdate. Due to its high efficiency, simplicity and availability, presowing seed treatment and foliar top dressing of plants by micro-elements will find wide application in vegetable production.

Вплив ліпополісахаридів Pseudomonas syringae pv.[аtro­faciens на фотосинтетичний апарат пшениці

The purpose. Study influence of lipo-polysaccharides (LPS) of phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. atrofaciens (McCulloch 1920) Young, Dye and Wilkie 1978 on physiological-biochemical processes in plants of wheat. Methods. Classical microbiologic, biochemical, statistical. Extraction of LPS is realized by 0,85% solution of chloride of sodium. Induction of fluorescence was measured by device «Floratest». Results. Stimulating influence of treatment with LPS of various strains of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens on pigment compound of leaves of plants of summer wheat of grade Pecherianka is determined. Essential lowering background fluorescence in leaves of summer wheat of grade Pecherianka is fixed. At treating with LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9417 and P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9780 — on 38,7 and 37,4% accordingly, at treating with LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens UKM V-1011 — on 16,6%, whereas in alternative with treating with LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9400 background fluorescence authentically did not differ from the control. Lipo-polysaccharides of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9417 and LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9780 oppressed dark phase of photosynthesis. Conclusions. Lipo-polysaccharides of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens cause increase of amount of photosynthetic pigments — chlorophylls a and b at simultaneous lowering in content of carotenoids (for LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9417 and LPS of P. syringae pv. atrofaciens 9780) which is accompanied by lowering of the functional activity of photosynthetic apparatus. That spread not only to «light» phase of photosynthesis, but also on efficiency of «dark» responses of cycle of Calvin, reducing their efficiency.

Dynamic Simulation of the Crown Net Photosynthetic Rate for Young Larix olgensis Henry Trees

Numerical integration of the instantaneous net photosynthetic rate (An) is a common method for calculating the long-term CO2 uptake of trees, and accurate dynamic simulation of the crown An has been receiving substantial attention. Tree characteristics are challenging to assess given their aerodynamically coarse crown properties, spatiotemporal variation in leaf functional traits and microenvironments. Therefore, the variables associated with the dynamic variations in the crown An must be identified. The relationships of leaf temperature (Tleaf), the vapor pressure deficit (VPD), leaf mass per area (LMA) and the relative depth into the crown (RDINC) with the parameters of the photosynthetic light-response (PLR) model of Larix olgensis Henry were analyzed. The LMA, RDINC and VPD were highly correlated with the maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax). The VPD was the key variable that mainly determined the variation in the apparent quantum yield (AQY). Tleaf exhibited a significant exponential correlation with the dark respiration rate (Rd). According to the above correlations, the crown PLR model of L. olgensis trees was constructed by linking VPD, LMA and RDINC to the original PLR equation. The model performed well, with a high coefficient of determination (R2) value (0.883) and low root mean square error (RMSE) value (1.440 μmol m−2 s−1). The extinction coefficient (k) of different pseudowhorls within a crown was calculated by the Beer–Lambert equation based on the observed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) distribution. The results showed that k was not a constant value but varied with the RDINC, solar elevation angle (ψ) and cumulative leaf area of the whole crown (CLA). Thus, we constructed a k model by reparameterizing the power function of RDINC with the ψ and CLA, and the PAR distribution within a crown was therefore well estimated (R2 = 0.698 and RMSE = 174.4 μmol m−2 s−1). Dynamic simulation of the crown An for L. olgensis trees was achieved by combining the crown PLR model and dynamic PAR distribution model. Although the models showed some weakened physiological biochemical processes during photosynthesis, they enabled the estimation of long-term CO2 uptake for an L. olgensis plantation, and the results could be easily fitted to gas-exchange measurements.

Genome-wide identification, classification, and functional analysis of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors in the cattle, Bos Taurus.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) form a huge superfamily and play crucial roles in many essential developmental, genetic, and physiological-biochemical processes of eukaryotes. In total, 109 putative bHLH TFs were identified and categorized successfully in the genomic databases of cattle, Bos Taurus, after removing redundant sequences and merging genetic isoforms. Through phylogenetic analyses, 105 proteins among these bHLH TFs were classified into 44 families with 46, 25, 14, 3, 13, and 4 members in the high-order groups A, B, C, D, E, and F, respectively. The remaining 4 bHLH proteins were sorted out as 'orphans.' Next, these 109 putative bHLH proteins identified were further characterized as significantly enriched in 524 significant Gene Ontology (GO) annotations (corrected P value ≤ 0.05) and 21 significantly enriched pathways (corrected P value ≤ 0.05) that had been mapped by the web server KOBAS 2.0. Furthermore, 95 bHLH proteins were further screened and analyzed together with two uncharacterized proteins in the STRING online database to reconstruct the protein-protein interaction network of cattle bHLH TFs. Ultimately, 89 bHLH proteins were fully mapped in a network with 67 biological process, 13 molecular functions, 5 KEGG pathways, 12 PFAM protein domains, and 25 INTERPRO classified protein domains and features. These results provide much useful information and a good reference for further functional investigations and updated researches on cattle bHLH TFs.

Effect of zinc salt solutions on the development of chlorophyll and formation of seeds of maize hybrids

Zinc as an element is considered as one of the most limiting nutrients for crop production, mainly for cereals in the arid areas of the world. The article explores the impact of zinc salts at different concentrations on the course of physiological biochemical processes, germination and development of nine investigated hybrids of maize. In particular, we investigate how zinc nitrate solutions influence physiological biochemical processes of different maize hybrids. It is established that high concentration of zinc salt solution can arrest or inhibit processes of plants growth, exerting an effect typical of heavy metals. The influence of 0.01% and 0.02% of zinc nitrate aqueous solution on the content of chlorophyll and number of seeds on the stalks of different corn hybrids was studied. The results of experiments in which germinating seeds were placed in Petri dishes containing 0.01% and 0.02% nitrate zinc solutions showed that zinc in these quantities stimulates the synthesis of chlorophyll in the leaves in all studied hybrids, thereby stimulating plant growth. Thereafter, low concentrations of salt solutions of the same element stimulated all development processes. Zinc enters the active enzyme centers and participates directly in chlorophyll synthesis. The spray of solutions as foliar fertilizers at critical stages of corn growth increases the number of seeds, the diameter and length of stalk in the early ripening hybrids group, compared with the control. It was shown that lack of zinc affects the formation of seeds. The results of the field experiments showed that corn foliar feeding with 0.01% sodium nitrate increased productivity of the studied hybrids. Symptoms of zinc deficiency develop throughout the whole plant or are localized on the old lower leaves. At first, brownish grey and purple-coloured spots appear on the leaves of the lower and middle layers and then spread over the rest of the plant. The tissue of the areas like these simply dies off. Zinc deficiency had a negative effect on seeds production. From the results of experiments it follows that there are fluctuation of chlorophyll in maize hybrids when germinated in 0.01% and 0.02% salts solutions of zinc nitrate, and that the resistance of the plants to fungus and bacterial infections is strengthened when their seeds are previously treated with nitric acid zinc at 0.01% concentration.

Scientific support of the viticulture–winemaking industry of russia’s agroindustrial complex

Substantial changes in the global and domestic wine market have made it necessity to modify the technologies of producing high-quality wines, to decrease production costs, and to ensure food safety. Proceeding from the long-standing analysis of the industry’s economy, climatic and agrocenotic changes, and topical research and practice tasks, a number of fundamental scientific problems are formulated that should be solved to obtain new knowledge in order to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of the sector’s production. The dynamics and development of cenotic interconnections and physiological–biochemical processes in the components of agroecosystems, which are predetermined by the significant edaphoclimatic differentiation of viticulture zones and microzones, as well as by a number of other factors, require continuous research and development of preventive measures to maintain agrocoenoses in highly productive conditions, the creation and adaptation of assortments, epiphytotic prevention, and bringing the technologies into accordance with the level of production development.

Determination of cAMP in plant cells by a modified enzyme immunoassay method

Presently, there is no doubt about the functioning of the adenylate cyclase signaling system in plants, but the role of this system in various physiological-biochemical processes has been investigated insufficiently. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), the key component produced by adenylate cyclase, whose concentrations in plant cells vary rather widely, is the indicator of functional activity for this signaling way. In the latter case, in the process of determination of concentrations of this messenger, one encounters difficulties related to insufficient sensitivity of the methods most frequently applied. In this connection, the proposed mechanism is a modification of the method of the enzyme immunoassay (EIA), which is based on immediate measurement of cAMP concentrations in the sample with the use of antibodies. This modification allows us to determine the concentrations of cAMP with the precision of 5 pM, which exceeds the sensitivity of other methods by approximately 10 times. The specificity of the assay has been confirmed by other two independent tests--the capillary electrophoresis and the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). It has also been compared to the data obtained with the use of the commercial kit from Sigma-Aldrich. The modification has been tested on such plant objects as in vitro potato plants, and suspension cells of potato and Arabidopsis.

Influence of Zinc (ZN) on Germination of Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

ABSTRACTThe paper presents the results of research of negative effects of zinc (Zn) on seed germination of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Besides the impact on the percentage of germination, the toxic effect on some morphometric characteristics was followed, too. Ripe seeds of wheat were exposed in standard laboratory conditions to the influence of zinc, in form of zinc chloride (ZnCl2), at different values of concentration. For each value of concentration it was determined the percentage of germinationed seeds, as well as the length of root and shoot. It as found the value of the concentration of ZnCl2, which inhibited completely germination of wheat. The mean values of the length of root and shoot for each concentration were compared with values obtained for the control group of seeds, which were not treated with ZnCl2. In addition to causing of inhibition of seed germination, the presence of zinc in the medium affects disorder of the physiological—biochemical processes during the growth and development of vegetative organs that it indicates the difference in the length of the root and shoot of treated seeds in relation to the control group of untreated seeds.

BIOLOGICALLY BASED KINETIC MODEL FOR CHEMICAL KINETICS IN THE ISOLATED PERFUSED RAT LIVER SYSTEM: BASIC RECIRCULATION MODEL FOR WATER-SOLUBLE/LIPID-INSOLUBLE CHEMICALS

The isolated perfused rat liver preparation is a useful experimental tool to study the role of the liver in controlling the systemic kinetics of chemicals in mammalian systems. Various kinetic processes can influencechemical behavior in the isolated perfused rat liver, including membranetransport, binding, metabolism, and biliary excretion. A generic biologically based kinetic model that incorporates these processes is described. The model is for water-soluble/lipid-insoluble chemicals, i.e., chemicals that do not accumulate in the lipid phase. Several theoretical examples of the kinetic behavior of chemicals with particular properties areused toillustratetheflexibility of themodel.Themodel can beused toanalyze the kinetics of chemicals of interest and as an educational tool to understand the kinetic implications of the interactions of various physiological-biochemical processes.

Physiological, biochemical and ultrastructural aspects of imbibitional chilling injury in seeds: a review of work carried out at the Beijing Botanical Garden

AbstractThis paper is a résumé of research on imbibitional chilling injury of seeds. The following summarizes the experimental results obtained and some views and concepts derived from the studies conducted at Beijing Botanical Garden during the last decade. A lot of evidence has supported and confirmed the hypothesis for imbibitional chilling injury in seeds, i.e. the primary target of harmful effects during the chilling rehydration in seeds is the membrane systems, and the subsequent degree of lasting damage depends highly on the repair of the membrane systems themselves. The two processes of repair, physical and physiological–biochemical processes, can complement each other to a certain extent.

Physiology of ecotypic plant response to sulfur dioxide in Geranium carolinianum L.

Populations of Geranium carolinianum, a winter annual plant common in disturbed habitats, vary in their foliar response to sulfur dioxide, and pollution resistance is characteristic of populations sampled from areas in which SO2 has been a prominent stress. The physiological basis of this ecotypic response was investigated using a whole-plant gaseous exchange system in which leaf resistance to H2O efflux and SO2 influx were concurrently monitored. Individual plants of distinct SO2 susceptibility were exposed to pollutant concentrations of either 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 μl 1-1 in both the dark and light. Total SO2 flux (μg cm-2 h-1) to the plant, which is the sum of leaf adsorptive and absorptive loss, varied as an inverse function of leaf resistance (s cm-1), and the relationship was modeled using linear regression techniques. Total SO2 flux was partitioned to leaf surface and internal fractions using estimation procedures with the regression analysis. SO2 flux into the leaf interior, the pollutant fraction responsible for causing foliar injury, was strikingly similar for resistant and sensitive plants at each concentration. Resistant plants must absorb 30% more SO2 than their sensitive counterparts in order to exhibit comparable levels of foliar injury. Therefore, in G. carolinianum the predominant explantation for genetically controlled and quantitatively inherited differences in plant résponse to SO2 is not variable pollutant flux but rather disparate physiological-biochemical processes affecting pollutant toxicity, cellular perturbation and repair. This conclusion is relevant to understanding how populations of G. carolinianum respond over time to elevated levels of SO2 and may explain the inherent susceptibility of this species compared with plants with which it co-exists.