Strong Light Conditions Research Articles

Strong-light-induced yellowing of green microalgae Chlorella: A study on molecular mechanisms of the acclimation response

Two strains of unicellular microalgae, Chlorella protothecoides and Chlorella vulgaris, subjected to strong light conditions (400μmolphotonsm−2s−1) turn yellow, as compared to the green control cells cultured at low light intensity (80μmolphotonsm−2s−1). Such a mechanism is typically interpreted in terms of an adaptive response of algae to overexcitation conditions. In the present work, fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular imaging techniques: fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy and Raman imaging microscopy, were applied to readdress the problem: whether this process is associated with an acclimation or rather is a manifestation of a photo-degradation process. Yellow coloration of the algal culture exposed to strong light, was found to be associated with accumulation of xanthophyll pigments, predominantly zeaxanthin. The results show that carotenoids, newly synthesized in response to strong light conditions are not energetically coupled to chlorophylls and therefore are not photosynthetically active. On the other hand, over-synthesized xanthophylls can be potentially active as antioxidants, membrane stabilizing agents and, importantly, in shielding cells from intensive radiation, via “molecular sunglasses” mechanism. The latter mechanism has been identified in a cell nucleus and concluded to protect a genetic material against photodamage. Culturing Chlorella at elevated light intensities may also be considered as an alternative source of zeaxanthin, one of the macular pigments protecting human eyes against the age related macular degeneration.

Functional characterization of blue-light-induced responses and PHOTOTROPIN 1 gene in Welwitschia mirabilis.

The blue light (BL) receptor phototropin (phot) is specifically found in green plants; it regulates various BL-induced responses such as phototropism, chloroplast movement, stomatal opening, and leaf flattening. In Arabidopsis thaliana, two phototropins--phot1 and phot2--respond to blue light in overlapping but distinct ways. These BL-receptor-mediated responses enhance the photosynthetic activity of plants under weak light and minimize photodamage under strong light conditions. Welwitschia mirabilis Hook.f. found in the Namib Desert, and it has adapted to severe environmental stresses such as limiting water and strong sunlight. Although the plant has physiologically and ecologically unique features, it is unknown whether phototropin is functional in this plant. In this study, we assessed the functioning of phot-mediated BL responses in W. mirabilis. BL-dependent phototropism and stomatal opening was observed but light-dependent chloroplast movement was not detected. We performed a functional analysis of the PHOT1 gene of W. mirabilis, WmPHOT1, in Arabidopsis thaliana. We generated transgenic A. thaliana lines expressing WmPHOT1 in a phot1 phot2 double mutant background. Several Wmphot1 transgenic plants showed normal growth, although phot1 phot2 double mutant plants showed stunted growth. Furthermore, Wmphot1 transgenic plants showed normal phot1-mediated responses including phototropism, chloroplast accumulation, stomatal opening, and leaf flattening, but lacked the chloroplast avoidance response that is specifically mediated by phot2. Thus, our findings indicate that W. mirabilis possesses typical phot-mediated BL responses that were at least partially mediated by functional phototropin 1, an ortholog of Atphot1.

Leaf water use in heterobaric and homobaric leafed canopy tree species in a Malaysian tropical rain forest

Tropical canopy tree species can be classified into two types by their heterobaric and homobaric leaves. We studied the relation between both leaf types and their water use, together with the morphological characteristics of leaves and xylem, in 23 canopy species in a tropical rain forest. The maximum rates of photosynthesis and transpiration were significantly higher in heterobaric leaf species, which also underwent larger diurnal variations of leaf water potential compared to homobaric leaf species. The vessel diameter was significantly larger and the stomatal pore index (SPI) was significantly higher in heterobaric than that in homobaric leaf species. There was a significant positive correlation between the vessel diameter, SPI, and maximum transpiration rates in all the studied species of both leaf types. However, there was no significant difference in other properties, such as leaf water-use efficiency, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen content, and leaf δ13C between heterobaric and homobaric leaf species. Our results indicate that leaf and xylem morphological differences between heterobaric and homobaric leaf species are closely related to leaf water-use characteristics, even in the same habitat: heterobaric leaf species achieved a high carbon gain with large water use under strong light conditions, whereas homobaric leaf species can maintain a high leaf water potential even at midday as a result of low water use in the canopy environment.

Improvement of the stability of doxycycline hydrochloride pellet-containing tablets through a novel granulation technique and proper excipients

ObjectiveGranulated pellet-containing tablets (GPCT) prepared by a novel granulation technique showed better uniformity and compressibility over traditional pellet-containing tablets (PCT). The superiority of GPCT was mainly due to the excipient layer, which was laid over the coated pellets and modified the surface of pellets with increased roughness. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was the main layering component which greatly influenced the stability of GPCT in storage, so was the additional excipients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of excipient layer on the stability of GPCT. MethodsGP were prepared by layering the combination of various excipients with MCC over the coated pellets, and further compressed into GPCT. The drug release profiles from the coated pellets, GP, and GPCT were compared, and the drug degradation rate in GP and GPCT were evaluated under high temperature, strong light, and high humidity conditions for up to 10days. ResultsThe drug content in GP and GPCT was above 97% after storage under high temperature and strong light, but dropped to 93%–96% under high humidity. The drug degradation rate in GP followed the order of excipient hygroscopicity as PVPP>CMC-Na>Lactose, while GPCT with PVPP showed the least drug degradation, suggesting the stability of GPCT was mainly determined by the excipient compressibility. ConclusionsAll formulations under high temperature and strong light were stable, indicating the influence of temperature and light could be ignored. Under high humidity conditions, the drug degradation in GP was in accordance with the excipient hygroscopicity, while it was dominated by excipient compressibility in GPCT. Therefore, the binary mixture of MCC and PVPP with the best compressibility may be ideal layering excipients to prepare acceptable GPCT for humidity sensitive drugs.

Preparation and evaluation of taste masked oral suspension of arbidol hydrochloride

The purpose of this study was to cover the bitter taste of arbidol hydrochloride (ARB) and develop dry suspension with combination of solid dispersion and flavors. Taste masking was successfully done by solid dispersion using octadecanol as the carrier by fusion method. Suspending agents, carriers and other excipients were selected. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed to identify the physicochemical interaction between drug and carrier, DSC analysis indicated that ARB was amorphous in the solid dispersion, FTIR spectroscopy showed no interaction between drug and carrier. Taste masking was evaluated on six volunteers with a score of 4.9. The results demonstrated successful taste masking. Water was used to study the in vitro dissolution performance of the three formulations of commercial tablet, capsule and self-made suspension. The self-made suspension showed a lower and slower release, the insoluble carrier octadecanol blocked the drug dissolving from the solid dispersion. It was indicated from the primary stability study, the self-made suspensions were sensitive to high temperature, high humidity and strong light conditions, they should be stored in sealed containers away from heat, light and humidity.

Robust Rubik’s Cube Detection Using Hough Transform and Advanced Clustering Functions

Presented paper describes vision-based algorithm for 2D Rubik’s cube state detection suitable for cases in which long-term fixed camera-cube position is not possible. The main focus was to provide a robust algorithm for position and color detection in order to overcome problems observed in previous version. First part of paper describes Hough transform and advanced clustering functions that were used for cube position detection. Described algorithm provides robustness to strong occlusions and various lighting conditions. Second part of paper describes color detection algorithm and problems of prior classification in various color spaces.

Leaf chloroplast ultrastructure and photosynthetic properties of a chlorophyll-deficient mutant of rice

Leaf chloroplast ultrastructure and photosynthetic properties of a natural, yellow-green leaf mutant (ygl1) of rice were characterized. Our results showed that chloroplast development was significantly delayed in the mutant leaves compared with the wild-type rice (WT). As leaves matured, more grana stacks formed concurrently with increasing leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content. Except for the lower intercellular CO2 concentration, the ygl1 plants had a higher leaf net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate than those of the WT plants. Under equal amounts of Chl, the excitation energy of PSI and PSII was much stronger in the mutant than that in the WT. The ygl1 plants showed higher nonphotochemical quenching and lower photochemical quenching. They also exhibited higher actual photochemical efficiency of PSII with a higher electron transport rate. Under the light of 200 μmol(photon) m-2 s-1, the ygl1 mutant showed lesser deepoxidation of violaxanthin in the xanthophyll cycle than WT, but it increased substantially under strong light conditions. In conclusion, the photosynthetic machinery of the ygl1 remained stable during leaf development. The plants were less sensitive to photoinhibition compared with WT due to the active xanthophyll cycle. The ygl1 plants were efficient in both light harvesting and conversion of solar energy.

Short-term light adaptation of a cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, probed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy

In photosynthetic organisms, the interactions among pigment–protein complexes change in response to light conditions. In the present study, we analyzed the transfer of excitation energy from the phycobilisome (PBS) and photosystem (PS) II to PSI in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. After 20 min of dark adaptation, Synechocystis cells were illuminated for 5 min with strong light with different spectral profiles, blue, green, two kinds of red, and white light. After illumination, the energy-transfer characteristics were evaluated using steady-state fluorescence and picosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. The fluorescence rise and decay curves were analyzed by global analysis to obtain fluorescence decay-associated spectra, followed by spectral component analysis. Under illumination with strong light, the contribution of the energy transfer from the PSII to PSI (spillover) became greater, and that of the energy transfer from the PBS to PSI decreased; the former change was larger than the latter. The energy transfer pathway to PSI was sensitive to red light. We discuss the short-term adaptation of energy-transfer processes in Synechocystis under strong-light conditions.

The inter-monomer interface of the major light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complexes of photosystem II (LHCII) influences the chlorophyll triplet distribution

Under strong light conditions, long-lived chlorophyll triplets (3Chls) are formed, which can sensitize singlet oxygen, a species harmful to the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. Plants have developed multiple photoprotective mechanisms to quench 3Chl and scavenge singlet oxygen in order to sustain the photosynthetic activities. The lumenal loop of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex of photosystem II (LHCII) plays important roles in regulating the pigment conformation and energy dissipation. In this study, site-directed mutagenesis analysis was applied to investigate triplet–triplet energy transfer and quenching of 3Chl in LHCII. We mutated the amino acid at site 123 located in this region to Gly, Pro, Gln, Thr and Tyr, respectively, and recorded fluorescence excitation spectra, triplet-minus-singlet (TmS) spectra and kinetics of carotenoid triplet decay for wild type and all the mutants. A red-shift was evident in the TmS spectra of the mutants S123T and S123P, and all of the mutants except S123Y showed a decrease in the triplet energy transfer efficiency. We propose, on the basis of the available structural information, that these phenomena are related to the involvement, due to conformational changes in the lumenal region, of a long-wavelength lutein (Lut2) involved in quenching 3Chl.

Positioning device for outdoor mobile robots using optical sensors and lasers

We propose a novel method for positioning a mobile robot in an outdoor environment using lasers and optical sensors. Position estimation via a noncontact optical method is useful because the information from the wheel odometer and the global positioning system in a mobile robot is unreliable in some situations. Contact optical sensors such as computer mouse are designed to be in contact with a surface and do not function well in strong ambient light conditions. To mitigate the challenges of an outdoor environment, we developed an optical device with a bandpass filter and a pipe to restrict solar light and to detect translation. The use of two devices enables sensing of the mobile robot’s position, including posture. Furthermore, employing a collimated laser beam allows measurements against a surface to be invariable with the distance to the surface. In this paper, we describe motion estimation, device configurations, and several tests for performance evaluation. We also present the experimental positioning results from a vehicle equipped with our optical device on an outdoor path. Finally, we discuss an improvement in postural accuracy by combining an optical device with precise gyroscopes.

Screening and hydrogen-producing characters of a highly efficient H2-producing mutant of Rhodovulum sulfidophilum P5

In this study, transposon mutagenesis technology was utilized to enhance the hydrogen production capability of a wild marine photosynthetic bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum P5. A mutant strain TH-253 that exhibited high hydrogen yield and weaker light absorption ability was screened. Under strong light conditions, the mutant produced more hydrogen than that of the WT. Under optimum light intensity (120 μmol photons/m(2)s), the mutant achieved its highest hydrogen yield (1,436 ± 44 mL H2/L, about 3.21 ± 0.10 mol H2/mol acetate), which was 40.37% higher that of the WT. In continuous operation mode, the hydrogen yield (3.59 ± 0.11 mol H2/mol acetate) and average hydrogen production rate (16.91 ± 0.46 mL H2/Lh) of the mutant were 43.40% and 45.07% higher than those of the WT, respectively. The mutant strain TH-253 may be used as an appropriate starting strain for future photosynthesis-based large scale hydrogen production.

Root photomorphogenesis in laboratory-maintained Arabidopsis seedlings

In nature, root systems of most terrestrial plants are underground in darkness. Nevertheless, several photoreceptors have been found in roots and light-responsive mechanisms allowing roots to escape from strong light conditions have been discovered. In transparent Petri dishes, regular light exposure affects root morphology and behavior. We advocate the use of darkened Petri dishes to allow roots to be kept in darkness, thus mimicking more closely the conditions in nature.

적외선 방출 조명 조건 하에서 깊이 센서의 효율적인 필터링

적외선 기반 깊이 센서는 최근 저렴해진 가격으로 인해 소비자용으로 널리 보급되고 있으며 원래 목적을 넘어서 방송용 가상 스튜디오 제스처 인식을 포함한 다양한 분야로까지 적용 범위를 확대하고 있다. 그러나 이러한 방송 스튜디오 환경에서는 깊이 센서와 간섭을 일으키는 적외선이 다량 방출되어 올바른 깊이 정보의 포착이 불가능한 문제가 발생한다. 본 논문에서는 특정 적외선 파장대를 사용하는 깊이 센서가 적외선 방출 광원 하에서 간섭이 발생하는 원리에 대해 분석하고 깊이 센서의 올바른 작동을 보장하기 위한 필터링 기법을 논의한다. 또한 여러 차단 주파수대를 가지는 통과 필터를 적용하는 실험방법과 그 결과를 제시하며 올바른 대역 통과 필터를 적용함으로써 조명에서 방출되는 적외선을 차단하고 효과적으로 깊이 정보를 포착할 수 있다는 사실을 실험적으로 증명한다. Recently, infrared (IR)-based depth sensors have proliferated as consumer electronics thanks to decreased price, which led to various applications including gesture recognition in television virtual studios. However, the depth sensors fail to capture depth information correctly under strong light conditions emitting infrared light which are very common in television studios. This paper analyzes the mechanism of such interference between the depth sensors relying on certain IR frequencies and infrared light emitting sources, and provides methods to get correct depth information by applying filters. Also, it describes experiment methods and presents the results of applying multiple combinations of filters with different cut-off frequencies. Finally, it proves that the interference due to IR can be filtered out using proposed filtering method practically by experiment.

Rice MPR25 encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat protein and is essential for RNA editing of nad5 transcripts in mitochondria

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are involved in the modification of organelle transcripts. In this study, we investigated the molecular function in rice of the mitochondrial PPR-encoding gene MITOCHONDRIAL PPR25 (MPR25), which belongs to the E subgroup of the PPR family. A Tos17 knockout mutant of MPR25 exhibited growth retardation and pale-green leaves with reduced chlorophyll content during the early stages of plant development. The photosynthetic rate in the mpr25 mutant was significantly decreased, especially under strong light conditions, although the respiration rate did not differ from that of wild-type plants. MPR25 was preferentially expressed in leaves. FLAG-tagged MPR25 accumulated in mitochondria but not in chloroplasts. Direct sequencing revealed that the mpr25 mutant fails to edit a C-U RNA editing site at nucleotide 1580 of nad5, which encodes a subunit of complex I (NADH dehydrogenase) of the respiratory chain in mitochondria. RNA editing of this site is responsible for a change in amino acid from serine to leucine. Recombinant MPR25 directly interacted with the proximal region of the editing site of nad5 transcripts. However, the NADH dehydrogenase activity of complex I was not affected in the mutant. By contrast, genes encoding alternative NADH dehydrogenases and alternative oxidase were up-regulated. The mpr25 mutant may therefore provide new information on the coordinated interaction between mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Diminished photoinhibition is involved in high photosynthetic capacities in spring ephemeral Berteroa incana under strong light conditions

Berteroa incana (B. incana), a spring ephemeral species of Brassicaceae, possesses very high photosynthetic capacities at high irradiances. Exploring the mechanism of the high light use efficiency of B. incana under strong light conditions may help to explore mechanisms of plants’ survival strategies. Therefore, the photosynthetic characteristics of B. incana grown under three different light intensities (field conditions (field): 200–1500μmolphotonsm−2s−1; greenhouse high light (HL) conditons: 600μmolphotonsm−2s−1; and greenhouse low light (LL) conditions: 100μmolphotonsm−2s−1) were investigated and compared with those of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana). Our results revealed that B. incana behaved differently in adjusting its photosynthetic activities under both HL and LL conditions compared with what A. thaliana did under the same conditions, suggesting that the potential of photosynthetic capacity of B. incana might be enhanced under strong light conditions. Under LL conditions, B. incana reached its maximum photosynthetic activity at a much higher light intensity than A. thaliana did, although their maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) (Fv/Fm) was almost the same. When grown under HL conditions, B. incana showed much higher photosynthetic capacity than A. thaliana. A detailed analysis of the OJIP transient kinetics of B. incana under HL and LL conditions revealed that HL-grown B. incana possessed not only a high ability in regulating photosystem stoichiometry that ensured high linear electron transport, but also an enhanced availability of oxidized plastoquinone (PQ) pool which reduced non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), especially its slow components qT and qI, and increased the photochemical efficiency, which in turn, increased the electron transport. We suggest that the high ability in regulating photosystem stoichiometry and the high level of the availability of oxidized PQ pool in B. incana under strong light conditions play important roles in its ability to retain higher photosynthetic capacity under extreme environmental conditions.

Limnological features of glacier-fed rivers in the Southern Tibetan Plateau, China

We describe the limnological features of six glacier-fed rivers located at an altitude of over 4,000 m in Southern Tibetan Plateau, China, based on diurnal observations of the water environment and biota in the summer of 2010. The rivers showed significant diurnal changes in water level, temperature, and turbidity; clear and cool streams in the morning changed to cloudy rapid flow in the afternoon, and water temperature was elevated under strong light conditions where riparian forest did not cover the surface of the water. On the other hand, the pH and dissolved oxygen saturation did not show any diurnal fluctuations, which indicates low periphytic algal productivity. The aquatic insect communities were poor both in diversity and density, and the dominant life forms (from a functional feeding group perspective) were collectors, which depend on allochthonous organic matter; scrapers, which depend on autochthonous algal production, were scarce. We therefore suggest that diurnal or seasonal high waters transport products from marginal pools along dried riverbeds or from ponds on flood plains, and may serve as the source of organic matter in glacier-fed rivers.

Sunlight Readable Transmissive LCDs

We propose a novel sunlight readable transmissive LCD embedded with a transflective film. Such a transflective film has high transmission to the backlight and high reflection to the ambient light. This new display is particularly suitable for outdoor applications under strong ambient light condition.

Zeaxanthin epoxidation - an in vitro approach.

Zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZE) is an enzyme operating in the violaxanthin cycle, which is involved in photoprotective mechanisms. In this work model systems to study zeaxanthin (Zx) epoxidation were developed. Two assay systems are presented in which epoxidation of Zx was observed. In these assays two mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana which have active only one of the two xanthophyll cycle enzymes were used. The npq1 mutant possesses an active ZE and is thus able to convert Zx to violaxanthin (Vx) but the violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) is inactive, so that Vx cannot be converted to Zx. The other mutant, npq2, possesses an active VDE and can convert exogenous Vx to Zx under strong light conditions but reverse reaction is not possible. The first assay containing thylakoids from npq1 and npq2 mutants of A. thaliana gave positive results and high efficiency of epoxidation reaction was observed. The amount of Zx was reduced by 25%. To optimize high efficiency of epoxidation reaction additional factors facilitating both fusion of the two types of thylakoids and incorporation of Zx to their membranes were also studied. The second kind of assay contained npq1 mutant thylakoids of A. thaliana supplemented with exogenous Zx and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG). Experiments with different proportions of Zx and MGDG showed that their optimal ratio is 1:60. In such system, due to epoxidation, the amount of Zx was reduced by 38% of its initial level. The in vitro systems of Zx epoxidation described in this paper enable analysis some properties of the ZE without necessity of its isolation.

Characterization of different isoforms of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complexes of photosystem II in bamboo

The major light-harvesting chlorophyll (Chl) a/b complexes of photosystem II (LHCIIb) play important roles in energy balance of thylakoid membrane. They harvest solar energy, transfer the energy to the reaction center under normal light condition and dissipate excess excitation energy under strong light condition. Many bamboo species could grow very fast even under extremely changing light conditions. In order to explain whether LHCIIb in bamboo contributes to this specific characteristic, the spectroscopic features, the capacity of forming homotrimers and structural stabilities of different isoforms (Lhcb1-3) were investigated. The apoproteins of the three isoforms of LHCIIb in bamboo are overexpressed in vitro and successfully refolded with thylakoid pigments. The sequences of Lhcb1 and Lhcb2 are similar and they are capable of forming homotrimer, while Lhcb3 lacks 10 residues in the N terminus and can not form the homotrimeric structure. The pigment stoichiometries, spectroscopic characteristics, thermo- and photostabilities of different reconstituted Lhcbs reveal that Lhcb3 differs strongly from Lhcb1 and Lhcb2. Lhcb3 possesses the lowest Qy transition energy and the highest thermostability. Lhcb2 is the most stable monomer under strong illumination among all the isoforms. These results suggest that in spite of small differences, different Lhcb isoforms in bamboo possess similar characteristics as those in other higher plants.

Ectopic overexpression of vacuolar and apoplastic Catharanthus roseus peroxidases confers differential tolerance to salt and dehydration stress in transgenic tobacco

CrPrx and CrPrx1 are class III peroxidases previously cloned and characterized from Catharanthus roseus. CrPrx is known to be apoplastic in nature, while CrPrx1 is targeted to vacuoles. In order to study their role in planta, these two peroxidases were expressed in Nicotiana tabacum. The transformed plants exhibited increased peroxidase activity. Increased oxidative stress tolerance was also observed in transgenics when treated with H(2)O(2) under strong light conditions. However, differential tolerance to salt and dehydration stress was observed during germination of T1 transgenic seeds. Under these stresses, the seed germination of CrPrx-transformed plants and wild-type plants was clearly suppressed, whereas CrPrx1 transgenic lines showed improved germination. CrPrx-transformed lines exhibited better cold tolerance than CrPrx1-transformed lines. These results indicate that vacuolar peroxidase plays an important role in salt and dehydration stress over cell wall-targeted peroxidase, while cell wall-targeted peroxidase renders cold stress tolerance.