Plant availability of cadmium in presence of organic acids: an interactive aspect.

The present communication reports the effect of various carboxylic and amino acids on the uptake and translocation of root-absorbed Cd by maize (Zea mays). Statistically significant increases in Cd accumulation in various plant tissues with increasing supplementation of organic acids suggested the existence of Cd-organic acid interaction in soil-rhizosphere environment of the plant. The potentiality of phytochelators (organic acids) to form plant available organically bound Cd is discussed.

Ácidos carboxílicos del fruto de Bromelia pinguin L. (piña de ratón) por HPLC / Carboxylic acids of Bromelia pinguin L. fruit (mouse pineapple) by HPLC

Se realizó el estudio de un extracto acuoalcohólico del fruto de B. pinguin L. (piña de ratón) por cromatografía líquida de alta presión (HPLC), con el objetivo de detectar la presencia de ácidos carboxílicos. Se ratificó la presencia de ácido cítrico, y por primera vez se señala la existencia de ácidos glicólico, málico, láctico, succínico y aconítico. Estos compuestos se identificaron por sus tiempos de retención contra patrones

Characterization of mitochondrial membrane fragments resulting from spontaneous swelling: novel stimulation of NADH-dependent respiration by carboxylic acids.

Metabolically induced high amplitude swelling of rat liver mitochondria has been found to result in the formation of a heterogeneous population of mitochondrial membranes consisting of right side-out particles with occluded fumarase activity and inside-out particles/fragments capable of NADH-dependent respiration. This rotenone-sensitive, uncoupler-insensitive, NADH-dependent respiration was specifically and instantaneously stimulated by several ligands such as glutamate and malate (which can be metabolized) and, interestingly, even lactate (which could not be metabolized by the swollen mitochondria). These observations suggest that high amplitude swelling results in a novel type of control of respiration in these fragments.