The nuclear-localized RNA helicase 13 is essential for chloroplast development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The chloroplast is a semi-autonomous organelle with a double membrane structure, and its structural stability is a prerequisite for its correct function. Chloroplast development is regulated by known nuclear-encoded chloroplast proteins or proteins encoded within the chloroplast itself. However, the mechanism of chloroplast development regulated by other organelles remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the nuclear-localized DEAD-box RNA helicase 13 (RH13) is essential for chloroplast development in Arabidopsis thaliana. RH13 is widely expressed in tissues and localized to the nucleolus. A homozygous rh13 mutant shows abnormal chloroplast structure and leaf morphogenesis. Proteomic analysis showed that the expression levels of photosynthesis-related proteins in chloroplasts were reduced due to loss of RH13. Furthermore, RNA-sequencing and proteomics data revealed decreases in the expression levels of these chloroplast-related genes, which undergo alternative splicing events in the rh13 mutant. Taken together, we propose that nucleolus-localized RH13 is critical for chloroplast development in Arabidopsis.

Cytidinediphosphate diacylglycerol synthase-Mediated phosphatidic acid metabolism is crucial for early embryonic development of Arabidopsis.

Embryonic development is a key developmental event in plant sexual reproduction; however, regulatory networks of plant early embryonic development, particularly the effects and functional mechanisms of phospholipid molecules are still unknown due to the limitation of sample collection and analysis. We innovatively applied the microspore-derived in vitro embryogenesis of Brassica napus and revealed the dynamics of phospholipid molecules, especially phosphatidic acid (PA, an important second messenger that plays an important role in plant growth, development, and stress responses), at different embryonic developmental stages by using a lipidomics approach. Further analysis of Arabidopsis mutants deficiency of CDS1 and CDS2 (cytidinediphosphate diacylglycerol synthase, key protein in PA metabolism) revealed the delayed embryonic development from the proembryo stage, indicating the crucial effect of CDS and PA metabolism in early embryonic development. Decreased auxin level and disturbed polar localization of auxin efflux carrier PIN1 implicate that CDS-mediated PA metabolism may regulate early embryogenesis through modulating auxin transport and distribution. These results demonstrate the dynamics and importance of phospholipid molecules during embryo development, and provide informative clues to elucidate the regulatory network of embryogenesis.

Phospholipase C is a novel regulator at the early stages of microspore embryogenesis in Nicotiana tabacum.

Microspore transfers the developmental fate into embryogenesis in vitro regulated by determinant factors of stress-induced. However, the key regulators of microspore embryogenesis (ME) are still largely undiscovered to reveal the mechanism of cell fate transition. Here, we report that Phospholipase C (PLC) is involved at the early stages of ME in Nicotiana tabacum. NtPLC2/3/4 are expressed at the initial stages of ME. The expression levels of NtPLC2/3 are transient activated after 3 days in culture, while the expression level of NtPLC4 maintains relatively stable. Inhibition of PLCs induces the decrease in NtPLC2/3/4 expression level and decline of ME yield. We confirm that lipids in microspore are degraded and then re-accumulate at first embryonic division stage. Inhibition of PLCs suppresses the lipids metabolism at the early stages of ME. Thus, we propose that PLCs-mediated lipid metabolism is a novel regulator at the early stages of ME.

Isolation of urease-producing bacteria and their effects on reducing Cd and Pb accumulation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

Excess Cd and Pb in agricultural soils enter the food chain and adversely affect all organisms. Therefore, it is important to find an eco-friendly way to reduce heavy metal accumulation in vegetables. We used urea agar plates to isolate urease-producing bacteria from the rhizosphere soil of lettuce in Cd- and Pb-contaminated farmland and investigated their ability to produce urease and immobilize heavy metals. The effects of these strains on the biomass, quality, and Cd and Pb accumulation of lettuce were also studied. The results showed that two urease-producing bacteria, Enterobacter bugandensis TJ6 and Bacillus megaterium HD8, were screened from the rhizosphere soil of lettuce. They had a high ability to produce urease (44.5 mS cm-1 min-1 OD600-1 and 54.2 mS cm-1 min-1 OD600-1, respectively) and IAA (303 mg L-1 and 387 mg L-1, respectively). Compared with the control, inoculation with strains TJ6 and HD8 reduced the Cd (75.3-85.8%) and Pb (74.8-87.2%) concentrations and increased the pH (from 6.92 to 8.13-8.53) in solution. A hydroponic experiment showed that the two strains increased the biomass (31.3-55.2%), improved the quality (28.6-52.6% for the soluble protein content and 34.8-88.4% for the vitamin C (Vc) content), and reduced the Cd (25.6-68.9%) and Pb (48.7-78.8%) contents of lettuce shoots (edible tissue). In addition, strain HD8 had a greater ability than strain TJ6 to reduce lettuce Cd and Pb uptake and water-soluble Cd and Pb levels in solution. These data show that the urease-producing bacteria protect lettuce against Cd and Pb toxicity by extracellular adsorption, Cd and Pb immobilization, and increased pH. The effects of heavy metal immobilization by the two strains can guarantee vegetable safety in situ for the bioremediation of heavy metal-polluted farmland.

Direct evidence that suspensor cells have embryogenic potential that is suppressed by the embryo proper during normal embryogenesis.

The suspensor is a temporary supporting structure of proembryos. It has been proposed that suspensor cells also possess embryogenic potential, which is suppressed by the embryo as an effect of the embryo-suspensor interaction. However, data to support this hypothesis are not yet available. In this report, using an in vivo living cell laser ablation technique, we show that Arabidopsis suspensor cells can develop into embryos after removing the embryo proper. The embryo proper plays a critical role in maintaining suspensor cell identity. However, this depends on the developmental stage; after the globular embryo stage, the suspensors no longer possess the potential to develop into embryos. We also reveal that hypophysis formation may be essential for embryo differentiation. Furthermore, we show that, after removing the embryo, auxin gradually accumulates in the top suspensor cell where cell division occurs to produce an embryo. Auxin redistribution likely reprograms the fate of the suspensor cell and triggers embryogenesis in suspensor cells. Thus, we provide direct evidence that the embryo suppresses the embryogenic potential of suspensor cells.

Construction of a high-quality genomic BAC library for Chinese peanut cultivar Zhonghua 8 with high oil content.

BACKGROUND: Arachis hypogaea L. (2n = 4× = 40, AABB) is one of the most important oil and economic crop plants in the word. This species has the largest genome size of about 2,813 Mb among the oil crop species. Zhonghua 8 is a peanut cultivar planted widely in central China and has several superior traits including high oil content, high yield and disease resistance. A high-quality BAC library of Zhonghua 8 was constructed for future researches on the genomics of Chinese peanut cultivars. RESULTS: A Hin d III-digested genomic BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) library was constructed with the genomic DNA from leaves of Zhonghua 8. This BAC library consists of 160,512 clones and the average insert is estimated about 102 kb ranging from 30 to 150 kb. The library represents about 5.55× haploid genome equivalents, and provides a 99.71% probability of finding specific genes. The empty-vector rate is under 5 percent detected from 200 randomly selected clones. Probing of 384 clones with the psbA gene of barley chloroplast and the atp6 gene of rice mitochondrion indicated that the contamination with organellar DNA is insignificant. Successive subculture of three clones showed that the inserts are stable in one hundred generations. CONCLUSIONS: This study presented the construction of a high-quality BAC library for the genome of Chinese cultivated peanut. Many essential experiences were summarized in the present study. This BAC library can serve as a substantial platform for development of molecular marker, isolation of genes and further genome research.

Exine dehiscing induces rape microspore polarity, which results in different daughter cell fate and fixes the apical-basal axis of the embryo.

The roles of cell polarity and the first asymmetric cell division during early embryogenesis in apical-basal cell fate determination remain unclear. Previously, a novel Brassica napus microspore embryogenesis system was established, by which rape exine-dehisced microspores were induced by physical stress. Unlike traditional microspore culture, cell polarity and subsequent asymmetric division appeared in the exine-dehisced microspore, which finally developed into a typical embryo with a suspensor. Further studies indicated that polarity is critical for apical-basal cell fate determination and suspensor formation. However, the pattern of the first division was not only determined by cell polarity but was also regulated by the position of the ruptured exine. The first division could be equal or unequal, with its orientation essentially perpendicular to the polar axis. In both types of cell division, the two daughter cells could have different cell fates and give rise to an embryo with a suspensor, similar to zygotic apical-basal cell differentiation. The alignment of the two daughter cells is consistent with the orientation of the apical-basal axis of future embryonic development. Thus, the results revealed that exine dehiscing induces rape microspore polarization, and this polarity results in a different cell fate and fixes the apical-basal axis of embryogenesis, but is uncoupled from cell asymmetric division. The present study demonstrated the relationships among cell polarity, asymmetric cell division, and cell fate determination in early embryogenesis.

The effect of N-acetylcysteine in the nucleus accumbens on neurotransmission and relapse to cocaine.

BACKGROUND: Relapse to cocaine seeking has been linked with low glutamate in the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore) causing potentiation of synaptic glutamate transmission from prefrontal cortex (PFC) afferents. Systemic N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been shown to restore glutamate homeostasis, reduce relapse to cocaine seeking, and depotentiate PFC-NAcore synapses. Here, we examine the effects of NAC applied directly to the NAcore on relapse and neurotransmission in PFC-NAcore synapses, as well as the involvement of the metabotropic glutamate receptors 2/3 (mGluR2/3) and 5 (mGluR5). METHODS: Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine for 2 weeks and following extinction received either intra-accumbens NAC or systemic NAC 30 or 120 minutes, respectively, before inducing reinstatement with a conditioned cue or a combined cue and cocaine injection. We also recorded postsynaptic currents using in vitro whole cell recordings in acute slices and measured cystine and glutamate uptake in primary glial cultures. RESULTS: NAC microinjection into the NAcore inhibited the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. In slices, a low concentration of NAC reduced the amplitude of evoked glutamatergic synaptic currents in the NAcore in an mGluR2/3-dependent manner, while high doses of NAC increased amplitude in an mGluR5-dependent manner. Both effects depended on NAC uptake through cysteine transporters and activity of the cysteine/glutamate exchanger. Finally, we showed that by blocking mGluR5 the inhibition of cocaine seeking by NAC was potentiated. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of NAC on relapse to cocaine seeking depends on the balance between stimulating mGluR2/3 and mGluR5 in the NAcore, and the efficacy of NAC can be improved by simultaneously inhibiting mGluR5.

The role of arabinogalactan proteins binding to Yariv reagents in the initiation, cell developmental fate, and maintenance of microspore embryogenesis in Brassica napus L. cv. Topas.

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are extracellular proteoglycans involved in plant growth and development. The addition of beta-D-glucosyl Yariv reagent (betaGlcY), a synthetic phenylglycoside that specifically reacts with AGPs, to the culture medium notably disturbed microspore embryogenesis in a concentration-dependent manner. The initiation of microspore embryogenesis was clearly inhibited by 30 microM betaGlcY and completely inhibited by 50 microM betaGlcY. The transfer of microspore-derived embryos at different developmental stages into NLN6 medium containing 50 microM betaGlcY prohibited their normal development, as approximately 21.24, 43.99, and 59.73%, respectively, of the treated globular-, heart-, and torpedo-stage embryos exhibited numerous root hair-like structures. Both heart-stage and torpedo-stage embryos showed a rapid growth of roots with a large number of clustered root hairs. Some root hair-like structures were also observed on the apical portions of embryos. Microscopy of the treated embryos revealed that the basic patterns of cells at both the radial and apical-basal axes were greatly altered, such that the cells lost their ability to carry out programmed embryogenesis. These results show that the betaGlcY-AGP interaction modulates the developmental fate of embryonic cells, especially epidermal cells, and thereby strongly affects root generation and development. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that both JIM8 and JIM13 binding to AGP co-localize with betaGlcY-binding sites. Thus, AGPs binding to betaGlcY, co-localized with Jim8- and Jim13-binding protein, appear to play a crucial role in the initiation of Brassica microspore embryogenesis and the maintenance of cell differentiation during embryonic development. In addition, these proteins may also be involved in the regulation of root generation.

Protective effects of iptakalim, a novel ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener, on global cerebral ischemia-evoked insult in gerbils.

AIM: To investigate the protective role of iptakalim, a novel ATP sensitive potassium channel opener, on global cerebral ischemia-evoked insult in gerbils and glutamate-induced PC12 cell injury. METHODS: Global cerebral ischemia was induced by occluding the bilateral common carotid arteries in gerbils for 5 min. The open field maze and T-maze were employed to investigate the experimental therapeutic value of iptakalim on ischemic brain insult (n=8). The pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 regions were counted to assess the protective effects of iptakalim. Glutamate released from the gerbil hippocampus and PC12 cells were determined by HPLC. Intracellular calcium was measured by Fluo-3 AM with A Bio-Rad Radiance 2100TM confocal system in conjunction with a Nikon TE300 microscope. Astrocyte glutamate uptake measurements were determined by liquid scintillation counting. RESULTS: Iptakalim (0.5-4.0 mg/kg per day, ip) could reduce the high locomotor activity evoked by ischemia and improve global cerebral ischemia-induced working memory impairments. Histological studies revealed that iptakalim could increase the survival neuron in the hippocampus CA1 zone in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, iptakalim could reverse ischemia-evoked increases of glutamate in the hippocampus of gerbils. In an in vitro study, iptakalim protected PC12 cells against glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, reduced the [Ca(2+)](i) increases, and enhanced the glutamate uptake activity of primary cultured astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Iptakalim plays a key role in preventing global cerebral ischemia-evoked insults in gerbils and glutamate-induced PC12 cell injury by anti-excitotoxicity. Iptakalim might be a promising novel candidate for the prevention and/or treatment of stroke.

Cocaine-induced reinstatement requires endogenous stimulation of mu-opioid receptors in the ventral pallidum.

The projection from the nucleus accumbens to the ventral pallidum regulates the reinstatement of cocaine seeking in rats extinguished from cocaine self-administration. This projection coexpresses GABA and enkephalin, posing a role for mu-opioid receptors in the ventral pallidum in mediating the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Rats were extinguished from cocaine self-administration, and the reinstatement of active lever pressing by cocaine was blocked by intra-ventral pallidum administration of the mu receptor antagonist Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTAP) (0.03-3.0 microg). Conversely, stimulating mu receptors with morphine (1-30 microg) in the ventral pallidum reinstated cocaine seeking. The ability of intra-ventral pallidum morphine to reinstate lever pressing was blocked by co-microinjection of the mu antagonist CTAP and was augmented by systemic cocaine administration. The reinstatement of cocaine seeking was associated with reduced extracellular GABA in the ventral pallidum, and the reduction in GABA was also prevented by blocking mu receptors with CTAP (10 microm). Although immunoblotting revealed that neither the total tissue concentration nor the membrane insertion of mu receptors in the ventral pallidum was altered by withdrawal from cocaine, the capacity of morphine (0.01-10 microm) to reduce ventral pallidum levels of extracellular GABA was augmented in rats extinguished from cocaine self-administration. These data are consistent with the reinstatement of cocaine seeking being modulated in part by coreleased enkephalin and GABA from the accumbens-ventral pallidal projection, a modulation that may involve the inhibition of GABA release by presynaptic mu receptors.

Simultaneous determination of histamine and polyamines by capillary zone electrophoresis with 4-fluor-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole derivatization and fluorescence detection.

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with fluorescence detection was applied to the simultaneous determination of histamine and polyamines including spermine, spermidine, diaminopropane, putrescine, cadaverine, diaminohexane with 4-fluor-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F) as the fluorescent derivatization reagent. The seven NBD-F labeled amines was separated within 200 s using 85 mM phosphate running buffer at pH 3.0. The concentration limits of these amines ranged from 5.1 x 10(-8) M for spermine to 2.1 x 10(-8) M for histamine. The relative standard deviations for migration time and peak height were less than 1.5% and 6.0%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of biogenic amines in the lysate of tobacco mesophyll protoplasts, and spermidine and putrescine were detected in the lysate with satisfying recovery.

Targeting ischemic stroke with a novel opener of ATP-sensitive potassium channels in the brain.

During cerebral ischemia, the opening of neuronal ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K(ATP) channels) affords intrinsic protection by regulating membrane potential. To augment this endogenous mechanism, we have synthesized iptakalim, a K(ATP) opener. Through K(ATP) channel activation, iptakalim affected multiple pathways of the glutamatergic system, limiting glutamate release and receptor actions, which are involved in excitotoxicity during ischemic damage. The molecule readily penetrated the brain and showed low toxicity in animal experiments. In different animal models of stroke as well as in cell cultures, iptakalim provided significant neuroprotection, not only in promoting behavioral recovery but also in protecting neurons against necrosis and apoptosis. This compound thus has promise as a neuroprotective drug for the treatment of stroke and other forms of neuronal damage.

Neuroadaptations in cystine-glutamate exchange underlie cocaine relapse.

Repeated cocaine treatment and withdrawal produces changes in brain function thought to be involved in relapse to drug use. Withdrawal from repeated cocaine reduced in vivo extracellular glutamate in the nucleus accumbens of rats by decreasing the exchange of extracellular cystine for intracellular glutamate. In vivo restoration of cystine/glutamate exchange by intracranial perfusion of cystine or systemically administered N-acetylcysteine normalized the levels of glutamate in cocaine-treated subjects. To determine if the reduction in nonvesicular glutamate release is a mediator of relapse, we examined cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug seeking after cocaine self-administration was stopped. Reinstatement was prevented by stimulating cystine/glutamate exchange with N-acetylcysteine and restoring extracellular glutamate. Thus, withdrawal from repeated cocaine increases susceptibility to relapse in part by reducing cystine/glutamate exchange, and restoring exchanger activity prevents cocaine-primed drug seeking.

[Studies on callus growth and phillyrin accumulation of Forsythia suspensa].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of physical and chemical factors on callus growth and phillyrin contents of F. suspensa. METHOD: The cell growth index and phyllirin yield in different culture condition such as different plant hormones mixed, mediums, light and dark were compared. HPLC was used to examine phillyrin contents. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Growth cycle of cells is twenty-eight days. During the course of callus growth, the processes of phillyrin biosynthesis were parallel with the cell growth. The optimum medium is MS. The optimum hormones concentrations are 1 mg.L-1 2,4-D, 0.5 mg.L-1 6-BA and 0.5 mg.L-1KT. The cell culture in light is more suitable than that in dark.