The study examined photosynthetic efficiency of two barley landraces (cvs. Arabi Abiad and Arabi Aswad) through a prompt fluorescence technique under influence of 14 different abiotic stress factors. The difference in the behavior of photosynthetic parameters under the same stress factor in-between cv. Arabi Abiad and cv. Arabi Aswad indicated different mechanisms of tolerance and strategies for the conversion of light energy into chemical energy for both the landraces. This study confirmed the suitability of some chlorophyll fluorescence parameters as reliable biomarkers for screening the plants at the level of photosynthetic apparatus., H. M. Kalaji, A. Rastogi, M. Živčák, M. Brestic, A. Daszkowska-Golec, K. Sitko, K. Y. Alsharafa, R. Lotfi, P. Stypiński, I. A. Samborska, M. D. Cetner., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Productivity of most improved major food crops showed stagnation in the past decades. As human population is projected to reach 9-10 billion by the end of the 21st century, agricultural productivity must be increased to ensure their demands. Photosynthetic capacity is the basic process underlying primary biological productivity in green plants and enhancing it might lead to increasing potential of the crop yields. Several approaches may improve the photosynthetic capacity, including integrated systems management, in order to close wide gaps between actual farmer’s and the optimum obtainable yield. Conventional and molecular genetic improvement to increase leaf net photosynthesis (P N) are viable approaches, which have been recently shown in few crops. Bioengineering the more efficient CC4 into C3 system is another ambitious approach that is currently being applied to the C3 rice crop. Two under-researched, yet old important crops native to the tropic Americas (i.e., the CC4 amaranths and the C3-CC4 intermediate cassava), have shown high potential P N, high productivity, high water use efficiency, and tolerance to heat and drought stresses. These physiological traits make them suitable for future agricultural systems, particularly in a globally warming climate. Work on crop canopy photosynthesis included that on flowering genes, which control formation and decline of the canopy photosynthetic activity, have contributed to the climate change research effort. The plant breeders need to select for higher P N to enhance the yield and crop tolerance to environmental stresses. The plant science instructors, and researchers, for various reasons, need to focus more on tropical species and to use the research, highlighted here, as an example of how to increase their yields., M. A. El-Sharkawy., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Komunikace mezi buňkami mnohobuněčného organismu je nezbytná k zajištění přežití organismu, správné funkce tkání a orgánů, tvorby energie, růstu a vývoje. Bílkoviny sekretované z buněk jsou hlavními molekulami, které zprostředkovávají mezibuněčnou komunikaci na malé i velké vzdálenosti. Většina sekretovaných bílkovin je z buněk uvolňována cestou přes endoplasmatické retikulum a Golgiho aparát. Vývoj nových laboratorních technik pro studium sekretovaných bílkovin umožnil v posledním desetiletí studovat a popsat sekreci mnoha typů buněk., Communication among cells in a multicellular organism is fundamental for the correct functioning of organs and tissues, energy production, growth and development, to assure survival and reproduction of the organism. Proteins secreted by cells are principal molecules for intercellular communication at both short and long distances. Most of the secreted proteins are released through the endoplasmic reticulum – the Golgi pathway. The significant development of analytical techniques for detection of secreted proteins in the last 10 years has enabled us to explore the secretion of various cell types., and Helena Kupcová Skalníková.
Previously, our data indicated that both cAMP and MAP kinase signaling play important roles in microalgal physiology as well as in lipid or carotenoid biosynthesis. In order to understand downstream genes of these signaling pathways, we employed proteomics approach. Both signal pathways were first altered with specific signaling inhibitors or modulators. Treatment of specific inhibitors changed microalgal size and increased lipid contents. With the microalgal cells after treatments of specific signaling inhibitor or modulators, we performed the proteomics analysis to identify downstream genes responsible for these phenotypes. Interestingly, multiple photosynthesis genes were identified, particularly proteins associated with PSII. Our data suggested that MAP kinase and cAMP signaling affect the photosynthesis, thereby leading to microalgal lipid or carotenoid biosynthesis., C. Lee, J.-K. Rhee, D. G. Kim, Y.-E. Choi., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The aim of our study was to investigate the role of protons in regulating energy distribution between the two photosystems in the thylakoid membranes. Low pH-induced changes were monitored in the presence of a proton blocker, N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD). When thylakoid membranes were suspended in a low-pH reaction mixture and incubated with DCCD, then a decrease in the fluorescence intensity of photosystem II (PSII) was observed, while no change in the intensity of photosystem I (PSI) fluorescence occurred according to the measured fluorescence emission spectra at 77 K. Since low pH induced distribution of energy from PSII to PSI was inhibited in the presence of DCCD, we concluded that pH/proton concentration of the thylakoid membranes plays an important role in regulating the distribution of the absorbed excitation energy between both photosystems., T. Tongra, S. Bharti, A. Jajoo., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The importance of stream corridors and flood deposits for the spreading of molluscs is demonstrated using some examples from the Czech territory. Three types of floodplain debris, which contain shell accumulation, are distinguished: allochtonous debris accumulated by river flow on riversides, autochtonous accumulation in quiet parts of alluvium far from the main flow, and accumulation caused by strong turbulence during flooding. and Vojen Ložek, Lucie Juřičková.
The conditions for the use of snail shells from flood deposits are characterized. Snail s can spread up and/or down stream, but suitable flood deposits containing shells are usually found in the lowlands. Flood debris can contain shells of rare and subterranean species, occurring in a river environment in negligible numbers. Fossil shells in this material indicate nearby fossiliferous sediments. and Vojen Ložek, Lucie Juřičková.
Varanovec bornejský (Lanthanotus borneensis) patří k nejvzácnějším a nejméně známým plazům. V článku je popsána historie jeho objevů a její průběh ve 20. století, dále jeho anatomie, osteologie, morfologie a fylogeneze. Jsou podány i vzácné informace o jeho ekologii. Je v něm popsán i první nález tohoto druhu ve Východním Kalimantanu (Borneo, Indonésie) a první poznatky z chovu a chování varanovce v podmínkách terária v japonské zoo. Kameraman Stano Slušný a etnolog Miroslav Nožina viděli v roce 2001 uloveného živého varanovce ve vsi Respen na břehu řeky Sesayap v okrese Malinau na severu indonéské provincie Východní Kalimantan. Z literatury vyplývá, že šlo o první pozorování varanovce bornejského nejen v této provincii, ale v té době dokonce o první nález tohoto druhu na území Indonésie., The Earless Monitor Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis) is one of the rarest and least known of all reptiles. This article describes the history of discoveries throughout the 20th century, as well as its anatomy, osteology, morphology and phylogenesis. Valuable information on its ecology is also provided. The first discovery of this species in Eastern Kalimantan (Borneo, Indonesia) – Respen by Sesayap river in 2001 – by Czech travellers and the first findings from breeding and rearing of these lizards in terrarium conditions at a zoo in Japan are also reported., and Ivan Vergner.
PsbP is an extrinsic protein of PSII having a function of Ca2+ and Cl- retention in the water-oxidizing center (WOC). In order to understand the mechanism how PsbP regulates the Cl- binding in WOC, we examined the effect of PsbP depletion on the protein structures around the Cl- sites using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Light-induced FTIR difference spectra upon the S1-S2 transition were obtained using Cl--bound and NO3--substituted PSII membranes in the presence and absence of PsbP. A clear difference in the amide I band changes by PsbP depletion was observed between Cl--bound and NO3--substituted PSII samples, indicating that PsbP binding perturbed the protein conformations around the Cl-ion(s) in WOC. It is suggested that PsbP stabilizes the Cl- binding by regulating the dissociation constant of Cl- and/or an energy barrier of Cl- dissociation through protein conformational changes around the Cl- ion(s)., J. Kondo, T. Noguchi., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy
The PsbM (3.9 kDa) and PsbY (4.2 kDa) proteins are membrane-spanning, single-helix, subunits associated with the chlorophyll-binding CP47 pre-complex of photosystem II (PSII). Removal of PsbM resulted in accumulation of PSII pre-assembly complexes and impaired electron transfer between the primary (QA) and secondary (QB) plastoquinone electron acceptors of PSII indicating that the QB-binding site and bicarbonate binding to the non-heme iron were altered in this strain. Removal of PsbY alone had only a minor impact on PSII activity but deleting PsbY in the PsbM background led to additional modification of the acceptor side resulting in PsbM:PsbY cells being susceptible to photodamage and this required protein synthesis for recovery. Addition of bicarbonate was able to compensate for the light-induced damage in PsbM:PsbY cells potentially re-occupying the modified bicarbonate-binding site in the PsbM:PsbY strain and complementation of PsbM:PsbY cells with the psbY gene restored the PsbM phenotype., S. Biswas, J. J. Eaton-Rye., and Obsahuje bibliografické odkazy