Forest fires in mountainous areas can cause severe defores-tation which can potentially trigger secondary natural hazards like debris falls and avalanches. We documented an extreme case study for the range of possible...Forest fires in mountainous areas can cause severe defores-tation which can potentially trigger secondary natural hazards like debris falls and avalanches. We documented an extreme case study for the range of possible post-fire land cover （LC） dynamics. We investigated a 15-ha, steep （10°-65°） burnt slope in Styria （Austria） at elevation of 760-1130 m, which burned in 1946 and has not fully recovered to date. Seven 8-class legend LC maps were produced （1954, 1966, 1973, 1982, 1998, 2004, 2009） and integrated in a vector-based GIS, mainly by on-screen interpretation of aerial photos. Our aim was to clarify how post-wildfire LC dynamics take place on a severely damaged, steep slope and to give a basic projection of the future vegetation recovery process. The pre-fire Pinus sylvestrisstands have been mainly replaced by Picea abies and Larix decidua. Regeneration proceeded mainly from the base of the slope upwards. All tree species together still cover no more than 40% of the slope after more than 60 years of recovery, while grassland communities and rock/debris areas have expanded. Multitemporal analysis showed a slow but steady increase in woodland cover. Degraded rock/debris areas, however, expanded as well because soil erosion and related debris flows remained active. Slope angle （with a threshold value of approx. 35-40°） seemed to control whether erosion or regeneration prevailed. According to a simple extrapolation, the slope will not reach its former condition before 2070. This extreme disturbance window of more than 120 years is owed to the steepness of the slope and to the shallow soils on dolomitic bedrock that were severely damaged by the fire. The neglect of any game fencing is a further factor slowing regeneration.展开更多
The blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber variety azul) is a species that is widely used to produce tequila. For this reason, in the last decade, large extensions of terrain have been established for its cultivation. Howe...The blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber variety azul) is a species that is widely used to produce tequila. For this reason, in the last decade, large extensions of terrain have been established for its cultivation. However, much of this land has been abandoned in a short time because at the beginning it was not known that at least six years were needed before the agave could be harvested. However, when the growers wanted to reintegrate some of these crops into the productive process, their exact age and the cultural activities needed for harvesting the agave were unknown because information regarding its vegetative development relative to its age was lacking. The hypothesis of this work was: If the morphological properties reflect the development state of the population individuals, then the properties height, basal area, rosette diameter, the north, south, east and west leaf, leaves number and foliar verticil will help to characterize the age categories in Agave tequilana Weber variety azul population under cultivated conditions. To this end, six plots with plants of different ages (one to six years) were selected in the municipality of Llera, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In each plot, 60 individuals were selected at random, and their morphological properties (height, basal area, rosette diameter, northern leaf, southern leaf, eastern leaf, western leaf;number of leaves and leaf whorl) were measured. With these data, a principal component analysis was performed to determine which of these properties explains the most variation of the data. The results indicate that height and basal area are the properties that are most closely associated with plant age. It is also for the first time demonstrated that harvest time can be reduced by one or two years, which favors producers economically because it could generate savings in production costs.展开更多
EMBRYONIC FLOWER （EMF） genes are required to maintain vegetative development via repression of flower homeotic genes in Arabidopsis. Removal of EMF gene function caused plants to flower upon germination, producing a...EMBRYONIC FLOWER （EMF） genes are required to maintain vegetative development via repression of flower homeotic genes in Arabidopsis. Removal of EMF gene function caused plants to flower upon germination, producing abnormal and sterile flowers. The pleiotropic effect of ernfl mutation suggests its requirement for gene programs involved in diverse developmental processes. Transgenic plants harboring EMF1 promoter：：glucuronidase （GUS） reporter gene were generated to investigate the temporal and spatial expression pattern of EMF1. These plants displayed differential GUS activity in vegetative and flower tissues, consistent with the role of EMF1 in regulating multiple gene programs. EMFI：：GUS expression pattern in emf mutants suggests organ-specific auto-regulation. Sense- and antisense （as） EMF1 cDNA were expressed under the control of stage- and tissue-specific promoters in transgenic plants. Characterization of these transgenic plants showed that EMF1 activity is required in meristematic as well as differentiating tissues to rescue emf mutant phenotype. Temporal removal or reduction of EMF1 activity in the embryo or shoot apex of wild-type seedlings was sufficient to cause early flowering and terminal flower formation in adult plants. Such reproductive cell memory is reflected in the flower MADS-box gene activity expressed prior to flowering in these early flowering plants. However, temporal removal of EMF1 activity in flower meristem did not affect flower development. Our results are consistent with EMF1＇s primary role in repressing flowering in order to allow for vegetative growth.展开更多
Histone acetylation/deacetylation is a dynamic process and plays an important role in gene regulation. Histone acetylation homeostasis is regulated by antagonist actions of histone acetyltransferases （HAT） and deace...Histone acetylation/deacetylation is a dynamic process and plays an important role in gene regulation. Histone acetylation homeostasis is regulated by antagonist actions of histone acetyltransferases （HAT） and deacetylases （HDAC）. Plant genome encodes multiple HATs and HDACs. The Arabidopsis HAT gene AtGCNS/HAGlplays an essential role in many plant development processes, such as meristem function, cell differentiation, leaf and floral organogenesis, and responses to environmental conditions such as light and cold, indicating an important role of this HAT in the regulation of both long-term developmental switches and short-term inducible gene expression. AtGCN5 targets to a large number of promoters and is required for acetylation of several histone H3 lysine residues. Recruitment of AtGCN5 to target promoters is likely to be mediated by direct or indirect interaction with DNA-binding transcription factors and/or by interaction with acetylated histone lysine residues on the targets. Interplay between AtGCN5 and other HATand HDAC is demonstrated to control specific regulatory pathways. Analysis of the role of AtGCN5 in light-inducible gene expression suggests a function of AtGCN5 in preparing chromatin commitment for priming inducible gene activation in plants.展开更多
Plants synchronize their cellular and physiological functions according to the photoperiod （the length of the light period） in the cycle of 24 h. Photoperiod adjusts several traits in the plant life cycle, including...Plants synchronize their cellular and physiological functions according to the photoperiod （the length of the light period） in the cycle of 24 h. Photoperiod adjusts several traits in the plant life cycle, including flowering and senes- cence in annuals and seasonal growth cessation in perennials. Photoperiodic development is controlled by the coordinated action of photoreceptors and the circadian clock. During the past 10 years, remarkable progress has been made in under- standing the molecular mechanism of the circadian clock, especially with regard to the transition of Arabidopsis from the vegetative growth to the reproductive phase. Besides flowering photoperiod also modifies plant photosynthetic struc- tures and traits. Light signals controlling biogenesis of chloroplasts and development of leaf photosynthetic structures are perceived both by photoreceptors and in chloroplasts. In this review, we provide evidence suggesting that the photope- riodic development of Arabidopsis leaves mimics the acclimation of plant to various light intensities. Furthermore, the chloroplast-to-nucleus retrograde signals that adjust acclimation to light intensity are proposed to contribute also to the signaling pathways that control photoperiodic acclimation of leaves.展开更多
Understanding the genetic mechanism underlying rice leaf-shape development is crucial for optimizing rice configuration and achieving high yields; however, little is known about leaf abaxial curling. We isolated a ric...Understanding the genetic mechanism underlying rice leaf-shape development is crucial for optimizing rice configuration and achieving high yields; however, little is known about leaf abaxial curling. We isolated a rice transferred DNA （T-DNA） insertion mutant, BY240, which exhibited an abaxial leaf curling phenotype that co-segregated with the inserted T-DNA. The T-DNA was inserted in the promoter of a novel gene, ACL1 （Abaxially Curled Leaf 1）, and led to overexpression of this gene in BY240. Overexpression of ACL1 in wild-type rice also resulted in abaxial leaf curling. ACL1 encodes a protein of 116 amino acids with no known conserved functional domains. Overexpression of ACL2, the only homolog of ACL1 in rice, also induced abaxial leaf curling. RT-PCR analysis revealed high expressions of ACLs in leaf sheaths and leaf blades, suggesting a role for these genes in leaf development. In situ hybridization revealed non-tissue-specific expression of the ACLs in the shoot apical meristem, leaf primordium, and young leaf. Histological analysis showed increased number and exaggeration of bulliform cells and expansion of epidermal cells in the leaves of BY240, which caused developmental discoordination of the abaxial and adaxial sides, resulting in abaxially curled leaves. These results revealed an important mechanism in rice leaf development and provided the genetic basis for agricultural improvement.展开更多
In plants, anisotropic cell expansion depends on cortical microtubules that serve as tracks along which macromolecules and vesicles are transported by the motor kinesins of unknown identities. We used cotton （Gossypi...In plants, anisotropic cell expansion depends on cortical microtubules that serve as tracks along which macromolecules and vesicles are transported by the motor kinesins of unknown identities. We used cotton （Gossypium hirsutum） fibers that underwent robust elongation to discover kinesins that are involved in cell elongation and found Gh KINESIN-4A expressed abundantly. The motor was detected by immunofluores- cence on vesicle-like structures that were associated with cortical microtubules. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the orthologous motor At KINESIN-4A/FRA1, previously implicated in cellulose deposition during second- ary growth in fiber cells, was examined by live-cell imaging in cells expressing the fluorescently tagged functional protein. The motor decorated vesicle-like particles that exhibit a linear movement along cortical microtubules with an average velocity of 0.89 l^m/min, which was significantly different from those linked to cellulose biosynthesis. We also discovered that At KINESIN-4A/FRA1 and the related At KINESIN-4C play redundant roles in cell wall mechanics, cell elongation, and the axial growth of various vegetative and reproductive organs, as the loss of At KINESIN-4C greatly enhanced the defects caused by a null mutation at the KINESIN-4A/FRA 1 locus. The double mutant displayed a lack of cell wall softening at normal stages of rapid cell elongation. Furthermore, enhanced deposition of arabinose-containing carbohydrate was detected in the kinesin-4 mutants. Our findings established a connection between the Kinesin-4-based transport of cargoes containing non-cellulosic components along cortical microtubules and cell wall mechanics and cell elongation in flowering plants.展开更多
文摘Forest fires in mountainous areas can cause severe defores-tation which can potentially trigger secondary natural hazards like debris falls and avalanches. We documented an extreme case study for the range of possible post-fire land cover （LC） dynamics. We investigated a 15-ha, steep （10°-65°） burnt slope in Styria （Austria） at elevation of 760-1130 m, which burned in 1946 and has not fully recovered to date. Seven 8-class legend LC maps were produced （1954, 1966, 1973, 1982, 1998, 2004, 2009） and integrated in a vector-based GIS, mainly by on-screen interpretation of aerial photos. Our aim was to clarify how post-wildfire LC dynamics take place on a severely damaged, steep slope and to give a basic projection of the future vegetation recovery process. The pre-fire Pinus sylvestrisstands have been mainly replaced by Picea abies and Larix decidua. Regeneration proceeded mainly from the base of the slope upwards. All tree species together still cover no more than 40% of the slope after more than 60 years of recovery, while grassland communities and rock/debris areas have expanded. Multitemporal analysis showed a slow but steady increase in woodland cover. Degraded rock/debris areas, however, expanded as well because soil erosion and related debris flows remained active. Slope angle （with a threshold value of approx. 35-40°） seemed to control whether erosion or regeneration prevailed. According to a simple extrapolation, the slope will not reach its former condition before 2070. This extreme disturbance window of more than 120 years is owed to the steepness of the slope and to the shallow soils on dolomitic bedrock that were severely damaged by the fire. The neglect of any game fencing is a further factor slowing regeneration.
文摘The blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber variety azul) is a species that is widely used to produce tequila. For this reason, in the last decade, large extensions of terrain have been established for its cultivation. However, much of this land has been abandoned in a short time because at the beginning it was not known that at least six years were needed before the agave could be harvested. However, when the growers wanted to reintegrate some of these crops into the productive process, their exact age and the cultural activities needed for harvesting the agave were unknown because information regarding its vegetative development relative to its age was lacking. The hypothesis of this work was: If the morphological properties reflect the development state of the population individuals, then the properties height, basal area, rosette diameter, the north, south, east and west leaf, leaves number and foliar verticil will help to characterize the age categories in Agave tequilana Weber variety azul population under cultivated conditions. To this end, six plots with plants of different ages (one to six years) were selected in the municipality of Llera, Tamaulipas, Mexico. In each plot, 60 individuals were selected at random, and their morphological properties (height, basal area, rosette diameter, northern leaf, southern leaf, eastern leaf, western leaf;number of leaves and leaf whorl) were measured. With these data, a principal component analysis was performed to determine which of these properties explains the most variation of the data. The results indicate that height and basal area are the properties that are most closely associated with plant age. It is also for the first time demonstrated that harvest time can be reduced by one or two years, which favors producers economically because it could generate savings in production costs.
文摘EMBRYONIC FLOWER （EMF） genes are required to maintain vegetative development via repression of flower homeotic genes in Arabidopsis. Removal of EMF gene function caused plants to flower upon germination, producing abnormal and sterile flowers. The pleiotropic effect of ernfl mutation suggests its requirement for gene programs involved in diverse developmental processes. Transgenic plants harboring EMF1 promoter：：glucuronidase （GUS） reporter gene were generated to investigate the temporal and spatial expression pattern of EMF1. These plants displayed differential GUS activity in vegetative and flower tissues, consistent with the role of EMF1 in regulating multiple gene programs. EMFI：：GUS expression pattern in emf mutants suggests organ-specific auto-regulation. Sense- and antisense （as） EMF1 cDNA were expressed under the control of stage- and tissue-specific promoters in transgenic plants. Characterization of these transgenic plants showed that EMF1 activity is required in meristematic as well as differentiating tissues to rescue emf mutant phenotype. Temporal removal or reduction of EMF1 activity in the embryo or shoot apex of wild-type seedlings was sufficient to cause early flowering and terminal flower formation in adult plants. Such reproductive cell memory is reflected in the flower MADS-box gene activity expressed prior to flowering in these early flowering plants. However, temporal removal of EMF1 activity in flower meristem did not affect flower development. Our results are consistent with EMF1＇s primary role in repressing flowering in order to allow for vegetative growth.
文摘Histone acetylation/deacetylation is a dynamic process and plays an important role in gene regulation. Histone acetylation homeostasis is regulated by antagonist actions of histone acetyltransferases （HAT） and deacetylases （HDAC）. Plant genome encodes multiple HATs and HDACs. The Arabidopsis HAT gene AtGCNS/HAGlplays an essential role in many plant development processes, such as meristem function, cell differentiation, leaf and floral organogenesis, and responses to environmental conditions such as light and cold, indicating an important role of this HAT in the regulation of both long-term developmental switches and short-term inducible gene expression. AtGCN5 targets to a large number of promoters and is required for acetylation of several histone H3 lysine residues. Recruitment of AtGCN5 to target promoters is likely to be mediated by direct or indirect interaction with DNA-binding transcription factors and/or by interaction with acetylated histone lysine residues on the targets. Interplay between AtGCN5 and other HATand HDAC is demonstrated to control specific regulatory pathways. Analysis of the role of AtGCN5 in light-inducible gene expression suggests a function of AtGCN5 in preparing chromatin commitment for priming inducible gene activation in plants.
文摘Plants synchronize their cellular and physiological functions according to the photoperiod （the length of the light period） in the cycle of 24 h. Photoperiod adjusts several traits in the plant life cycle, including flowering and senes- cence in annuals and seasonal growth cessation in perennials. Photoperiodic development is controlled by the coordinated action of photoreceptors and the circadian clock. During the past 10 years, remarkable progress has been made in under- standing the molecular mechanism of the circadian clock, especially with regard to the transition of Arabidopsis from the vegetative growth to the reproductive phase. Besides flowering photoperiod also modifies plant photosynthetic struc- tures and traits. Light signals controlling biogenesis of chloroplasts and development of leaf photosynthetic structures are perceived both by photoreceptors and in chloroplasts. In this review, we provide evidence suggesting that the photope- riodic development of Arabidopsis leaves mimics the acclimation of plant to various light intensities. Furthermore, the chloroplast-to-nucleus retrograde signals that adjust acclimation to light intensity are proposed to contribute also to the signaling pathways that control photoperiodic acclimation of leaves.
文摘Understanding the genetic mechanism underlying rice leaf-shape development is crucial for optimizing rice configuration and achieving high yields; however, little is known about leaf abaxial curling. We isolated a rice transferred DNA （T-DNA） insertion mutant, BY240, which exhibited an abaxial leaf curling phenotype that co-segregated with the inserted T-DNA. The T-DNA was inserted in the promoter of a novel gene, ACL1 （Abaxially Curled Leaf 1）, and led to overexpression of this gene in BY240. Overexpression of ACL1 in wild-type rice also resulted in abaxial leaf curling. ACL1 encodes a protein of 116 amino acids with no known conserved functional domains. Overexpression of ACL2, the only homolog of ACL1 in rice, also induced abaxial leaf curling. RT-PCR analysis revealed high expressions of ACLs in leaf sheaths and leaf blades, suggesting a role for these genes in leaf development. In situ hybridization revealed non-tissue-specific expression of the ACLs in the shoot apical meristem, leaf primordium, and young leaf. Histological analysis showed increased number and exaggeration of bulliform cells and expansion of epidermal cells in the leaves of BY240, which caused developmental discoordination of the abaxial and adaxial sides, resulting in abaxially curled leaves. These results revealed an important mechanism in rice leaf development and provided the genetic basis for agricultural improvement.
文摘In plants, anisotropic cell expansion depends on cortical microtubules that serve as tracks along which macromolecules and vesicles are transported by the motor kinesins of unknown identities. We used cotton （Gossypium hirsutum） fibers that underwent robust elongation to discover kinesins that are involved in cell elongation and found Gh KINESIN-4A expressed abundantly. The motor was detected by immunofluores- cence on vesicle-like structures that were associated with cortical microtubules. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the orthologous motor At KINESIN-4A/FRA1, previously implicated in cellulose deposition during second- ary growth in fiber cells, was examined by live-cell imaging in cells expressing the fluorescently tagged functional protein. The motor decorated vesicle-like particles that exhibit a linear movement along cortical microtubules with an average velocity of 0.89 l^m/min, which was significantly different from those linked to cellulose biosynthesis. We also discovered that At KINESIN-4A/FRA1 and the related At KINESIN-4C play redundant roles in cell wall mechanics, cell elongation, and the axial growth of various vegetative and reproductive organs, as the loss of At KINESIN-4C greatly enhanced the defects caused by a null mutation at the KINESIN-4A/FRA 1 locus. The double mutant displayed a lack of cell wall softening at normal stages of rapid cell elongation. Furthermore, enhanced deposition of arabinose-containing carbohydrate was detected in the kinesin-4 mutants. Our findings established a connection between the Kinesin-4-based transport of cargoes containing non-cellulosic components along cortical microtubules and cell wall mechanics and cell elongation in flowering plants.
