Effect of Phytochrome Deficiency on Photosynthesis, Light-Related Genes Expression and Flavonoid Accumulation in Solanum lycopersicum under Red and Blue Light.

The effect of red (RL, 660 nm) and blue (BL, 450 nm) light on phy mutant tomato plants was studied. The rates of photosynthesis (Pn) and transpiration, the efficiency of the primary photochemical processes of photosynthesis, the contents of flavonoids and phenolic compounds, the low-molecular-weight antioxidant capacity (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC)) of leaf extracts, and the expression of light-dependent genes were evaluated. Under RL, BL, and white fluorescent light (WFL), the Pn values decreased in the order: WT > phyb2 > phyaphyb2 > phyaphyb1phyb2, except for the Pn in phyb2 on BL. Phyb2 also had a larger number of stomata under BL and, as a result, it reached maximum transpiration. The noticeable accumulation of flavonoids and phenolic compounds was observed only in the phyb2 and phyaphyb2 mutants upon irradiation with BL, which agrees with the increased TEAC in the leaf extracts. We suggest that the increased antioxidant activity under PHYB2 deficiency and the maintenance of high photosynthesis under BL are based on an increase in the expression of the early signaling transcription factors genes BBX, HY5. The largest decrease in the content of flavonoids and TEAC was manifested with a deficiency in PHYB1, which is probably the key to maintaining the antioxidant status in BL plants.

Mitigation effects of selenium on accumulation of cadmium and morpho-physiological properties in rice varieties.

Selenium (Se) is a beneficial element, but only when present within its permissible range. Its hyper-accumulation in edible plant parts can cause Se toxicity. This study aimed to develop an agronomic plan for biofortification of rice with Se and reclamation of cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil, utilizing sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) and cadmium chloride (CdCl2) as soil treatments. Biofortification was performed on two target rice varieties: genotypes 5097A/R2035 and GangYou725, in field trials by applying Cd at a concentration of 0-8 mg kg soil-1 and Se at 0-1 mg kg soil-1. Since these rice varieties have different metabolic specificity, the degree of elemental accumulation, deviations in chlorophyll concentration, activity of photosynthetic apparatus and grain yield were assessed. It was found that application of 1 mg kg-1 Se2O3 decrease Cd content and increased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity while grain yield was unaffected by application of the metallic trace-elements. Comparing effects at different stages, we found that the 50% heading stage was most sensitive to metal application. In sum, Se mitigates Cd toxicity, but hyperaccumulation of Se (4 mg kg-1) in polished rice was observed with Cd at 4 and 8 mg kg-1. The elevated level of Cd stress in pot experiments resulted in over-accumulation of Se in the germ and endosperm that poses serious health concerns.

24-Epibrassinolide alleviates the toxic effects of NaCl on photosynthetic processes in potato plants.

Brassinosteroids are promising agents for alleviating the negative effects of salinity on plants, but the mechanism of their protective action is far from being understood. We investigated the effect of pretreatment with 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL) on the photosynthetic and physiological parameters of potato plants under progressive salinity stress caused by root application of 100 mM NaCl. Salinity clearly inhibited primary photosynthetic processes in potato plants by reducing the contents of photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic electron transport and photosystem II (PSII) maximal and effective quantum yields. These negative effects of salinity on primary photosynthetic processes were mainly due to toxic ionic effects on the plant's ability to oxidize the plastoquinone pool. Pretreatment with 24-EBL alleviated this stress effect and allowed the maintenance of plastoquinone pool oxidation and the efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry to be at the same levels as those in unstressed plants; however, the pretreatment did not affect the photosynthetic pigment content. 24-EBL pretreatment clearly alleviated the decrease in leaf osmotic potential under salinity stress. The stress-induced increases in lipid peroxidation and proline contents were not changed under brassinosteroid pretreatment. However, 24-EBL pretreatment increased the peroxidase activity and improved the K+/Na+ ratio in potato leaves, which were likely responsible for the protective 24-EBL action under salt stress.

Screening of novel chemical compounds as possible inhibitors of carbonic anhydrase and photosynthetic activity of photosystem II.

Thirty novel chemical compounds were designed and synthesized expecting that they would be possible inhibitors. From this number eleven were organic bases, twenty-four were their organic derivatives and fourteen were metal complexes. Screening of these chemicals by their action on photosynthetic electron transfer (PET) and carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity (CAA) of photosystem II (PSII), α-CA, as well as ß-CA was done. Several groups were revealed among them. Some of them are capable to suppress either one, two, three, or even all of the measured activities. As example, one of the Cu(II)-phenyl sulfonylhydrazone complexes (compound 25) suppresses CAA of α-CA by 88%, CAA of ß-CA by 100% inhibition; CAA of PSII by 100% and the PSII photosynthetic activity by 66.2%. The Schiff base compounds (12, 15) and Cu(II)-phenyl sulfonylhydrazone complexes (25, 26) inhibited the CAA and PET of PSII significantly. The obtained data indicate that the PSII donor side is a target of the inhibitory action of these agents. Some physico- or electrochemical properties such as diffusion coefficient, number of transferred electrons, peak potential and heterogeneous standard rate constants of the compounds were determined in nonaqueous media. pKa values were also determined in nonaqueous and aqueous media. Availability in the studied group of novel chemical agents possessing different inhibitory activity allow in future to isolate the "active part" in the structure of the inhibitors responsible for different inhibitory mechanisms, as well as to determine the influence of side substituters on its inhibitory efficiency.

Glycinebetaine alleviates the inhibitory effect of moderate heat stress on the repair of photosystem II during photoinhibition.

Transformation with the bacterial gene codA for choline oxidase allows Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 cells to accumulate glycinebetaine when choline is supplemented exogenously. First, we observed two types of protective effect of glycinebetaine against heat-induced inactivation of photosystem II (PSII) in darkness; the codA transgene shifted the temperature range of inactivation of the oxygen-evolving complex from 40-52 degrees C (with half inactivation at 46 degrees C) to 46-60 degrees C (with half inactivation at 54 degrees C) and that of the photochemical reaction center from 44-55 degrees C (with half inactivation at 51 degrees C) to 52-63 degrees C (with half inactivation at 58 degrees C). However, in light, PSII was more sensitive to heat stress; when moderate heat stress, such as 40 degrees C, was combined with light stress, PSII was rapidly inactivated, although these stresses, when applied separately, did not inactivate either the oxygen-evolving complex or the photochemical reaction center. Further our studies demonstrated that the moderate heat stress inhibited the repair of PSII during photoinhibition at the site of synthesis de novo of the D1 protein but did not accelerate the photodamage directly. The codA transgene and, thus, the accumulation of glycinebetaine alleviated such an inhibitory effect of moderate heat stress on the repair of PSII by accelerating the synthesis of the D1 protein. We propose a hypothetical scheme for the cyanobacterial photosynthesis that moderate heat stress inhibits the translation machinery and glycinebetaine protects it against the heat-induced inactivation.