Characterization of the plastidic phosphate translocators in the inducible crassulacean acid metabolism plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

In plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, which has the inducible crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), isoforms of plastidic phosphate translocators (pPTs) are categorized into three subfamilies: the triose phosphate/phosphate translocator (McTPT1), the phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate translocator (McPPT1), and the glucose 6-phosphate/phosphate translocator (McGPT1 and McGPT2). In order to elucidate the physiological roles of these pPTs in M. crystallinum, we determined the substrate specificity of each pPT isoform.

Isolation and characterization of a polyubiquitin gene and its promoter region from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

Transcript levels of the polyubiquitin gene McUBI1 had been reported to be constant during Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) induction in the facultative CAM plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. Here, we report the sequences of the full-length cDNA of McUBI1 and its promoter, and validation of the McUBI1 promoter as an internal control driving constitutive expression in transient assays using the dual-luciferase system to investigate the regulation of CAM-related gene expression. The McUBI1 promoter drove strong, constitutive expression during CAM induction.

Structure and immunocytochemical localization of photosynthetic enzymes in the lamina joint and sheath pulvinus of the C4 grass Arundinella hirta.

The C(4) grass Arundinella hirta exhibits a unique C(4) anatomy, with isolated Kranz cells (distinctive cells) and C(4)-type expression of photosynthetic enzymes in the leaf sheath and stem as well as in the leaf blade. The border zones between these organs are pale green. Those between the leaf blade and sheath and between the sheath and stem are called the lamina joint and sheath pulvinus, respectively, and are involved in gravity sensing.

Structure and enzyme expression in photosynthetic organs of the atypical C4 grass Arundinella hirta.

In its leaf blade, Arundinella hirta has unusual Kranz cells that lie distant from the veins (distinctive cells; DCs), in addition to the usual Kranz units composed of concentric layers of mesophyll cells (MCs) and bundle sheath cells (BSCs; usual Kranz cells) surrounding the veins. We examined whether chlorophyllous organs other than leaf blades--namely, the leaf sheath, stem, scale leaf, and constituents of the spike--also have this unique anatomy and the C4 pattern of expression of photosynthetic enzymes. All the organs developed DCs to varying degrees, as well as BSCs.

Transcriptional profiles of organellar metabolite transporters during induction of crassulacean acid metabolism in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.

Metabolite transport across multiple organellar compartments is essential for the operation of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). To investigate potential circadian regulation of inter-organellar metabolite transport processes, we have identified eight full-length cDNAs encoding an organellar triose phosphate / P translocator (McTPT1), a phosphoenolpyruvate / P translocator (McPPT1), two glucose-6-phosphate / P translocators (McGPT1, 2), two plastidic P translocator-like proteins (McPTL1, 2), two adenylate transporters (McANT1, 2), a dicarboxylate transporter (McDCT2), and a partial cDNA encoding a second dicarboxylate transporter (McDCT1) in the model CAM plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. We next investigated day / night changes in steady-state transcript abundance of each of these transporters in plants performing either C photosynthesis or CAM induced by salinity or water-deficit stress.

Photosynthetic enzyme accumulation during leaf development of Arundinella hirta, a C4 grass having Kranz cells not associated with veins.

The leaf of the NADP-malic enzyme type C(4) grass, Arundinella hirta, has not only mesophyll cells (MCs) and bundle sheath cells (BSCs, usual Kranz cells) but also another type of Kranz cells (distinctive cells; DCs) that are not associated with vascular bundles. We investigated photosynthetic enzyme accumulation along the base-to-tip maturation gradient of developing leaves by immunogold electron microscopy. In mature leaves, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) were detected in the MC cytosol and in the BSC and DC chloroplasts, respectively.

Development of the Simulation Model InPest for Prediction of the Indoor Behavior of Pesticides.

The objective was to develop a computer software package (to be registered as InPest) that runs under Microsoft Excel on a personal computer to help in the risk assessment of indoor-use pesticides for both applicators and indoor occupants for various methods of application including space spraying, electric vaporizing, broadcast spraying, and residual spraying. For space spraying, the movement of the pesticide in a sprayed room including droplet settlement, permeation into the floor, degradation, transference, and discharge by ventilation were described as precisely as possible by various physicochemi-cal equations. The equations thus obtained were then incorporated into the Fugacity model (Level IV).