荒漠植物在自然生境中同时遭受多种环境因子的胁迫,但植物对多重胁迫因子的应答响应机理目前仍然未知。利用数字基因表达谱技术分析了荒漠植物红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)在干旱、UV-B辐射以及干旱和UV-B辐射共胁迫下基因在转录水平的表达响应。结果显示:胁迫处理的材料与对照材料相比,差异表达的基因有上调表达基因和下调表达基因,且不同胁迫中下调表达基因总数多于上调的。双重胁迫与单因子胁迫相比,差异表达基因数量明显增加,且上调表达基因的数量增多,单因子胁迫之间的表达谱比双重胁迫与单因子之间的更为相似。双重胁迫诱导了356个上调和248个下调的特异表达基因。从诱导基因的差异表达量来看,多数基因的差异表达量集中在2~5倍,同时也诱导了少数基因的高度表达(高于100倍)。差异表达基因的GO(Gene Ontology)功能富集显著性分析和KEGG(Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes)代谢通路分析表明,双重胁迫相比单因子胁迫,固碳作用等生物过程的表达显著性富集,且不同的代谢途径对不同的胁迫处理表现出不同程度的响应。这说明植物在基因转录水平对单因子胁迫和双重胁迫的响应机理在很大程度上存在差异。
In order to obtain qualitative and quantitative characteristics of leaf epidermal micromorphology and mesophyll structure to evaluate the responses ofElaeagnus angustifolia L. to different environmental factors, epidermal micromorphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mesophyll structure was studied by light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Materials were selected from Linze County, Gansu Province (material A) and Qitai County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (material B) of China. Results show that lamina thickness was higher in material A, with one layer of epidermal cells in both adaxial and abaxial surfaces, and epidermal cell radial length was significantly longer in the adaxial surface. E. angustifolia leaves are typically bifacial, with a higher ratio of palisade to spongy tissue in material A. The thickness of trichome layer of epidermis was thicker in material A. In contrast, cell wall and cuticular wax of the epidermal cells were thinner in material A than in material B. Chloroplast ultrastructure was different with the approximate spherical chloroplast containing numerous starch grains and osmiophilic granules in ma- terial A, while only the spindly chloroplast contained starch grains in material B. Multiple layers of peltate or stel- late-peltate trichomes occupied both leaf surfaces in material A and the abaxial surface in material B, while the adaxial surface of material B contained few trichomes. Stomata were not observed on the leaf surfaces in materials A and B by SEM because of trichome obstruction. Our results indicate that the leaf structure of E. angustifolia is closely correlated with environmental factors, and the combination of leaf epidermal micromorphology and mesophyll structure afford re- sistance to environmental stress.
Reeds are widely distributed in drought and high salt conditions of northwestern China. Leaf epidermal micromorphology, anatomy, chloroplast ultrastructure and physio-chemical characteristics due to long-term adaptation in the natural habitats of common reed (Phragmites communis Trin.) contrasted considerably among three different ecotypes: dune reed (DR), Gobi salt reed (GSR) and swamp reed (SR). The main objective of the present study is to determine the adapting characteristics of morphology, anatomy and physiological responses of thin roots in DR, GSR and SR. The results show that root length density was higher in SR and few root hairs were observed in DR. Cross-section anatomical features show that each ecotype has an endodermis and exodermis, while cortex thickness and proportion of root cortical aerenchyma and stele in root structure varied among the three ecotypes. The stele and xylem share a larger area in DR compared to GSR and SR. GSR has a large proportion of the cortex with radialized distribution of aerenchyma cells spacing, and the cortex has a peripheral, mechanically stiff ring in the exodermis. SEM and TEM microscope images show that GSR has a scle- renchyma ring with high lignification in the exodermis. The physio-chemical parameters show that GSR had a higher level of stress tolerance than DR. These findings indicate that developed water-absorbing tissues were largely distributed in the root structure of DR, and a main framework with supporting function spacing with aerenchyma was dominant in GSR in the long term adaptation to their natural habitats, respectively.
YuBing LiuXinRong LiZhiShan ZhangXiaoJun LiJin Wang
Reaumuria soongorica is a short woody shrub widely found in semi-arid areas of China. It can survive severe environ- mental stress including high salinity in its natural habitat. Thus, we investigated the involvement of anti-oxidative enzymes, photosynthetic pigments and flavonoid metabolism in the adaptation of R. soongorica to saline environments. R. soon- gorica was treated with 0, 100, 200 and 400 mM NaC1 solutions for 14 days. Soil salt content increased significantly by watering with high content of NaC1 solution, and no variation between 8 and 14 days during treatment. The levels ofpe- roxidation of lipid membranes (measured by malondialdehyde content) and the activities of three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)) increased under salt stress. Chlorophyll and carotenoid content decreased with increasing salt content. The ratio of Chl a/Chl b and carotenoid/Chl exhibited sig- nificant increase under 400 mM NaC1. However, total flavonoid and anthocyanin contents and key enzyme activities in the flavonoid pathway including phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL) and Chalcone isomerase (CHI) decreased under salt stress. These findings possibly suggest that R. soongorica has an adaptation protection mechanism against salt-induced oxidative damage by inducin~ the activity of antioxidant enzymes and maintaining a steady level of carotenoid/Chl.