Anna Dimitrova

Darkness Affects Differentially the Expression of Plastid-Encoded Genes and Delays the Senescence-Induced Down-Regulation of Chloroplast Transcription in Cotyledons of Cucurbita pepo L. (Zucchini)

In contrast to differentiated leaves, the regulatory mechanisms of chloroplast gene expression in darkened cotyledons have not been elucidated. Although some results have been reported indicating accelerated senescence in Arabidopsis upon reillumination, the capacity of cotyledons to recover after dark stress remains unclear. We analysed the effect of twodays dark stress, applied locally or at the whole-plant level, on plastid gene expression in zucchini cotyledons. Our results showed that in the dark the overall chloroplast transcription rate was much more inhibited than the nuclear run-on transcription. While the activities of the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase (PEP) and nuclear RNA polymerase II were strongly reduced, the activities of the nuclear-encoded plastid RNA polymerase (NEP) and nuclear RNA polymerase I were less affected. During recovery upon reillumination, chloroplast transcription in the cotyledons was strongly stimulated (3-fold) compared with the naturally senescing controls, suggesting delayed senescence. Northern blot and dot blot analyses of the expression of key chloroplast-encoded photosynthetic genes showed that in contrast to psbA, which remained almost unaffected, both the transcription rate and mRNA content of psaB and rbcL were substantially decreased

DNase I HYPeRseNsITIVe sITes WITHIN THe INTeRGeNIC sPaCeR OF RIBOsOMaL RNa GeNes IN ReCONsTRUCTeD BaRLeY KaRYOTYPes

ABSTRACT Chromatin structure of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes in barley lines with modulated activity of nucleolus organizers (NORs) caused by three different types of chromosomal rearrangements were studied. Nuclei isolated from control and mutant lines were digested with low concentrations of DNase I. The relative DNase I sensitivity of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) chromatin was determined by following degradation with specific restriction enzymes. It was found that when the whole rDNA long unit was used as DNA hybridization probe, DNase I digestion led to a gradual decrease in rDNA-generated fragments in control (T-1586), translocation (T-30) and deletion (T-35) lines. In duplication line (D-2946) rDNA was relatively more resistant to nuclease digestion as compared to other lines. In addition, this study revealed defined regions of DNase I hypersensitivity within intergenic spacer (IGS), which possibly coincide with the cis-regulatory elements (transcription initiation site—TIS and termination site—TTS). No appreciable differences in DNase I hypersensitivity of IGS were found in control and tested lines. Therefore, the alterations in barley NOR expression observed earlier in lines T-35 and D-2946 (Gecheff, 1994, 2003) most probably were not accompanied with significant changes in DNase I susceptibility of the rRNA genes.

EPR and electronic spectral studies of bis(dihalcogenocarbamato)copper(II)–solvent interactions

The interaction of bis(diethyldithiocarbamato)copper(II), Cu(Et2dtc)2, and bis(diethyldiselenocarbamato)copper(II), Cu(Et2dsc)2, complexes with solvents is studied by EPR and electronic spectroscopy. The solvents used are CCl4, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, C6H5 x CH3, DMFA and DMSO. It is found that Cu(Et2dsc)2 is destroyed in a first order reaction in CCl4 with an activation energy of 5.2 kcal/mol. The other complex, Cu(Et2dtc)2, is only destroyed in DMSO. The observed effects and reaction pathways are discussed in terms of solute-solvent donor-acceptor interactions taking into account the differences in the electronic structures of both complexes.

Charge-transfer photochemistry of the ternary complex (dithio-diseleno-carbamato)copper(II)

Photolysis of the ternary system consisting of diethyldithiocarbamate (Et2dtc), diethyldiselenocarbamate (Et2dsc) and copper(II) (1:1:1) has been studied in isobutylmethylketone (IBMK), toluene, chloromethane and chloromethane/ROH solutions (chloromethane = CCl4, CHCl3 or CH2Cl2 and ROH = EtOH or i-PrOH). The results obtained by EPR techniques and UV-Vis data indicate that a homolytic Cu-S bond cleavage involving the dithiocarbamate (dtc) ligand appears as the primary photo-process in Cu(Et2dtc)(Et2dsc) photolysis. Further conversion of the primary photoproduct Cu(I)(Et2dsc) is discussed in terms of a specific interaction with the solvent. In chloromethanes and chloromethane/ROH Cu(I)(Et2dsc) is oxidised by the solvent to give the corresponding paramagnetic mixed-ligand Cu(II)(Et2dsc)Cl complex and/or its chloride-bridged and EPR silent dimer Cu2(Et2dsc)2Cl2. The formation of the monomeric species occurs through a co-ordination of the alcohol molecule in the xy plane of the complex. Because of its co-ordination inertness, toluene poorly stabilises the primary photoproduct Cu(I)(Et2dsc), thus providing an effective primary recombination process and lower efficiency of Cu(Et2dtc)(Et2dsc) photolysis. The formation of the bis-solvated mixed-ligand complex Cu(II)(Et2dsc)+ in IBMK is also discussed.

Mapping of unmethylated sites in rDNA repeats in barley NOR deletion line

Extensive cytosine methylation is characteristic of plant rDNA. Evidence exists, however, that the active rRNA genes are less methylated. In this work we report on the mapping of unmethylated CCGG sites in Hordeum vulgare rDNA repeats by digestion with methylation sensitive restriction enzyme HpaII and indirect end-labeling of the generated fragments. For mapping we used genomic DNA from barley deletion line with a single NOR on chromosome 5H. This NOR is more active in order to compensate for the missing NOR 6H. The enhanced NOR 5H activity in the deletion mutant is not due to higher multiplicity of the rRNA genes or, as sequencing showed, to changes in the subunit structure of the intergenic spacer. The HpaII sites in barley rDNA are heavily methylated. Nevertheless, a fraction of the rDNA repeats is hypomethylated with unmethylated CCGG sites at various positions. One unmethylated CCGG sequence is close to the transcription start site, downstream of the 135bp subrepeats. Unmethylated sites are also present in the external transcribed spacer and in the genes coding mature rRNAs. The patterns of unmethylated sites in the barley deletion line and in lines with two NORs were compared. It is hypothesized that the occurrence of unmethylated sites on a fixed subset of rDNA repeats correlates with their transcriptional activity.

Assessment of leaf micromorphology after full desiccation of resurrection plants

Abstract Resurrection plants are unique among higher plants because of their ability to withstand long periods of dehydration without damages. In this study, leaf epidermis and palisade mesophyll of three resurrection species, Haberlea rodopensis, Ramonda serbica and Ramonda myconi, grown under full desiccation and benign conditions, were analyzed by differential interference contrast microscopy. Detailed investigation of adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces revealed species-specific differences in the size and number of epidermal cells and stomatal density. The applied full desiccation did not cause any significant deviations of these parameters from the controls. There were no changes in the size and number of mesophyll cells as well. Analysis of stomatal patterning displayed essentially hypostomatic leaves, having stomata mainly abaxially positioned. The most significant change detected in the leaves of dehydration-treated plants was the increased formation of adaxially positioned trichomes. This increase was very high in R. myconi, where the adaxial leaf surface was fully covered by trichomes. Despite the existence of small species-specific differences, the results showed uniform desiccation-related responses of the studied resurrection species. The quantified leaf epidermal and mesophyll features are discussed with respect to their possible contribution to the desiccation tolerance of resurrection species.