Arabidopsis NPL1: a phototropin homolog controlling the chloroplast high-light avoidance response     

Kagawa T  Sakai T  Suetsugu N  Oikawa K  Ishiguro S  Kato T  Tabata S  Okada K  Wada M 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2001,291(5511):2138-2141

Chloroplasts relocate their positions in a cell in response to the intensity of incident light, moving to the side wall of the cell to avoid strong light, but gathering at the front face under weak light to maximize light interception. Here, Arabidopsis thaliana mutants defective in the avoidance response were isolated, and the mutated gene was identified as NPL1 (NPH-like 1), a homolog of NPH1 (nonphototropic hypocotyl 1), a blue light receptor used in phototropism. Hence, NPL1 is likely a blue light receptor regulating the avoidance response under strong light.  相似文献   

Ferromagnetic imprinting of nuclear spins in semiconductors     

Kawakami RK  Kato Y  Hanson M  Malajovich I  Stephens JM  Johnston-Halperin E  Salis G  Gossard AC  Awschalom DD 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2001,294(5540):131-134

We examine how a ferromagnetic layer affects the coherent electron spin dynamics in a neighboring gallium arsenide semiconductor. Ultrafast optical pump-probe measurements reveal that the spin dynamics are unexpectedly dominated by hyperpolarized nuclear spins that align along the ferromagnet's magnetization. We find evidence that photoexcited carriers acquire spin-polarization from the ferromagnet, and dynamically polarize these nuclear spins. The resulting hyperfine fields are as high as 9000 gauss in small external fields (less than 1000 gauss), enabling ferromagnetic control of local electron spin coherence.  相似文献   

The floral regulator LEAFY evolves by substitutions in the DNA binding domain     

Maizel A  Busch MA  Tanahashi T  Perkovic J  Kato M  Hasebe M  Weigel D 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2005,308(5719):260-263

  相似文献   

Prospects for multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation in Japan and other countries in monsoon Asia     

Y. Matsuno  K. Nakamura  T. Masumoto  H. Matsui  T. Kato  Y. Sato 《Paddy and Water Environment》2006,4(4):189-197

This paper presents a study carried out by a group of Japanese researchers to critically review past researches and discussions on the multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation, with the aim of describing the current status of the subject and providing options and potentials for future research and practices. The review was of over 200 documented articles on the major external functions. The results of this study revealed that the importance of multifunctionality is well perceived in Japan. The methodologies to measure and estimate the magnitude have been established for most functions. However, there is a need for more cases, to integrate all the functions at the local or regional scale to represent site-specific characteristics of multifunctionality. There is also a need to develop management practices to sustain and enhance the positive multifunctionality of paddy rice cultivation while minimizing negative effects to the environment, which may be brought into the agricultural policies. Except for Korea, Taiwan, and Japan, there are slightly different notions on multifunctionality in other monsoon Asia countries, but the gap in this notion is reducing following recent international activities.  相似文献   

Development of a water quality tank model classified by land use for nitrogen load reduction scenarios     

Tasuku Kato 《Paddy and Water Environment》2005,3(1):21-27

Water quality in the watershed mainly used for agriculture is degraded by nutrients from fertilizers and animal wastes. These diffuse (non-point) sources have accumulated in soils and been released into the river system for the long-term. In this paper, a water quality tank model classified by land use is modified for the accumulation, and total nitrogen (T-N) is simulated over 40 years in the Yamada River basin within the Lake Kasumigaura watershed, Japan. For considering the nitrogen balance, the model has a database comprising statistical data such as population, land use, rain, fertilizer, and animal waste; it calculates cumulative load in soils and dissolved load separately. The model simulated the measured data with relative error of 15% for runoff and 7% for T-N. Five scenarios for the reduction of cumulative load were developed as a countermeasure plan: soil washing, slow-release fertilizer, fertilizer application reduction, cover crop, and animal waste reduction. The results show that T-N first decreases and then increases after 30 years in the case of the slow-release fertilizer scenario and that T-N is reduced by 30% after 40 years in the case of the 100% animal waste reduction scenario.  相似文献   

Evaluation of pollutant removal in a constructed irrigation pond     

Tasuku Kato  Hisao Kuroda  Hideo Nakasone  Hirohide Kiri 《Paddy and Water Environment》2007,5(3):189-199

A year-long study on the water quality and hydrology was carried out to investigate the characteristics of the pollutant concentrations and pollutant removal in a constructed irrigation pond. The pond is part of a circular irrigation system for paddy fields within Lake Kasumigaura watershed, Japan. The average concentrations of the total nitrogen (TN), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), and suspended solids (SS) at the pond outlet were 7.4, 8.6, 0.2, and 18.8 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The average removed loads for the same indices were 0.14, 2.47, 0.11, and 24.2 g m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively. The percentages of pollutant removals from the inflow loads for the same indices were 3, 26, 42, and 63%, respectively. The pond discharged the TN loads of 128 kg due to sediments stirred by operation of a pump for April and May. The average TN removal was 19% from June to August and was smaller than that reported in published literatures (40–50%). Major reasons were considered to be that the turnover of water in the pond was rapid (86% per day) and that the TN concentration of inflow water was relatively low (5.9 mg L⁻¹). The percentages of pollutants that flowed into the pond to the outflow loads from the study site were 6.6, 4.8, 1.6, and 1.1% for TN, COD, TP, and SS loads, respectively. The pollutant removal will be increased if the design of the circular irrigation system is reconsidered to utilize a pollutant removal function in the irrigation pond.  相似文献   

Split luciferase complementation assay to detect regulated protein-protein interactions in rice protoplasts in a large-scale format     

Yukichi Fujikawa  Takahiro Nakanishi  Hiroko Kawakami  Kanako Yamasaki  Masa H Sato  Hiroyuki Tsuji  Makoto Matsuoka  Naohiro Kato 《Rice》2014,7(1):11

Background

The rice interactome, in which a network of protein-protein interactions has been elucidated in rice, is a useful resource to identify functional modules of rice signal transduction pathways. Protein-protein interactions occur in cells in two ways, constitutive and regulative. While a yeast-based high-throughput method has been widely used to identify the constitutive interactions, a method to detect the regulated interactions is rarely developed for a large-scale analysis.

Results

A split luciferase complementation assay was applied to detect the regulated interactions in rice. A transformation method of rice protoplasts in a 96-well plate was first established for a large-scale analysis. In addition, an antibody that specifically recognizes a carboxyl-terminal fragment of Renilla luciferase was newly developed. A pair of antibodies that recognize amino- and carboxyl- terminal fragments of Renilla luciferase, respectively, was then used to monitor quality and quantity of interacting recombinant-proteins accumulated in the cells. For a proof-of-concept, the method was applied to detect the gibberellin-dependent interaction between GIBBERELLIN INSENSITIVE DWARF1 and SLENDER RICE 1.

Conclusions

A method to detect regulated protein-protein interactions was developed towards establishment of the rice interactome.  相似文献   

Protective effects of dietary chamomile tea on diabetic complications     

Kato A  Minoshima Y  Yamamoto J  Adachi I  Watson AA  Nash RJ 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2008,56(17):8206-8211

Matricaria chamomilla L., known as "chamomile", has been used as an herbal tea or supplementary food all over the world. We investigated the effects of chamomile hot water extract and its major components on the prevention of hyperglycemia and the protection or improvement of diabetic complications in diabetes mellitus. Hot water extract, esculetin (3) and quercetin (7) have been found to show moderate inhibition of sucrase with IC50 values of 0.9 mg/mL and 72 and 71 microM, respectively. In a sucrose-loading test, the administration of esculetin (50 mg/kg body weight) fully suppressed hyperglycemia after 15 and 30 min, but the extract (500 mg/kg body weight) and quercetin (50 mg/kg body weight) were less effective. On the other hand, a long-term feed test (21 days) using a streptozotocin-induced rat diabetes model revealed that the same doses of extract and quercetin showed significant suppression of blood glucose levels. It was also found that these samples increased the liver glycogen levels. Moreover, chamomile extract showed potent inhibition against aldose reductase (ALR2), with an IC50 value of 16.9 microg/mL, and its components, umbelliferone (1), esculetin (3), luteolin (6), and quercetin (7), could significantly inhibit the accumulation of sorbitol in human erythrocytes. These results clearly suggested that daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications.  相似文献   

Photosynthesis and photoassimilate transport during root hypoxia in Melaleuca cajuputi, a flood-tolerant species, and in Eucalyptus camaldulensis, a moderately flood-tolerant species     

Kogawara S  Yamanoshita T  Norisada M  Masumori M  Kojima K 《Tree physiology》2006,26(11):1413-1423

We compared the photosynthetic and photoassimilate transport responses of Melaleuca cajuputi Powell seedlings to root hypoxia with those of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. Control and hypoxia treated roots were maintained in a nutrient solution through which air or nitrogen was bubbled. Under root hypoxic conditions, seedlings of M. cajuputi, a flood-tolerant species, maintained height growth, whereas seedlings of E. camaldulensis, a moderately flood-tolerant species, showed markedly decreased height growth compared with control seedlings. Root hypoxia caused decreases in whole-plant biomass, photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance in E. camaldulensis, but not in M. cajuputi. Photoassimilate transport to roots decreased significantly in E. camaldulensis seedlings 4 days after treatment and starch accumulated in mature leaves. Photoassimilate supply to hypoxic roots of E. camaldulensis seedlings was, thus, limited by reduced photoassimilate transport rather than by reduced photosynthesis. In contrast, M. cajuputi seedlings showed sustained photoassimilate transport to hypoxic roots and persistent photosynthesis, which together provided a substantial photoassimilate supply to the roots. Sucrose accumulated in hypoxic E. camaldulensis roots, but not in hypoxic M. cajuputi roots. A stable, low sucrose concentration in hypoxic roots would let M. cajuputi seedlings prolong photoassimilate transport to the roots. Photoassimilate partitioning among the water-soluble carbohydrates, starch and structural carbohydrates within the roots was unaffected by root hypoxia in E. camaldulensis, but in M. cajuputi, partitioning was shifted somewhat from structural carbohydrates to water-soluble carbohydrates. This suggests that M. cajuputi seedlings are able to increase photoassimilate utilization in metabolism and sustain energy production under root hypoxic conditions.  相似文献   

Ergonomic evaluation of winegrape trellis systems pruning operation     

Kato AE  Fathallah FA  Miles JA  Meyers JM  Faucett J  Janowitz I  Garcia EG 《Journal of agricultural safety and health》2006,12(1):17-28

The winegrape industry suffers from high incidence rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Pruning of dormant vines is a significant task, requiring long periods of highly repetitive and physically demanding work. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively evaluate five commonly used winegrape trellis systems with regard to the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries to the wrist and lower back while pruning. Eleven subjects participated in this study. Subjects performed a simulated pruning task as wrist and trunk postures were gathered using electrogoniometers. The results showed significant postural differences among the trellis systems. Compared to the other systems, the VSP was determined to be the optimal system in terms of decreasing relative MSD risk. These results will assist vineyards in the selection process of suitable trellis systems that will include the worker health aspect in conjunction with other trellis-related parameters such as grape quality and productivity.  相似文献