LIGHT PROMOTION OF SEED GERMINATION IN Datura ferox IS MEDIATED BY A HIGHLY STABLE POOL OF PHYTOCHROME

Abstract— The duration of the far-red light-absorbing form of phytochrome (Pfr) of the photoreceptor pool involved in the control of seed germination was investigated for Datura ferox seeds. These seeds require both Pfr and alternating temperatures (20/30°C) to germinate. After 24 h imbibition (25°C), the seeds received pretreatment-light pulses providing different phytochrome photoequilibria (Pfr/P), followed by a 24 h dark incubation (25°C), and test-light pulses providing different Pfr/P immediately prior to transfer to alternating temperatures. Germination increased with increasing Pfr/P provided by the test-light pulses, but was unaffected by the pretreatment-light pulses. This suggests that phytochrome synthesis, phytochrome degradation and phytochrome-mediated changes in response to phytochrome were negligible. In other experiments, red light-pretreatment pulses were followed by dark incubations (25°C) of different duration before transfer to alternating temperatures. The proportion of Pfr remaining after the 25°C incubation period was estimated by comparing germination rates with those of seeds that received test-light pulses of known calculated Pfr/P immediately prior to the start of the cycles of alternating temperatures. More than 80% of the Pfr established by a Pfr/P= 0.87 light pulse was present and active even after 48 h dark incubation at 25°C. Surprisingly, when a pretreatmentlight pulse providing a Pfr/P= 0.70 was given, the reduction in [Pfr] was significantly faster.
Germination of Datura ferox seeds is under the control of a highly stable (type II like) phytochrome pool. Apparently, this pool follows Pfr dark reversion to the red light-absorbing form, the times to reach half the original Pfr pool being > 96 h or <14 h after light pulses providing Pfr/P= 0.87 or 0.70, respectively.     

THE PROTONATION OF A RETINYL SCHIFF BASE

The hydrogen bonding-protonation equilibrium for retinyl Schiff base/propionic acid or 3-chloropropionic acid systems was examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in non polar solutions at temperatures ranging from 25 degrees C to about -150 degrees C. The spectra give evidence for the gradual increase in the degree of protonation as temperature is lowered. The bearing of this on applying low temperature spectroscopic results to physiological conditions in rhodopsin research is discussed.     

Linear dynamical systems with integer constraints

We study properties of dynamic discrete-time linear systemswith the input or the state constrained to have integer components.The reachability of input-constrained systems is investigated,and consistency conditions for state-constrained systems aregiven.     

Micellar perturbation of enone reduction

The reduction of several enones using BH₄^? in the presence of cationic surfactants has been investigated. These reductions are all shifted by the micelle towards the formation of conjugate reduction products.     

Effect of γ-radiation on the molecular-topological structure of polytetrafluoroethylene

Four topological structures of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE): amorphous and three crystalline (high-melting, intermediate, and low-melting forms) blocks, were revealed by the technique of thermomechanical spectroscopy. The γ-irradiation of PTFE leaves both free volume and the molecular-mass characteristics in the pseudo-network structure of the amorphous block practically intact. In the crystalline phase, γ-irradiation decreases the molecular mass of crystallized chains of the low-temperature modification and leads to the disappearance of the intermediate and high-temperature crystalline phases as a result of their transformation into the amorphous phase.     

S.I.S.向量随机测度在弱拓扑及相容拓扑下的收敛性

本文主要研究ｓ．ｉ．ｓ．向量随机测度在弱拓扑及相容拓扑下的收敛性,给出了ｓ．ｉ．ｓ．向量随机测度在弱拓扑 容拓扑下的Ｖｉｔａｌｉ－Ｈａｌｍ－Ｓａｋｓ定理,作为应用,我们建立了Ｒ＾１－值有界可测函数关于Ｂａｎａｃｈ空间值ｓ．ｉ．ｓ．向量随机测度的随机积分的收敛定理,并得到了具ｔｙｐｅｐ的Ｂａｎａｃｈ空间中ｓ．ｉ．ｓ．向量随机测度的大数定律及中心极限定理。     

Excitation and decay of low-lying nuclear states in a dense plasma produced by a subpicosecond laser pulse

The excitation of low-lying nuclear levels in a hot, dense plasma, produced by a subpicosecond pulse with intensity exceeding 10¹⁶ W/cm², is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The basic channels of electronic (inelastic scattering and inverse internal electron convergence) and photon (photoexcitation) excitations of such states as well as the influence of the broadening of a nuclear level on the excitation efficiency and the presence of hot electronic component are examined. The experimental data from measurements of the decay kinetics of the low-lying nuclear level 6.238 keV of the stable isotope ¹⁸¹Ta, which were obtained on two experimental laser systems, are presented.     

ELECTRON TRANSFER IN PHOTOSENSITIZATION OF BIOMOLECULES BY ACRIDINE DYES

Abstract— The photosensitization of some biomolecules by proflavine was studied using the technique of electron paramagnetic resonance. It was shown that this process is directly influenced by the relative molar concentration of dye and substrate. For some values of these concentrations, a singlet associated with a radical form of proflavine is observed. The appearance of this signal is discussed in terms of electron transfer from an ionized proflavine molecule directly to another neutral dye molecule or via a molecule of substrate as an intermediate. It is shown that this transfer is facilitated by stacking. These results were compared with radiolysis of the same kind of complexes in frozen aqueous solution.