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New Insight into the Water-Soluble Chlorophyll-Binding Protein from Lepidium virginicum.
Kell, A, Bednarczyk, D, Acharya, K, Chen, J, Noy, D, Jankowiak, R
Photochemistry and photobiology. 2016;(3):428-35
Abstract
This study describes new recombinant water-soluble chlorophyll (Chl)-binding proteins (WSCP) from Lepidium virginicum (LvWSCP). This complex binds four Chls (i.e. two dimers of Chls) per protein tetramer. We show that absorption, emission, hole-burned (HB) spectra and the shape of the zero-phonon hole (ZPH) action spectrum are consistent with the presence of uncorrelated excitation energy transfer between two Chl dimers. Thus, there is no need to include slow protein relaxation within the lowest excited state (as suggested in a previous analysis of cauliflower WSCP [Schmitt, F.-J. et al. (2008) J. Phys. Chem. B, 112, 13951; Pieper, J. et al. (2011) J. Phys. Chem. B, 115, 4053]) in order to explain the large shift observed between the maxima of the ZPH action and emission spectra. Experimental evidence is provided which shows that electron exchange between lowest energy Chls and the protein may occur, i.e. electrons can be trapped at low temperature by nearby aromatic amino acids. The latter explains the shape of nonresonant HB spectra (i.e. the absence of antihole), demonstrating that the hole-burning process in LvWSCP is largely photochemical in nature, though a small contribution from nonphotochemical hole burning (in resonant holes) is also observed.
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2.
Multi-functional electrospun nanofibres for advances in tissue regeneration, energy conversion & storage, and water treatment.
Peng, S, Jin, G, Li, L, Li, K, Srinivasan, M, Ramakrishna, S, Chen, J
Chemical Society reviews. 2016;(5):1225-41
Abstract
Tissue regeneration, energy conversion & storage, and water treatment are some of the most critical challenges facing humanity in the 21st century. In order to address such challenges, one-dimensional (1D) materials are projected to play a key role in developing emerging solutions for the increasingly complex problems. Eletrospinning technology has been demonstrated to be a simple, versatile, and cost-effective method in fabricating a rich variety of materials with 1D nanostructures. These include polymers, composites, and inorganic materials with unique chemical and physical properties. In this tutorial review, we first give a brief introduction to electrospun materials with a special emphasis on the design, fabrication, and modification of 1D functional materials. Adopting the perspective of chemists and materials scientists, we then focus on the recent significant progress made in the domains of tissue regeneration (e.g., skin, nerve, heart and bone) and conversion & storage of clean energy (e.g., solar cells, fuel cells, batteries, and supercapacitors), where nanofibres have been used as active nanomaterials. Furthermore, this review's scope also includes the advances in the use of electrospun materials for the removal of heavy metal ions, organic pollutants, gas and bacteria in water treatment applications. Finally a conclusion and perspective is provided, in which we discuss the remaining challenges for 1D electrospun nanomaterials in tissue regeneration, energy conversion & storage, and water treatment.
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3.
Gene discovery in cereals through quantitative trait loci and expression analysis in water-use efficiency measured by carbon isotope discrimination.
Chen, J, Chang, SX, Anyia, AO
Plant, cell & environment. 2011;(12):2009-23
Abstract
Drought continues to be a major constraint on cereal production in many areas, and the frequency of drought is likely to increase in most arid and semi-arid regions under future climate change scenarios. Considerable research and breeding efforts have been devoted to investigating crop responses to drought at various levels and producing drought-resistant genotypes. Plant physiology has provided new insights to yield improvement in drought-prone environments. Crop performance could be improved through increases in water use, water-use efficiency (WUE) and harvest index. Greater WUE can be achieved by coordination between photosynthesis and transpiration. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ(13) C) has been demonstrated to be a simple but reliable measure of WUE, and negative correlation between them has been used to indirectly estimate WUE under selected environments. New tools, such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and gene expression profiling, are playing vital roles in dissecting drought resistance-related traits. The combination of gene expression and association mapping could help identify candidate genes underlying the QTL of interest and complement map-based cloning and marker-assisted selection. Eventually, improved cultivars can be produced through genetic engineering. Future efficient and effective breeding progress in cereals under targeted drought environments will come from the integrated knowledge of physiology and genomics.
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4.
[Virus adsorption from batch experiments as influenced by air-water interface].
Zhang, H, Zhao, BZ, Zhang, JB, Zhang, CZ, Wang, QY, Chen, J
Huan jing ke xue= Huanjing kexue. 2007;(12):2800-5
Abstract
The presence of air-water interface in batch sorption experiments may result in inaccurate estimation of virus adsorption onto various soils. A batch sorption experiment was conducted to compare the adsorption results of MS2 in different soils under presence/absence of air-water interface. Soils with sterilization/nonterilization treatment were used. Virus recovery efficiency in a blank experiment (no soil) was also evaluated as affected by different amount of air-water interface. The presence of air-water interface altered the results of virus adsorption in different soils with different extent, with Sandy fluvo-aquic soil being the most considerably affected, followed by Red loam soil, and the least being Red clay soil, probably because of different soil properties associated with virus adsorption/inactivation. Soil sterilization resulted in more significant difference of virus adsorption onto the Sandy fluvo-aquic soil between the presence and absence of air-water interface, while a reduced difference was observed in the Red loam soil. The presence of air-water interface significantly decreased virus recovery efficiency, with the values being decreased with increase in the amount of air-water interface. Soil particles likely prohibit viruses from reaching the air-water interface or alter the forces at the solid-water-air interface so that the results from the blank experiment did not truly represent results from control blank, which probably resulted in adsorption difference between presence and absence of the air-water interface.
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5.
[Effects of soil water status on gas exchange of peanut and early rice leaves].
Chen, J, Lü, G, He, Y
Ying yong sheng tai xue bao = The journal of applied ecology. 2005;(1):105-10
Abstract
The gas exchange characteristics of peanut and early rice leaves were investigated in experimental plots under different soil water conditions over a long growth period. The results showed that at the branching stage of peanut, the stomatal conductance (Gs) and transpiration rate (Tr) decreased slightly under mild and moderate soil water stress, while the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and leaf water use efficiency (WUE) increased. The Gs/Tr ratio also increased under mild water stress, but decreased under moderate water stress. At podding stage, the Gs, Tr, Gs/Tr ratio and Pn decreased, while WUE increased significantly under mild and moderate water stress. The peanut was suffered from water stress at its pod setting stage. At the grain filling stage of early rice, the Gs, Tr and Gs/Tr ratio fluctuated insignificantly under mild and moderate water stress, while Pn and WUE increased significantly, with an increase in grain yield under mild water stress. It's suggested that the combination of Gs and Gs/Tr ratio could be a reference index for crop water stress, namely, crops could be hazarded by water stress when Gs and Gs/Tr decreased synchronously.