<bold>Summary</bold> Cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) and heterotrimeric G‐proteins are universal eukaryotic signaling elements. In plant guard cells, extracellular calcium (Cao) is as strong a stimulus for stomatal closure as the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), but underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we report that the sole Arabidopsis heterotrimeric Gβ subunit,AGB1, is required for four guard cell Caoresponses: induction of stomatal closure; inhibition of stomatal opening; [Ca2+]cytoscillation; and inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate (InsP3) production. Stomata in wild‐type Arabidopsis (Col) and in mutants of the canonical Gα subunit,GPA1, showed inhibition of stomatal opening and promotion of stomatal closure by Cao. By contrast, stomatal movements ofagb1mutants andagb1/gpa1double‐mutants, as well as those of theagg1agg2 Gγ double‐mutant, were insensitive to Cao. These behaviors contrast withABA‐regulated stomatal movements, which involveGPA1 andAGB1/AGG3 dimers, illustrating differential partitioning of G‐protein subunits among stimuli with similar ultimate impacts, which may facilitate stimulus‐specific encoding.AGB1knockouts retained reactive oxygen species andNOproduction, but lostYC3.6‐detected [Ca2+]cytoscillations in response to Cao, initiating only a single [Ca2+]cytspike. Experimentally imposed [Ca2+]cytoscillations restored stomatal closure inagb1. Yeast two‐hybrid and bimolecular complementation fluorescence experiments revealed thatAGB1 interacts with phospholipase Cs (PLCs), and Caoinduced InsP3 production in Col but not inagb1. In sum, G‐protein signaling viaAGB1/AGG1/AGG2 is essential for Cao‐regulation of stomatal apertures, and stomatal movements in response to Caoapparently require Ca2+‐induced Ca2+release that is likely dependent on Gβγ interaction withPLCs leading to InsP3 production.
more »
« less
Low‐energy Sr 2 MSbO5.5 (M = Ca and Sr) structures show significant distortions near oxygen vacancies
Abstract Inspired by significant local distortions found near vacancies in a neutron pair distribution function analysis study (G. King et al.,Inorg. Chem.2012, 51, 13060) of Sr2MSbO5.5(M = Ca and Sr), this computational study finds minimum‐energy structures with these and related distortions using density functional theory (DFT) with the Perdew‐Burke‐Ernzerhof (PBE) functional as implemented in the Vienna Ab Initio Simulations Package (VASP) (G. Kresse and J. Furthmüller,Phys. Rev. B, 1996, 54, 11169; G. Kresse and J. Hafner,Phys. Rev. B, 1993, 47, 558; G. Kresse and J. Furthmüller,Comput. Mater. Sci., 1996, 6, 15). All structures were optimized using the conjugate gradient method. The global minima found for both systems featured trigonal bipyramid SbO5structures and edge sharing with M‐centered polyhedra. However, while calcium ions occupied full and partial octahedra, the larger strontium ions were more commonly found in full and partial pentagonal bipyramids. Molecular dynamics with velocity rescaling at1200K revealed movements of the oxygen vacancy via polyhedral rotations. This work highlights the need to consider both square pyramid to trigonal bipyramid rearrangements around small ions and rotational polyhedral movements in simulating oxygen vacancy conduction in oxygen‐deficient double perovskites.
more »
« less
- PAR ID:
- 10456186
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International Journal of Quantum Chemistry
- Volume:
- 120
- Issue:
- 20
- ISSN:
- 0020-7608
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
In this study, we investigate the utility of Ca2FeMnO6-δand Sr2FeMnO6-δas materials with low thermal conductivity, finding potential applications in thermoelectrics, electronics, solar devices, and gas turbines for land and aerospace use. These compounds, characterized as oxygen-deficient perovskites, feature distinct vacancy arrangements. Ca2FeMnO6-δadopts a brownmillerite-type orthorhombic structure with ordered vacancy arrangement, while Sr2FeMnO6-δadopts a perovskite cubic structure with disordered vacancy distribution. Notably, both compounds exhibit remarkably low thermal conductivity, measuring below 0.50 Wm−1K−1. This places them among the materials with the lowest thermal conductivity reported for perovskites. The observed low thermal conductivity is attributed to oxygen vacancies and phonon scattering. Interestingly as SEM images show the smaller grain size, our findings suggest that creating vacancies and lowering the grain size or increasing the grain boundaries play a crucial role in achieving such low thermal conductivity values. This characteristic enhances the potential of these materials for applications where efficient heat dissipation, safety, and equipment longevity are paramount.more » « less
-
Summary Traditionally, leaves were thought to be supplied withCO2for photosynthesis by the atmosphere and respiration. Recent studies, however, have shown that the xylem also transports a significant amount of inorganic carbon into leaves through the bulk flow of water. However, little is known about the dynamics and proportion of xylem‐transportedCO2that is assimilated, vs simply lost to transpiration.Cut leaves ofPopulus deltoidesandBrassica napuswere placed in eitherKCl or one of three [NaH13CO3] solutions dissolved in water to simultaneously measure the assimilation and the efflux of xylem‐transportedCO2exiting the leaf across light andCO2response curves in real‐time using a tunable diode laser absorption spectroscope.The rates of assimilation and efflux of xylem‐transportedCO2increased with increasing xylem [13CO2*] and transpiration. Under saturating irradiance, rates of assimilation using xylem‐transportedCO2accounted forc.2.5% of the total assimilation in both species in the highest [13CO2*].The majority of xylem‐transportedCO2is assimilated, and efflux is small compared to respiration. Assimilation of xylem‐transportedCO2comprises a small portion of total photosynthesis, but may be more important whenCO2is limiting.more » « less
-
Abstract Armored skin resulting from the presence of bony dermal structures, osteoderms, is an exceptional phenotype in gekkotans (geckos and flap‐footed lizards) only known to occur in three genera:Geckolepis,Gekko, andTarentola. The Tokay gecko (Gekko geckoLINNAEUS 1758) is among the best‐studied geckos due to its large size and wide range of occurrence, and although cranial dermal bone development has previously been investigated, details of osteoderm development along a size gradient remain less well‐known. Likewise, a comparative survey of additional species within the broaderGekkoclade to determine the uniqueness of this trait has not yet been completed. Here, we studied a large sample of gekkotans (38 spp.), including 18 specimens ofG. gecko, using X‐rays and high‐resolution computed tomography for visualizing and quantifying the dermal armorin situ. Results from this survey confirm the presence of osteoderms in a second species within this genus,GekkoreevesiiGRAY 1831, which exhibits discordance in timing and pattern of osteoderm development when compared with its sister taxon,G. gecko. We discuss the developmental sequence of osteoderms in these two species and explore in detail the formation and functionality of these enigmatic dermal ossifications. Finally, we conducted a comparative analysis of endolymphatic sacs in a wide array of gekkotans to explore previous ideas regarding the role of osteoderms as calcium reservoirs. We found thatG. geckoand other gecko species with osteoderms have highly enlarged endolymphatic sacs relative to their body size, when compared to species without osteoderms, which implies that these membranous structures might fulfill a major role of calcium storage even in species with osteoderms.more » « less
-
Abstract Oxygen coordination and vacancy ordering play an important role in dictating the functionality of complex oxides. In this work, an unconventional layering of oxygen ions in a mixed conductor SrCo1‐xFexO3‐δ(SCFO) thin film grown epitaxially on SrTiO3(STO) is reported. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) reveals alternating layers of oxygen deficiency along the growth direction, with the oxygen‐rich layer correlated with the neighboring Co,Fe‐site intensity, and contraction of the Sr–Sr distance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and STEM image simulations support the emergence of periodic (Co,Fe)O6and (Co,Fe)O4/(Co,Fe)O5layers, an ordering that is also sensitive to the Co:Fe ratio.more » « less
An official website of the United States government
