Impaired photosystem I oxidation induces STN7-dependent phosphorylation of the light-harvesting complex I protein Lhca4 in Arabidopsis thaliana

Reduction of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool is known to activate phosphorylation of thylakoid proteins. In the Arabidopsis thaliana mutants psad1-1 and psae1-3, oxidation of photosystem I (PSI) is impaired, and the PQ pool is correspondingly over-reduced. We show here that, under these conditions, the antenna protein Lhca4 of PSI becomes a target for phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of the mature Lhca4 protein at Thr16 is suppressed in stn7 psad1 and stn7 psae1 double mutants. Thus, under extreme redox conditions, hyperactivation of thylakoid protein kinases and/or reorganization of thylakoid protein complex distribution increase the susceptibility of PSI to phosphorylation

Systems-wide analysis of manganese deficiency-induced changes in gene activity of Arabidopsis roots

Manganese (Mn) is pivotal for plant growth and development, but little information is available regarding the strategies that evolved to improve Mn acquisition and cellular homeostasis of Mn. Using an integrated RNA-based transcriptomic and high-throughput shotgun proteomics approach, we generated a comprehensive inventory of transcripts and proteins that showed altered abundance in response to Mn deficiency in roots of the model plant Arabidopsis. A suite of 22,385 transcripts was consistently detected in three RNA-seq runs; LC-MS/MS-based iTRAQ proteomics allowed the unambiguous determination of 11,606 proteins. While high concordance between mRNA and protein expression (R = 0.87) was observed for transcript/protein pairs in which both gene products accumulated differentially upon Mn deficiency, only approximately 10% of the total alterations in the abundance of proteins could be attributed to transcription, indicating a large impact of protein-level regulation. Differentially expressed genes spanned a wide range of biological functions, including the maturation, translation, and transport of mRNAs, as well as primary and secondary metabolic processes. Metabolic analysis by UPLC-qTOF-MS revealed that the steady-state levels of several major glucosinolates were significantly altered upon Mn deficiency in both roots and leaves, possibly as a compensation for increased pathogen susceptibility under conditions of Mn deficiency

Role of Plastid Protein Phosphatase TAP38 in LHCII Dephosphorylation and Thylakoid Electron Flow

Regulation of photosynthesis efficiency involves reversible phosphorylation of the light-harvesting complex through the activity of the newly identified phosphatase TAP38

Hard coal reserves of the Lower Silesian Coal Basin after the coal industry restructuring process and development prospects for the reserves

W artykule omówiono stan zasobów złóż węgla kamiennego pozostawionych po likwidacji kopalń w Dolnośląskim Zagłębiu Węglowym. W 1990 roku - rozpoczynającym restrukturyzację górnictwa - w 7 złożach zagłębia (w tym 5 eksploatowanych) było 457 min t zasobów bilansowych 1313 min t zasobów pozabilansowych, głównie węgla koksowego, specjalnego i antracytu. Obecnie, po zakończeniu eksploatacji i całkowitej likwidacji wszystkich kopalń, zasoby geologiczne całego zagłębia stanowią wyłącznie zasoby pozabilansowe w ilości 369 min t. Pojawiająca się w ostatnich latach koniunktura na światowych rynkach węgla (zwłaszcza na węgiel koksowy) spowodowała zainteresowanie niektórymi złożami węgla zlikwidowanych kopalń i możliwościami wznowienia eksploatacji. Wśród złóż kopalń wałbrzyskich na większą uwagę zasługuje złoże kopalni Victoria (pola Barbara i Witold). Występuje tu niemal wyłącznie węgiel koksowy, specjalny i antracytowy. Jego zasoby w pokładach o grubości przynajmniej 1,20 m (kryterium stosowane obecnie do obliczenia zasobów przemysłowych węgla koksowego i specjalnego) wynoszą ok. 58,5 min t. Ujemną cechą tego złoża są niekorzystne warunki geologiczno-górnicze, w tym zwłaszcza zagrożenia gazowe i wyrzutowe. Interesujące mogłyby być również zasoby antracytu w złożu Wałbrzych-Gaj (jedyne tego typu złoże w Polsce), jednak wobec całkowitej likwidacji infrastruktury kopalni, w tym szybów, zasoby te wydają się być stracone (ok. 20 min t zasobów przemysłowych przed zakończeniem eksploatacji). W podobnej sytuacji są pozostałe złoża w rejonach Wałbrzycha i Nowej Rudy; niewielkie ilości zasobów o znaczeniu przemysłowym, trudne warunki geologiczno-górnicze i brak dostępu do ztóż ze względu na całkowitą likwidację szybów wydają się wykluczać możliwości ich udostępnienia metodami górniczymi, czyli poprzez budowę nowych kopalń. Można jednak założyć ponowne zagospodarowanie tych złóż w przyszłości metodami niekonwencjonalnymi poprzez zgazowanie pokładów węgla.The paper presents the study results concerning the hard coal reserves still existing after closure of coal mines in the Lower Silesian Coal Basin (SW Poland). In 1990, when the coal industry restructuring process started, there were seven coal deposits (of which five still under exploitation). They consisted of 457 million tons of economic and potentially economic reserves and 313 million tons of potentially economic reserves represented mainly by coking coal, anthracite coal and anthracite. Nowadays, after the end of coal mining, the geological reserves of the Lower Silesian Coal Basin are 369 million tons of potentially economic reserves. The boom that occurred over the last years in the world coal market (especially demand for coking coal) has caused an increased interest in the abandoned coal deposits and possibilities of exploitation reopening. In the Wałbrzych area, the most interesting among the existing coal deposits is that of the former Victoria mine (Barbara and Witold coalfields). It predominantly contains coking coal, anthracite coal and anthracite. Its reserves amount to 58.5 million tons (calculated for at least 1.20 m thick seams). Disadvantage of the deposit is unfavourable geological and mining conditions, especially danger of coal and gas outburst. The anthracite reserves of the Wałbrzych-Gaj deposit (the only Poland's deposit of this type) are interesting, but as the entire mine's processing buildings, shafts etc. have been pulled down, the reserves seem to be lost (approx. 20 million tons just before the end of mining). The remaining deposits in the Wałbrzych and Nowa Ruda regions are in a similar situation. Insignificant amounts of economic reserves, difficult mining conditions, total demolishment of mineshafts and processing plant buildings etc. give no chance for exploitation by deep mining methods through establishing of new mines. It can be assumed that the potential future development of coal deposits in the Lower Silesian Coal Basin is possible by unconventional methods, like the underground gasification of coal seams

Wałbrzych Geoturist Area - inventory of geotopes for promotion of geoturism

The paper presents inventory and results of valorization of geotopes located in the Walbrzych region. This region is situated in south-western Poland, in proximity of the Wałbrzych Foothills (Bolków-Wałbrzych Foothills), Wałbrzych Mts., Kamienne Mts. and Sowie Mts. and Kamienna Góra Basin. The 149 geotopes which represents 6 geological themes - sedimentology, volcanism, metamorphism, geomorphology, hydrogeology, geology of Quaternary - have been selected and evaluated. All the data collected for these sites are stored in the database and may be displayed on several thematic maps. Based on results of valorization of geotopes, analyses of geology and geomorphology of the area as well as evaluation of land development, the seven geotourist sub-areas (so-called domains) have been differentiated. The results of the geotopes inventory and valorization indicate a possibility to propose a new geotourist area in the studied region and name it "Wałbrzych Geotourist Area"

The E subunit of photosystem I is not essential for linear electron flow and photoautotrophic growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

PSI-E is part of the stromal side of photosystem I (PSI). In Arabidopsis thaliana, the two nuclear genes PsaE1 and PsaE2 code for PSI-E, and transcripts of PsaE1 are markedly more abundant than PsaE2 transcripts. Stable null alleles of the two PsaE genes, psae1-3 and psae2-1, were identiWed and characterised. The psae2-1 mutant exhibited wild-type like PSI-E abundance and photosynthetic performance, whereas in the psae1-3 mutant PSI-E accumulation was decreased by 85%, together with an impaired thylakoid electron Xow and plant growth rate. The psae1-3 psae2-1 double mutant totally lacked PSI-E but was still able to grow photoautotrophically, implying that PSI-E is not essential for PSI accumulation and thylakoid electron flo