Catalase is a sink for H2O2 and is indispensable for stress defence in C3 plants.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been implicated in many stress conditions. Control of H2O2 levels is complex and dissection of mechanisms generating and relieving H2O2 stress is difficult, particularly in intact plants. We have used transgenic tobacco with approximately 10% wild-type catalase activity to study the role of catalase and effects of H2O2 stress in plants. Catalase-deficient plants showed no visible disorders at low light, but in elevated light rapidly developed white necrotic lesions on the leaves. Lesion formation required photorespiratory activity since damage was prevented under elevated CO2. Accumulation of H2O2 was not detected during leaf necrosis. Alternative H2O2-scavenging mechanisms may have compensated for reduced catalase activity, as shown by increased ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione peroxidase levels. Leaf necrosis correlated with accumulation of oxidized glutathione and a 4-fold decrease in ascorbate, indicating that catalase is critical for maintaining the redox balance during oxidative stress. Such control may not be limited to peroxisomal H2O2 production. Catalase functions as a cellular sink for H2O2, as evidenced by complementation of catalase deficiency by exogenous catalase, and comparison of catalase-deficient and control leaf discs in removing external H2O2. Stress analysis revealed increased susceptibility of catalase-deficient plants to paraquat, salt and ozone, but not to chilling.     

拟南芥在盐胁迫环境下SOS转录调控网络的构建及分析

研究拟南芥在高浓度盐处理环境下的基因调控网络, 有助于了解其在盐胁迫环境下保持正常生长的防御机制。针对目前广泛研究的SOS (Salt Overly Sensitive)耐盐机制, 文章整合公共数据库中盐胁迫相关的拟南芥基因组表达谱芯片, 通过反向工程方法构建了拟南芥在盐胁迫状态下的SOS转录调控网络。所获得的调控网络包含70个盐胁迫相关且高度互作的互作基因, 其中27个转录因子为主要调控节点。进而根据SOS核心基因的表达特性, 所得调控网络内的不同表达模式得到了鉴别。     

复苏植物旋蒴苣苔早期光诱导蛋白的特征分析

随着全球气候变暖,旱胁迫越来越成为粮食生产的严重威胁。探索复苏植物耐受极端旱胁迫的机理,积累抗旱相关基因资源,对于植物适应逆境的基础研究,和农业可持续发展,均有重要的作用。旋蒴苣苔(B. hygrometrica)广泛分布于我国山区,是复苏植物的代表性物种,而且有高质量的全基因组序列可以分析利用。本研究对旋蒴苣苔(B. hygrometrica)基因组中的早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因家族进行挖掘和分析。旋蒴苣苔(B. hygrometrica)基因组中早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因的数目远高于其他植物(拟南芥,水稻,辣椒,番茄)。系统发育分析显示,早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因序列具有很高的植物特异性。这说明,早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因对不同植物进化和适应各自的生长环境具有重要的作用。对处于不同程度干旱状态的旋蒴苣苔(B. hygrometrica)叶片的基因表达分析,表明一部分早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因表现出很强的对旱处理的响应。不同的早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因表现出三种不同的响应模式。这些结果表明,旋蒴苣苔(B. hygrometrica)早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因参与植株应对旱胁迫,而且有精细的调控机制控制不同早期光诱导蛋白(ELIPs)基因的表达量。