报告基因技术及其在土壤质量监测中的应用

报告基因包括lux、gfp、lacZ、inaZ、luc、cat、xylE及uidA等,其中土壤质量监测中最常用的报告基因有lux、gfp、lacZ和inaZ 4种.从不同角度比较了土壤质量监测中最常用的上述4种报告基因,简要阐述了应用于土壤质量监测中的微生物监测报告基因的定义、类别、性质及特点,展示了报告基因表达系统的构建方式与检测方法,总结了报告基因技术在监测土壤重金属、污染物质、营养物质等化学物质以及在土壤微生物及其活动、土壤根际微生物与土壤中原生动物、植物间的相互作用等方面的应用.讨论了目前报告基因技术应用的局限性及未来研究方向和重点.     

Lethality-based selection of recombinant genes in mammalian cells: application to identifying tumor antigens

Many biological processes result in either cell death or cessation of cell growth. However, plasmid- and retrovirus-based mammalian expression vectors in which it has been possible to construct representative cDNA libraries cannot be readily recovered from cells that are not actively dividing. This has limited the efficiency of selection of recombinant genes that mediate either lytic events or growth arrest. Examples include genes that encode the target antigens of cytotoxic T cells, genes that promote stem-cell differentiation and pro-apoptotic genes. We have successfully constructed representative cDNA libraries in a poxvirus-based vector that can be recovered from cells that have undergone lethality-based selection. This strategy has been applied to selection of a gene that encodes a cytotoxic T-cell target antigen common to several independently derived tumors.     

An Arabidopsis gene homologous to mammalian and insect genes encoding the largest proteasome subunit

A gene encoding a protein with extensive homology to the largest subunit of the multicatalytic proteinase complex (proteasome) has been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. This gene, referred to as AtPSM30, is entirely encompassed within a previously characterized radiation-induced deletion, which may thus provide the first example of a proteasome null mutation in a higher eukaryote. However, the growth rate and fertility of Arabidopsis plants do not appear to be significantly affected by this mutation, even though disruption experiments in yeast have shown that most proteasome subunits are essential. Analysis of mRNA levels in developing seedlings and mature plants indicates that expression of AtPSM30 is differentially regulated during development and is slightly induced in response to stress, as has been observed for proteasome genes in yeast, Drosophila, and mammals. Southern blot analysis indicates that the Arabidopsis genome contains numerous sequences closely related to AtPSM30, consistent with recent reports of at least two other proteasome genes in Arabidopsis. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences for all proteasome genes reported to date suggests that multiple proteasome subunits evolved in eukaryotes prior to the divergence of plants and animals.