Isolation and Characterization of OsGSTL1 Promoter from Rice

OsGSTL1 gene was isolated from the rice genomic library. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the expression of the OsGSTL1 in rice was not induced by chlorsulfuron, ethylene, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonate. In order to investigate the cis-elements of OsGSTL1 promoter, the promoter regions with different lengths were fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene. All constructs were transformed into onion epidermal cells or A. thaliana plants to detect the expression patterns. In onion epidermal cells, the 160 bp fragment and longer ones were functional for directing GUS expression. In transgenic A. thaliana, the 2?155 bp upstream region of OsGSTL1 gene directed the GUS expression only in cotyledon after germination, but not in the root of young seedlings. In the later seedling, the 2?155 bp upstream region of OsGSTL1 gene directed GUS expression in roots, stems, and leaves. However, the GUS gene directed by a 1?224 bp upstream fragment is expressed in all the checked tissues. These results suggest that the spatiotemporal expression response elements of OsGSTL1 existed in the 5′-upstream region between −2?155 and −1?224 bp.     

水稻OsGSTL1启动子的分离和表达分析

从水稻基因组文库中筛选得到一个水稻GST基因,命名为OsGSTL1.半定量RT-PCR分析表明OsGSTL1基因的表达不受绿磺隆、乙烯利、脱落酸、水杨酸和茉莉酸甲酯的诱导,因此该基因可能与植物抗逆性无关.为了研究OsGSTL1启动子在植物体内的表达特性,将OsGSTL1起始位点5＇端上游不同长度的调控序列与报告基因GUS融合,并在洋葱表皮瞬间表达和拟南芥中稳定表达.研究表明：在洋葱表皮细胞中,160bp及更长的上游调控序列均能启动GUS基因的表达;而在转基因拟南芥中,含有2155 bp的上游序列的PGZ2.1：：GUS具有时空表达的特性,在转基因的早期幼苗中GUS基因在子叶中特异性表达,但在根中没有表达;而在幼苗生长的后期,根、茎、叶中都有少量的表达.但包含1 224 bp的上游序列的PGZ1.2：：GUS却表现为组成型表达的特性.由此推测,OsGSTL1启动子启动的基因表达可能与幼苗的营养代谢相关;而OsGSTL1启动子的时空表达相关元件可能位于OsGSTL1翻译起始位点5＇端上游-2155 bp至-1224 bp范围内.     

The promoter of the wheat puroindoline-a gene (<Emphasis Type="Italic">PinA</Emphasis>) exhibits a more complex pattern of activity than that of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">PinB</Emphasis> gene and is induced by wounding and pathogen attack in rice

Puroindolines form the molecular basis of wheat grain hardness. However, little is known about puroindoline gene regulation. We previously reported that the Triticum aestivum puroindoline-b gene (PinB) promoter directs β-glucuronidase gene (uidA) seed-specific expression in transgenic rice. In this study, we isolated a puroindoline-a gene (PinA), analyzed PinA promoter activity by 5′ deletions and compared PinA and PinB promoters in transgenic rice. Seeds of PinA-1214 and PinB-1063 transgenic plants strongly expressed uidA in endosperm, in the aleurone layer and in epidermis cells in a developmentally regulated manner. The GUS activity was also observed in PinA-1214 embryos. Whereas the PinB promoter is seed specific, the PinA promoter also directed, but to a lower level, uidA expression in roots of seedlings and in the vascular tissues of palea and pollen grains of dehiscent anthers during flower development. In addition, the PinA promoter was induced by wounding and by Magnaporthe grisea. By deletion analysis, we showed that the “390-bp” PinA promoter drives the same expression pattern as the “1214-bp” promoter. Moreover, the “214-bp” PinA promoter drives uidA expression solely in pollen grains of dehiscent anthers. The presence of putative cis-regulatory elements that may be related to PinA expression is discussed from an evolutionary point of view. By electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we showed that putative cis-elements (WUN-box, TCA motifs and as-1-like binding sites) whose presence in the PinA promoter may be related to wounding and/or the pathogen response form complexes with nuclear extracts isolated from wounded wheat leaves.     

Tissue-specific expression of rice CYP72A21 induced by auxins and herbicides

Cytochrome monooxygenase P450s (CYPs) comprise one of the largest enzyme families in plants. Some P450s are involved in xenobiotic metabolism: they confer herbicide tolerance and are induced by chemical treatments. We isolated a novel P450 cDNA, CYP72A21 (accession number, AB237166), from rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare) seedlings treated with a mixture of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), chlorotoluron, phenobarbital, salicylic acid, and naphthalic anhydride (each 100 μM). We also isolated the gene’s promoter region. Endogenous CYP72A21 expression in rice seedlings treated with 2,4-D, herbicides esprocarb, or trifluralin was increased in the aerial part of seedlings. An expression plasmid, pI21pg, containing the GUS gene under the control of the CYP72A21 promoter was introduced into rice plants. GUS was expressed constitutively in roots, but this expression was suppressed by 2,4-D treatment. 2,4-D and other auxins induced GUS expression effectively in the stem and leaves. Histological observation revealed that GUS was expressed mainly in the base of the stem. Treatment with the herbicides acetochlor, esprocarb, and propyzamide induced GUS expression in the aerial parts of the seedlings. The CYP72A21 promoter was highly responsive to treatments with various chemicals, and thus might be useful for producing transgenic plants for biomonitoring of environmental chemicals.     

Evaluation of seed storage-protein gene 5′ untranslated regions in enhancing gene expression in transgenic rice seed

5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) are important sequence elements that modulate the expression of genes. Using the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by the GluC promoter for the rice-seed storage-protein glutelin, we evaluated the potential of the 5′-UTRs of six seed storage-protein genes in enhancing the expression levels of the foreign gene in stable transgenic rice lines. All of the 5′-UTRs significantly enhanced the expression level of the GluC promoter without altering its expression pattern. The 5′-UTRs of Glb-1 and GluA-1 increased the expression of GUS by about 3.36- and 3.11-fold, respectively. The two 5′-UTRs downstream of the Glb-1, OsAct2 and CMV35S promoters also increased GUS expression level in stable transgenic rice lines or in transient expression protoplasts. Therefore, the enhancements were independent of the promoter sequence. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the increase in protein production was not accompanied by alteration in mRNA levels, which suggests that the enhancements were due to increasing the translational efficiencies of the mRNA. The 5′-UTRs of Glb-1 and GluA-1, when combined with strong promoters, might be ideal candidates for high production of recombinant proteins in rice seeds.     

Tissue‐specific and light‐dependent regulation of phytochrome gene expression in rice

Phytochromes are red‐ and far red light photoreceptors in higher plants. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) has three phytochromes (phyA, phyB and phyC), which play distinct as well as cooperative roles in light perception. To gain a better understanding of individual phytochrome functions in rice, expression patterns of three phytochrome genes were characterized using promoter‐GUS fusion constructs. The phytochrome genes PHYA and PHYB showed distinct patterns of tissue‐ and developmental stage‐specific expression in rice. The PHYA promoter‐GUS was expressed in all leaf tissues in etiolated seedlings, while its expression was restricted to vascular bundles in expanded leaves of light‐grown seedlings. These observations suggest that light represses the expression of the PHYA gene in all cells except vascular bundle cells in rice seedlings. Red light was effective, but far red light was ineffective in gene repression, and red light‐induced repression was not observed in phyB mutants. These results indicate that phyB is involved in light‐dependent and tissue‐specific repression of the PHYA gene in rice.     

Expression Enhancement of a Rice Polyubiquitin Gene Promoter

An 808 bp promoter from a rice polyubiquitin gene, rubi3, has been isolated. The rubi3 gene contained an open reading frame of 1140 bp encoding a pentameric polyubiquitin arranged as five tandem, head-to-tail repeats of 76 aa. The 1140 bp 5′ UTR intron of the gene enhanced its promoter activity in transient expression assays by 20-fold. Translational fusion of the GUS reporter gene to the coding sequence of the ubiquitin monomer enhanced GUS enzyme activity in transient expression assays by 4.3-fold over the construct containing the original rubi3 promoter (including the 5′ UTR intron) construct. The enhancing effect residing in the ubiquitin monomer coding sequence has been narrowed down to the first 9 nt coding for the first three amino acid residues of the ubiquitin protein. Mutagenesis at the third nucleotide of this 9 nt sequence still maintains the enhancing effect, but leads to translation of the native GUS protein rather than a fusion protein. The resultant 5′ regulatory sequence, consisting of the rubi3 promoter, 5′ UTR exon and intron, and the mutated first 9 nt coding sequence, has an activity nearly 90-fold greater than the rubi3 promoter only (without the 5′ UTR intron), and 2.2-fold greater than the maize Ubi1 gene promoter (including its 5′ UTR intron). The newly created expression vector is expected to enhance transgene expression in monocot plants. Considering the high conservation of the polyubiquitin gene structure in higher plants, the observed enhancement in gene expression may apply to 5′ regulatory sequences of other plant polyubiquitin genes.     

水稻胁迫相关基因OsPM1启动子的克隆与分析

依据NCBI数据库OsPM1的序列信息,采用PCR技术扩增获取OsPM1的2 100bp的启动子序列。利用PLACE预测启动子的顺式作用元件分析表明,启动子内含有大量与胁迫相关的顺式作用元件,主要有ABA响应相关元件、脱水响应元件、低温响应元件、热激响应元件和转录因子结合元件。构建OsPM1的启动子和GUS基因融合表达载体,转入拟南芥。组织化学染色分析结果显示,非生物胁迫处理前,幼苗中GUS基因表达水平很低;干旱、低温、高盐等胁迫处理后,GUS基因表达量显著升高。研究表明,OsPM1的启动子能够显著提高在干旱、高盐和低温处理后下游基因的表达水平。     

Isolation of a maize beta-glucosidase gene promoter and characterization of its activity in transgenic tobacco

The β-glucosidase gene of maize (ZmGLU1) was suggested to hydrolyze cytokinin-conjugate and release free cytokinin during plant growth and development. A clone containing the upstream region of ZmGLU1 was isolated and sequenced from a maize genomic library. The full-length ZmGLU1 promoter and a series of its 5′ deletions were fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and transferred into tobacco. The GUS activity of transgenic plants was assayed at various developmental stages. The results showed that ZmGLU1 promoter-driven GUS gene had the highest expression level in the roots and that the expression of GUS gene declined during seed maturation and down to the lowest level in mature seeds. The ZmGLU1 promoter-driven GUS expression increased during seed germination, reaching a peak on day 11. The results also showed that this promoter could be inhibited by 6-BA, trans-zeatin, and NAA, but was not affected by GA₃, ABA, SA, cold, salt, drought, and submergence treatments. The histochemical staining revealed that GUS activity was located in vigorous cell division zones with dominant staining associated with vascular tissues. Deletion analysis showed that the promoter contained a putative leaf-specific and stem-specific negative regulative element and two putative enhancers.     

Effects of tissue type and promoter strength on transient GUS expression in sugarcane following particle bombardment

Effects of tissue type and promoter strength on transient GUS expression in the sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) cultivar NCo 310 were evaluated following microprojectile bombardment of leaf explants. GUS expression was histochemically or fluorometrically measured 48 h after delivery of the uidA gene. High levels of GUS expression were obtained in leaf segments isolated from young, expanding sugarcane leaves cultured for 1, 3, or 6 d prior to bombardment. The promoter derived from the maize ubiquitin 1 gene (Ubi-1) produced significantly more GUS foci and higher GUS activity levels compared to the recombinant Emu, rice actin 1 (Act1), and CaMV 35S promoters. Our transient expression system should facilitate efforts to identify promoters and elements which will regulate desired gene expression patterns in sugarcane and aid in development of an efficient stable transformation system.Abbreviations Act1 rice actin 1 gene - CaMV cauliflower mosaic virus - GUS ß-glucuronidase - Ubi-1 maize ubiquitin 1 gene - uidA GUS gene - X-Glu 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoylglucuronide     

In trangenic rice, α- and β-tubulin regulatory sequences control GUS amount and distribution through intron mediated enhancement and intron dependent spatial expression

The genomic upstream sequence of the rice tubulin gene OsTub6 has been cloned, sequenced and characterized. The 5′UTR sequence is interrupted by a 446 bp long leader intron. This feature is shared with two other rice β-tubulin genes (OsTub4 and OsTub1) that, together with OsTub6, group in the same clade in the evolutionary phylogenetic tree of plant β-tubulins. Similarly to OsTub4, the leader intron of OsTub6 is capable of sustaining intron mediated enhancement (IME) of gene expression, in transient expression assays. A general picture is drawn for three rice α-tubulin and two rice β-tubulin genes in which the first intron of the coding sequence for the formers and the intron present in the 5′UTR for the latters, are important elements for controlling gene expression. We used OsTua2:GUS, OsTua3:GUS, OsTub4:GUS and OsTub6:GUS chimeric constructs to investigate the in vivo pattern of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) expression in transgenic rice plants. The influence of the regulatory introns on expression patterns was evaluated for two of them, OsTua2 and OsTub4. We have thus characterized distinct patterns of expression attributable to each tubulin isotype and we have shown that the presence of the regulatory intron can greatly influence both the amount and the actual site of expression. We propose the term Intron Dependent Spatial Expression (IDSE) to highlight this latter effect. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Effect of an enhanced CaMV 35S promoter and a fruit-specific promoter on uida gene expression in transgenic tomato plants

Summary Two different promoters, a cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter with a 5′-untranslated leader sequence from alfalfa mosaic virus RNA4 (designated as CaMV 35S/AMV) and an E-8 fruit-ripening-specific promoter, were compared to evaluate their effects on expression of the uidA reporter gene in transgenic tomato plants. In order to generate sufficient numbers of transgenic tomato plants, both a reliable regeneration system and an efficient Agrobacterium transformation protocol were developed using 8-d-old cotyledons of tomato (Lycopersicon ecsulentum Mill. cv. Swifty Belle). Two sets of constructs, both derivatives of the binary vector pBI121, were used in transformation of tomato whereby the uidA gene was driven either by the CaMV 35S/AMV or the E-8 fruit-ripening-specific promoter. Southern blot hybridization confirmed the stable integration of the chimeric uidA gene into the tomato genome. Fruit and leaf tissues were collected from T₀ and T₁ plants, and assayed for β-glucuronidase (GUS) enzyme activity. As expected, both vegetative and fruit tissues of transgenic plants carrying the uidA gene under the control of CaMV 35S/AMV showed varying levels of GUS activity, while no expression was observed in vegetative tissues of transgenic plants carrying the uidA gene driven by the E-8 promoter. All fruits from transgenic plants produced with both sets of constructs displayed expression of the uidA gene. However, when this reporter gene was driven by the CaMV 35S/AMV, GUS activity levels were significantly higher than when it was driven by the E-8 fruit-specific promoter. The presence/absence of the uidA gene in T₁ plants segregated in a 3∶1 Mendelian ratio.     

Expression of a polyubiquitin promoter isolated from Gladiolus

A polyubiquitin promoter (GUBQ1) including its 5′UTR and intron was isolated from the floral monocot Gladiolus because high levels of expression could not be obtained using publicly available promoters isolated from either cereals or dicots. Sequencing of the promoter revealed highly conserved 5′ and 3′ intron splicing sites for the 1.234 kb intron. The coding sequence of the first two ubiquitin genes showed the highest homology (87 and 86%, respectively) to the ubiquitin genes of Nicotiana tabacum and Oryza sativa RUBQ2. Transient expression following gene gun bombardment showed that relative levels of GUS activity with the GUBQ1 promoter were comparable to the CaMV 35S promoter in gladiolus, tobacco, rose, rice, and the floral monocot freesia. The highest levels of GUS expression with GUBQ1 were attained with Gladiolus. The full-length GUBQ1 promoter including 5′UTR and intron were necessary for maximum GUS expression in Gladiolus. The relative GUS activity for the promoter only was 9%, and the activity for the promoter with 5′UTR and 399 bp of the full-length 1.234 kb intron was 41%. Arabidopsis plants transformed with uidA under GUBQ1 showed moderate GUS expression throughout young leaves and in the vasculature of older leaves. The highest levels of transient GUS expression in Gladiolus have been achieved using the GUBQ1 promoter. This promoter should be useful for genetic engineering of disease resistance in Gladiolus, rose, and freesia, where high levels of gene expression are important.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transgenic plant production via direct shoot bud organogenesis from pre-plasmolyzed leaf explants of Catharanthus roseus

Production of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transgenic plants, via direct shoot bud organogenesis from leaves of Catharanthus roseus, is reported. A. tumefaciens harbouring the plasmid pBI121 with GUS gene uidA and kanamycin resistance gene nptII was used. Highest transformation efficiency of 1.4 transgenic shoots/responded explant was obtained when pre-plasmolysed leaves, pre-incubated on shoot bud induction medium for 10 days, were subjected to sonication for 30 s prior to transformation. Using a selection medium containing 50 mg kanamycin l⁻¹, transformants grew into micro-shoots and formed roots on a hormone-free half strength MS medium. The transgenic nature of the regenerated plants was confirmed by PCR amplification of uidA gene and GUS histochemical assay.