植物体内重要的信号分子--H2O2

越来越多的证据表明,植物体内的H2O2作为信号分子发挥作用.在病原、诱发因子和激素应答中是调节细胞程序性死亡的关键因子.H2O2在环境胁迫防御反应中的信号作用也得到证实.已知H2O2直接调节无数基因的表达,其中有些基因与植物防御和超敏反应有关.H2O2还与其它信号系统特别是激素信号相互作用,是激素介导的信号传导通路上的上游或下游组分;更重要的是H2O2还影响和修饰其它第二信使如钙信号的作用,在H2O2信号和钙信号之间发生众多的交互作用且这两种信号分子都调节植物对多种胁迫的交互耐性.此外,现已广泛地认识到与H2O2相关的氧还状态调节是调整细胞活动的关键因子.本文主要概括和讨论了H2O2在不同生物过程中的信号作用.     

桑树磷脂酶MaPLA1-2D亚型4个基因的克隆与胁迫应答分析

磷脂酶(phospholipase)是一类在植物生长发育和胁迫应答中起重要调控作用的磷脂水解酶,也是一类重要的信号转导酶。而磷脂酶A1(PLA1)在植物应答生物胁迫和非生物胁迫中的功能研究鲜见报道。研究从桑树(Morus alba L.)中克隆了磷脂酶PLA1的1个亚型MaPLA1-2D基因,对其进行了序列分析、组织表达、胁迫诱导表达和蛋白亚细胞定位分析。结果表明,桑树PLA1-2D亚型基因包括4个成员,命名为MaPLA1-2D.1~MaPLA1-2D.4。4个基因在桑树根和叶中高水平表达,蛋白亚细胞定位在叶绿体。序列和进化分析表明MaPLA1-2D基因4个成员与拟南芥AtDAD1基因的保守结构域序列具有较高相似度且进化关系紧密。MaPLA1-2D基因4个成员的启动子含有多种胁迫应答顺式元件和激素响应元件;胁迫诱导表达模式分析表明MaPLA1-2D基因表达受干旱和脱落酸处理显著诱导。以上结果说明,MaPLA1-2D基因与拟南芥DAD同源,可能在桑树非生物胁迫应答中发挥重要功能。     

从水分胁迫的识别到ABA积累的细胞信号转导

由于植物在生长和发育过程中不可避免地要遭受各种环境胁迫的影响,植物只有通过对环境胁迫的快速感知和主动反应才得以生存和发展.植物这种对环境胁迫的快速感知和主动反应体现在环境胁迫下植物可以通过一系列基因的表达调控来实现各种抗逆的生理生化反应.虽然得以鉴定的水分胁迫应答基因越来越多,但其中只有极少的基因在抗逆中的基本功能已得到初步认识.从细胞对水分胁迫原初信号的感知到基因表达调控包括了一系列复杂的细胞逆境信息传递过程.脱落酸(abscisic acid, ABA)作为重要的细胞逆境信号物质介导了一系列基因表达,因此从细胞对水分胁迫原初信号的感知到编码ABA生物合成关键酶基因的表达是一条最为关键的细胞逆境信息传递途径.逆境应答基因功能的鉴定以及对整个细胞信号传递过程中详尽的分子机制的了解无疑是今后最有趣的也是最为重要的研究课题.     

植物维生素C过氧化物酶研究进展

维生素C过氧化物酶(ascorbate peroxidase,APX)是植物体内的重要酶系,是植物AsA-GSH氧化还原途径的重要组分,是清除H2O2(特别是叶绿体中的H2O2)的关键酶.本文综述了维生素C过氧化物酶表达调控方面的研究进展,包括逆境(干旱胁迫、空气污染、微量元素缺乏、离子胁迫、过度光强、照射以及盐胁迫等)与APX的表达调控、植物细胞程序性死亡(PCD)与APX的表达调控、植物生长发育与APX的表达调控、植物进化与APX表达调控等.植物体内的APX基因包括基质和类囊体两类,不同的APX基因序列存在一定差异,本文还综述了这两类APX基因在植物方面的分离和克隆进展情况,同时对APX基因的遗传转化进行了简要回顾,最后指出了APX今后的研究方向.     

甘蔗(Saccharum spp.hybrids)木菠萝素(Jacalin)基因的克隆及生物信息学分析

木菠萝素(Jacalin)类凝集素(jacalin-related lectins,JRLs)是一类糖结合蛋白,以家族形式存在于植物中并参与各种生物进程,是植物凝集素超家族中的一类新成员。本研究从甘蔗(Saccharum spp.hybrids)叶片全长c DNA文库中克隆了一个甘蔗木菠萝素基因的c DNA全长序列,命名为Sc JRL(Gen Bank登录号为:KT971368)。Sc JRL全长845 bp,开放读码框长444 bp,共编码147个氨基酸。生物信息学分析显示,Sc JRL推导编码的蛋白为稳定亲水性蛋白,分子量为16.15 k D,预测等电点为6.13。采用实时荧光定量PCR技术,对Sc JRL基因在不同浓度以及不同处理时间的非生物胁迫处理下的表达进行了检测。结果显示,Sc JRL基因分别受Me JA(100μmol/L),SA(5 mmol/L)和H2O2(10 mmol/L)的诱导上调表达,且在处理3 h时表达量已达到最高;Sc JRL基因还分别受到ABA(100μmol/L)和Na Cl(250 mmol/L)的抑制而下调表达,且二者呈现出相同的表达模式。此外,不同处理的H2O2均诱导Sc JRL显著上调表达。当采用中等浓度的外源胁迫处理时,Sc JRL对ABA或Na Cl应答趋势的一致性,以及Sc JRL对SA或H2O2应答趋势的一致性,这说明甘蔗Sc JRL基因作为早期响应基因参与了Me JA和SA信号通路介导的甘蔗防御反应。并且该基因经由SA信号通路正向调控参与了甘蔗应答氧化胁迫,在甘蔗应答抗氧化胁迫机制过程中扮演积极的角色。此外,Sc JRL还经由ABA信号通路介导参与了甘蔗应答盐胁迫,且与ABA信号呈正相关。     

H_2S与Ca~(2+)协同增强谷子对Cr~(6+)胁迫的耐受

继一氧化氮(NO)和一氧化碳(CO)之后,第三种气体信号分子硫化氢(H2S)对植物体生长发育和环境胁迫应答的调控正在受到越来越多的关注。钙离子(Ca2+)是重要的第二信使,参与植物对多种胁迫的响应。该实验以谷子这种抗逆性较强的作物为材料,对其响应六价铬(Cr6+)胁迫过程中H2S和Ca2+信号的互作进行了研究。结果表明,Cr6+胁迫显著激活谷子幼苗的H2S产生系统,外源H2S预处理能明显降低Cr6+胁迫对谷子根尖细胞的损伤,而H2S的合成抑制剂羟胺(HA)预处理,使得Cr6+对谷子的毒害增强;进一步实验发现,H2S能激活Ca2+信号下游相关基因的表达,同时Ca2+能增强H2S的产生,表明在植物体内H2S和Ca2+信号存在复杂的联系。该研究也证明,H2S和Ca2+可以通过调节重金属离子转运蛋白增强谷子对Cr6+的耐受。     

H_2O_2-NOX系统：一种植物体内重要的发育调控与胁迫响应机制

以H2O2为中心的活性氧（reactive oxygen species,ROS）的产生是动植物发育与响应外界生物与非生物胁迫的普遍特征,其在生理和分子2个水平上调控植物的发育和对外界胁迫的响应,并与一系列信号转导过程相关联。作为关键的ROS产生酶,质膜NADPH氧化酶（plasma membrane NADPH oxidase,PM-NOX）在植物应对各种生物和非生物胁迫中具有重要作用,被广泛认为是胁迫条件下植物细胞ROS产生并积累的主要来源。该文简要综述了近年来人们在植物细胞ROS产生、清除、生理功能以及PM-NOX酶的结构特征与功能等方面的研究进展,并认为H2O2-NOX系统是一种植物体内普遍存在的重要发育调控与胁迫响应机制。     

大麦糊粉层细胞程序化死亡的调控

细胞程序化死亡存在于植物生长发育的各个阶段。本简要介绍了大麦糊粉层细胞程序化死亡和一些活性因子的调控作用。赤霉素(GA)促进离体大麦糊粉细胞或原生质体的程序化死亡,脱落酸(ABA)拮抗赤霉素的作用;H2O2能使GA处理的糊粉层细胞死亡加快;一氧化氮(NO)延缓糊粉层细胞死亡,起到抗氧化剂作用。     

水杨酸调控内源H_2S缓解黑大豆铝胁迫的作用机理研究

该研究以铝(Al)敏感型黑大豆(SB)根为实验材料,通过一系列生理生化和组织化学实验手段,探讨了水杨酸(SA)通过调控内源H_2S信号缓解铝胁迫的作用方式。结果表明:(1)AlCl_3处理黑大豆SB根系Al积累增加,AlCl_3与SA共处理能明显抑制Al在SB根系的累积,加入H_2S清除剂(HT)或H_2S合成抑制剂(PAG)后SB根系Al累积量增加。(2)SA使Al胁迫下黑大豆(SB)根内源H_2S水平增加1.5倍,并显著缓解Al胁迫导致的根生长抑制、活性氧(ROS)累积、氧化损伤和细胞死亡,共处理HT或PAG均能够显著降低内源H_2S水平,并可逆转上述所有SA对Al胁迫的缓解效应。(3)SA降低了Al胁迫下黑大豆(SB)根尖抗氧化酶CAT、SOD和APX活性,抑制SB根系细胞ROS的产生,用HT或PAG抑制H_2S信号可增强抗氧化酶活性。(4)在Al胁迫条件下,SA可进一步上调一系列耐Al基因的表达,包括外部解毒机制中的耐铝转录因子GmART1、柠檬酸合成酶基因GmCS、柠檬酸转运蛋白基因GmMATE,内部解毒机制中的苹果酸转运蛋白基因GmAlCT以及Al3+相关转运蛋白基因GmAlS1和GmNIP1;2,通过HT或PAG降低内源H_2S水平可逆转SA对上述基因表达的调控。(5)SA可提高Al胁迫下黑大豆(SB)根柠檬酸的分泌量,此效应亦可被HT或PAG抑制。研究发现,H_2S可作为SA的下游信号参与调控黑大豆(SB)响应Al胁迫的过程,为揭示植物Al耐受信号调控网络途径提供部分新的理论基础。     

植物盐胁迫应答蛋白质组学分析

土壤盐渍化是限制植物生长和分布的关键因素之一,揭示植物盐胁迫应答的分子机理是借助分子生物学手段提高植物耐盐性的基础.近年来,人们利用高通量蛋白质组学技术分析了拟南芥、水稻等19种植物的盐胁迫应答蛋白质表达图谱.从植物类群(盐生植物和甜土植物)、组织器官(根、地上部分/茎、胚根和胚轴、叶片、花序和配子体)、细胞(悬浮培养细胞、愈伤组织细胞和单细胞生物)和亚细胞结构(叶绿体、质膜和质外体)几方面整合分析了植物盐胁迫应答蛋白质组表达模式特征,主要特征包括:(1)盐生植物通过全面调节细胞骨架重塑、离子转运和区隔化、渗透平衡、活性氧(ROS)清除、信号转导、光合作用和能量代谢等信号与代谢网络体系,获得相对较高的抗/耐盐能力;(2)植物地上部分(叶片、茎、配子体)或光合组织细胞(悬浮培养细胞、愈伤组织细胞和单细胞盐藻)通过调节参与光合作用、碳和能量代谢、ROS清除过程蛋白质的表达模式应对盐胁迫环境;(3)植物地下部分(根、胚根)通过调控信号转导和离子转运相关蛋白质感知/传递盐胁迫信号并维持离子平衡;(4)花序中参与渗透调节、转录调控、蛋白质加工和ROS清除的蛋白质在盐胁迫条件下变化显著;(5)叶绿体通过调控参与光合作用、蛋白质加工和周转,以及氧化还原系统平衡等过程应对盐胁迫;(6)质外体中参与细胞壁代谢、胁迫防御和信号转导过程的蛋白质受盐胁迫影响明显;(7)细胞膜中参与维持膜结构稳定、物质/离子运输和信号转导过程的蛋白质对植物盐胁迫应答具有重要作用.这些分析为深入研究植物耐盐的分子机制提供了重要信息.     

Hydrogen peroxide-induced gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana

Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) is generated in plants after exposure to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses, and has been shown to induce a number of cellular responses. Previously, we showed that H(2)O(2) generated during plant-elicitor interactions acts as a signaling molecule to induce the expression of defense genes and initiate programmed cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana suspension cultures. Here, we report for the first time the identification by RNA differential display of four genes whose expression is induced by H(2)O(2). These include genes that have sequence homology to previously identified Arabidopsis genes encoding a late embryogenesis-abundant protein, a DNA-damage repair protein, and a serine/threonine kinase. Their putative roles in H(2)O(2)-induced defense responses are discussed.     

植物细胞活性氧种类、代谢及其信号转导

越来越明显的证据表明,植物体十分活跃的产生着活性氧并将之作为信号分子、进而控制着诸如细胞程序性死亡、非生物胁迫响应、病原体防御和系统信号等生命过程,而不仅是传统意义上的活性氧是有氧代谢的附产物。日益增多的证据显示,由脱落酸、水杨酸、茉莉酸与乙烯以及活性氧所调节的激素信号途径,在生物和非生物胁迫信号的“交谈”中起重要作用。活性氧最初被认为是动物吞噬细胞在宿主防御反应时所释放的附产物,现在的研究清楚的表明,活性氧在动物和植物细胞信号途径中均起作用。活性氧可以诱导细胞程序性死亡或坏死、可以诱导或抑制许多基因的表达,也可以激活上述级联信号。近来生物化学与遗传学研究证实过氧化氢是介导植物生物胁迫与非生物胁迫的信号分子,过氧化氢的合成与作用似乎与一氧化氮有关系。过氧化氢所调节的下游信号包括钙“动员”、蛋白磷酸化和基因表达等。     

Modeling of the MAPK machinery activation in response to various abiotic and biotic stresses in plants by a system biology approach

Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) cascade plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development, generating cellular responses to the extracellular stimuli. MAPKs cascade mainly consist of three sub-families i.e. mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), several cascades of which are activated by various abiotic and biotic stresses. In this work we have modeled the holistic molecular mechanisms essential to MAPKs activation in response to several abiotic and biotic stresses through a system biology approach and performed its simulation studies. As extent of abiotic and biotic stresses goes on increasing, the process of cell division, cell growth and cell differentiation slow down in time dependent manner. The models developed depict the combinatorial and multicomponent signaling triggered in response to several abiotic and biotic factors. These models can be used to predict behavior of cells in event of various stresses depending on their time and exposure through activation of complex signaling cascades.     

Hydrogen sulfide regulates abiotic stress tolerance and biotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important gaseous molecule in various plant developmental processes and plant stress responses. In this study, the transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants with modulated exp...     

Identification of three MAPKKKs forming a linear signaling pathway leading to programmed cell death in

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is an evolutionarily ancient mechanism of signal transduction found in eukaryotic cells. In plants, MAPK cascades are associated with responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses such as plant pathogens. MAPK cascades function through sequential phosphorylation: MAPK kinase kinases (MAPKKKs) phosphorylate MAPK kinases (MAPKKs), and phosphorylated MAPKKs phosphorylate MAPKs. Of these three types of kinase, the MAPKKKs exhibit the most divergence in the plant genome. Their great diversity is assumed to allow MAPKKKs to regulate many specific signaling pathways in plants despite the relatively limited number of MAPKKs and MAPKs. Although some plant MAPKKKs, including the MAPKKKalpha of Nicotiana benthamiana (NbMAPKKKalpha), are known to play crucial roles in plant defense responses, the functional relationship among MAPKKK genes is poorly understood. Here, we performed a comparative functional analysis of MAPKKKs to investigate the signaling pathway leading to the defense response. RESULTS: We cloned three novel MAPKKK genes from N. benthamiana: NbMAPKKKbeta, NbMAPKKKgamma, and NbMAPKKKepsilon2. Transient overexpression of full-length NbMAPKKKbeta or NbMAPKKKgamma or their kinase domains in N. benthamiana leaves induced hypersensitive response (HR)-like cell death associated with hydrogen peroxide production. This activity was dependent on the kinase activity of the overexpressed MAPKKK. In addition, virus-induced silencing of NbMAPKKKbeta or NbMAPKKKgamma expression significantly suppressed the induction of programmed cell death (PCD) by viral infection. Furthermore, in epistasis analysis of the functional relationships among NbMAPKKKbeta, NbMAPKKKgamma, and NbMAPKKKalpha (previously shown to be involved in plant defense responses) conducted by combining transient overexpression analysis and virus-induced gene silencing, silencing of NbMAPKKKalpha suppressed cell death induced by the overexpression of the NbMAPKKKbeta kinase domain or of NbMAPKKKgamma, but silencing of NbMAPKKKbeta failed to suppress cell death induced by the overexpression of NbMAPKKKalpha or NbMAPKKKgamma. Silencing of NbMAPKKKgamma suppressed cell death induced by the NbMAPKKKbeta kinase domain but not that induced by NbMAPKKKalpha. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that in addition to NbMAPKKKalpha, NbMAPKKKbeta and NbMAPKKKgamma also function as positive regulators of PCD. Furthermore, these three MAPKKKs form a linear signaling pathway leading to PCD; this pathway proceeds from NbMAPKKKbeta to NbMAPKKKgamma to NbMAPKKKalpha.     

The Arabidopsis BAP1 and BAP2 genes are general inhibitors of programmed cell death

Here we identify the BAP1 and BAP2 genes of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as general inhibitors of programmed cell death (PCD) across the kingdoms. These two homologous genes encode small proteins containing a calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding C2 domain. BAP1 and its functional partner BON1 have been shown to negatively regulate defense responses and a disease resistance gene SNC1. Genetic studies here reveal an overlapping function of the BAP1 and BAP2 genes in cell death control. The loss of BAP2 function induces accelerated hypersensitive responses but does not compromise plant growth or confer enhanced resistance to virulent bacterial or oomycete pathogens. The loss of both BAP1 and BAP2 confers seedling lethality mediated by PAD4 and EDS1, two regulators of cell death and defense responses. Overexpression of BAP1 or BAP2 with their partner BON1 inhibits PCD induced by pathogens, the proapoptotic gene BAX, and superoxide-generating paraquat in Arabidopsis or Nicotiana benthamiana. Moreover, expressing BAP1 or BAP2 in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) alleviates cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide. Thus, the BAP genes function as general negative regulators of PCD induced by biotic and abiotic stimuli including reactive oxygen species. The dual roles of BAP and BON genes in repressing defense responses mediated by disease resistance genes and in inhibiting general PCD has implications in understanding the evolution of plant innate immunity.     

The Arabidopsis peptide kiss of death is an inducer of programmed cell death

Programmed cell death (PCD) has a key role in defence and development of all multicellular organisms. In plants, there is a large gap in our knowledge of the molecular machinery involved at the various stages of PCD, especially the early steps. Here, we identify kiss of death (KOD) encoding a 25-amino-acid peptide that activates a PCD pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. Two mutant alleles of KOD exhibited a reduced PCD of the suspensor, a single file of cells that support embryo development, and a reduced PCD of root hairs after a 55°C heat shock. KOD expression was found to be inducible by biotic and abiotic stresses. Furthermore, KOD expression was sufficient to cause death in leaves or seedlings and to activate caspase-like activities. In addition, KOD-induced PCD required light in leaves and was repressed by the PCD-suppressor genes AtBax inhibitor 1 and p35. KOD expression resulted in depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane, placing KOD above mitochondria dysfunction, an early step in plant PCD. A KOD∷GFP fusion, however, localized in the cytosol of cells and not mitochondria.     

A plant alternative to animal caspases: subtilisin-like proteases

Activities displaying caspase cleavage specificity have been well documented in various plant programmed cell death (PCD) models. However, plant genome analyses have not revealed clear orthologues of caspase genes, indicating that enzyme(s) structurally unrelated yet possessing caspase specificity have functions in plant PCD. Here, we review recent data showing that some caspase-like activities are attributable to the plant subtilisin-like proteases, saspases and phytaspases. These proteases hydrolyze a range of tetrapeptide caspase substrates following the aspartate residue. Data obtained with saspases implicate them in the proteolytic degradation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) during biotic and abiotic PCD, whereas phytaspase overproducing and silenced transgenics provide evidence that phytaspase regulates PCD during both abiotic (oxidative and osmotic stresses) and biotic (virus infection) insults. Like caspases, phytaspases and saspases are synthesized as proenzymes, which are autocatalytically processed to generate a mature enzyme. However, unlike caspases, phytaspases and saspases appear to be constitutively processed and secreted from healthy plant cells into the intercellular space. Apoplastic localization presumably prevents enzyme-mediated protein fragmentation in the absence of PCD. In response to death-inducing stimuli, phytaspase has been shown to re-localize to the cell interior. Thus, plant PCD-related proteases display both common (D-specific protein fragmentation during PCD) and distinct (enzyme structure and activity regulation) features with animal PCD-related proteases.