拟南芥原生质体瞬时表达快速验证重组酶外源基因删除

通过在拟南芥原生质体中瞬时表达重组酶删除系统,以拟南芥热激蛋白Hsp18.2基因的启动子诱导加入马铃薯StLs1基因第2个内含子的重组酶表达,证明瞬时转化质粒DNA中位于识别位点之间的基因元件可以被有效删除。建立了一种快速验证重组酶外源基因删除系统的方法。     

蝴蝶兰几丁质酶基因的克隆及表达特性分析

利用RT-PCR及RACE技术,克隆到蝴蝶兰1个几丁质酶基因PhCHT(GenBank登录号为KT992851),该基因cDNA全长1 210bp,包含37bp的5′-UTR、933bp开放阅读框和240bp 3′-UTR,编码310个氨基酸;该蛋白为糖苷水解酶第19家族成员,兼具有溶菌酶活性;生物信息学分析显示,该蛋白具N-端信号肽和跨膜结构,为胞外分泌蛋白;该蛋白与海枣、谷子、油棕和拟南芥的几丁质酶类似蛋白相近,并且在系统进化树上与甘蔗和陆地棉的Ⅶ类几丁质酶同属一个分支。PhCHT基因的表达分析表明,PhCHT在蝴蝶兰营养器官和生殖器官中均有表达,根中表达量最高;13℃/8℃低温处理3、6、9和15d时该基因的表达被抑制,4℃低温处理1、2和4h表达量升高。研究表明,PhCHT基因能够响应短期的冷胁迫。研究结果为进一步研究蝴蝶兰几丁质酶的系统进化及抗性育种奠定了基础。     

甜瓜海藻糖-6-磷酸合成酶基因鉴定及表达

为了明确甜瓜海藻糖-6-磷酸合成酶基因(CmTPS)家族信息及对逆境信号的响应,该研究采用生物信息学方法,通过拟南芥TPS家族基因与甜瓜基因组数据库比对,从甜瓜基因组中共鉴定出7个海藻糖-6-磷酸合成酶基因,按照其在染色体上的位置分别命名为CmTPS1~7。系统进化分析结果显示,CmTPS4和CmTPS7为第1类,二者均含有16个内含子,推测其编码产物均具有海藻糖-6-磷酸合成酶(TPS)活性;其余5个CmTPS基因归为第2类,分别含有2~4个内含子;在这7个甜瓜TPS中,除CmTPS3只有TPS结构域外,其余CmTPS都含有TPS、TPP及UDP-forming结构域;蛋白序列比对结果显示,甜瓜TPS家族各成员间相似性较低(15.90%~57.31%);亚细胞定位预测表明,CmTPS1、CmTPS2和CmTPS6定位在细胞核内,其余4个CmTPS定位在细胞质内。qRTPCR表达分析表明,低温胁迫下甜瓜叶片可能以CmTPS4为主要的TPS编码基因;CmTPS基因家族对盐胁迫较为敏感,同时在ABA信号传递中起调控作用。这为进一步研究甜瓜TPS基因家族奠定了基础。     

双翅目昆虫与脊椎动物内含子丢失和获得的比较分析

内含子插入和丢失的进化动力及机制尚存有许多疑问。我们拟通过对真核生物的604个同源基因的蛋白高度保守区域内含子-外显子的结构研究, 对人Homo sapiens、大鼠Rattus norvegicus、小鼠Mus musculus、黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster、冈比亚按蚊Anopheles gambiae和拟南芥Arabidopsis thaliana中的12 585个内含子、3 074个保守内含子进行分析, 推断出不同系统中内含子进化趋势。结果显示在进化中双翅目昆虫丢失了约850多个内含子, 脊椎动物获得了1 600多个内含子, 而双翅目昆虫获得的内含子及脊椎动物丢失的内含子则较少。在内含子分布上, 除酵母有明显5′末端倾向性外, 双翅目昆虫也显示出内含子分布倾向于基因的5′端, 而在脊椎动物及拟南芥中则没有这种分布的倾向性。这可能是由于双翅目昆虫丢失的内含子大多位于基因的3′端造成的。通过对现在脊椎动物内含子分布及获得的内含子的插入相的研究, 发现内含子的获得可能在一定程度上导致了现存基因的内含子中插入相0的内含子最多这一倾向。     

黑芥子酶基因pyk10根特异启动子在番茄中的验证

黑芥子酶是一类催化芥子油苷水解的同工酶,pyk10是一个在拟南芥根和下胚轴中特异表达的黑芥子酶基因.从拟南芥Columbia生态型基因组中克隆的长度为1 450 bp的pykl0基因启动子片段,以gus基因为报告基因构建了植物表达载体pPykG.通过农杆菌介导法,将pykl0的根特异表达启动子以及gus基因转入了番茄中蔬6号,经PCR检测,转化植株中扩增出pyk10启动子特异性条带.组织化学法检测及定量分析,显示pyk10启动子驱动gus基因在番茄的根部特定表达.     

拟南芥抗旱转录因子CBF4基因区域的核苷酸多样性及其分子进化分析

以生长于不同气候条件下的17个拟南芥核心生态型为材料,分析了它们的抗旱转录因子CBF4基因区域的序列多态性。结果表明：拟南芥CBF4基因区域具有高密度的单核苷酸多态性(SNP)和插入缺失(Indel),多态性频率为每35．8bp一个SNP,每143bp一个Indel,基因非编码区的多态性是编码区的4倍;在编码区,SNP的频率为每96．4bp一个SNP,其中发现25av、203av和244av 3个生态型CBF4基因区域1034位(以Gen—Bank登录号AB015478序列第19696位的核苷酸为1)碱基变化：G←→T,引起第205位氨基酸变化：gly←→val。核苷酸多样性统计分析显示,该基因内部大范围内存在连锁不平衡(linkage disequilibrium,LD),5’端非编码区有一个重组。与拟南芥等的研究结果类似,选择压力对不同的区域作用不同。3’端非编码区核苷酸多样性程度最高,是平衡性选择的结果,编码区核苷酸变化符合中性突变假说,而5’端非编码区是自然选择作用的靶位点。     

在转基因水稻植株中蜡质基因第1内含子对基因表达影响的分析

为阐明水稻Wx基因第1内含子在整体植株的胚乳发育阶段是否确有增强基因表达的功能,以及弄清高和中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种Wx基因第1内含子126个碱基之间有差异的16个碱基中哪几个碱基了该内含子的正常剪接从而降低了基因的表达水平,我们分别用高直链淀粉含量品种的Wx基因翻译起始密码子ATG上游3．1和2．1kb片段与GUS基因编码区融合构建成嵌合质粒,并在此基础上（1）去除嵌合质粒中Wx基因的第1内含子;（2）将嵌合质粒Wx基因的第1内含子中（3．1kb)与中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种Wx基因第1内含子有差异的6个碱基以中,低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种的碱基替换。将上述改造过的几种质粒分别转化粳稻品种中花11,测定转化植株未成熟种子胚乳中的GUS活性。结果表明第1内含子的缺失或此内含子的5′端剪接点上的碱基G以T替换均造成GUS活性的急剧下降,说明第1内含子在植株体内的确有增强基因表达的功能,而且在中、低直链淀粉含量的水稻品种中Wx基因第1内含子5′端剪接点上自然存在的G→T突变是造成这些品种中该内含子剪接不正常,从而使Wx基因表达水平和直链淀粉含量下降的主要原因。     

盐芥ICE1转录因子的克隆及生物信息学分析

ICE1基因编码一个MYB类型的碱性螺旋-环-螺旋(bHLH)转录因子,在冷胁迫条件下调节CBF基因的表达,能够提高植物抗寒性。利用盐芥5′EST序列和拟南芥ICE13′UTR保守序列设计引物,从盐芥基因组中克隆得到了1个2525bp的基因xhICE。生物信息学分析,表明该基因具有4个外显子,4个内含子,外显子/内含子边界符合经典的GT-AG规则。由此推导的cDNA包含一个1500bp的开放阅读框,编码500个氨基酸。与拟南芥ICE1相比,二者的内含子具有相同的类型和相对保守的位置,在核酸水平与氨基酸水平高度同源,并且具有相同的bHLH结构域。以上分析都表明,xhICE基因可能是盐芥ICE1基因,涉及抗寒相关的CBF转录调控途径。     

Col生态型拟南芥AP3基因启动子克隆及植物表达载体构建

隶属于MADS-Box基因家族的拟南芥花器官B类特征基因APETALA3 (AP3)在花瓣和雄蕊中特异性地表达;AP3基因编码转录因子,与A类和C类特征基因协同作用控制双子叶植物花瓣和雄蕊的发育.研究表明AP3基因启动子为花特异表达启动子.因此,AP3基因启动子的克隆及功能鉴定对于园林植物与花相关的商业性状的定向改良具有重要作用.本文根据GenBank数据库报道的Ler生态型拟南芥(Arabido-psis thaliana) AP3基因启动子序列(U30729)设计了一对特异性扩增引物,基于PCR技术,用高保真的KOD-plus DNA聚合酶扩增了长度为1 767 bp的Col生态型拟南芥AP3基因启动子,并命名为pAtAP3,其GenBank登录号为FJ619533.Bl2seq在线分析表明pAtAP3与U30729序列的相似性达98%,与Col生态型拟南芥BAC克隆T12E18 (AL132971) 9 264～11 030之间的碱基序列相似性达100%,且该段序列的下游基因编码AP3蛋白(CAB81799),说明克隆序列为Col生态型拟南芥AP3基因的启动子.PLACE在线分析表明pAtAP3具有基本的启动子元件TATA-box和CAAT-box,还包含大量与花特异表达相关的顺式元件CArG1、CArG2、CArG3和anther-box等.本试验进一步构建了植物表达载体pAtAP3::GUS,为该启动子的功能鉴定奠定了基础.     

柠条锦鸡儿香豆酸-3-羟化酶基因克隆及其功能初步研究

香豆酸-3-羟化酶(Coumarate 3-Hydroxylase,C3H)是木质素生物合成途径中的关键酶之一.以柠条锦鸡儿为材料,利用RACE技术克隆了C3H基因.对柠条锦鸡儿C3H基因的gDNA和cDNA全长分析显示该基因具有3个外显子,2个内含子,编码框长度为1530bp,编码509个氨基酸.预测该基因编码蛋白的等电点位7.67,分子量约57.61 kDa.氨基酸序列分析显示具有一个保守的P450结构域.系统进化分析表明该蛋白与大豆C3H具有最高的同源性,将该基因命名为CkC3H,GeneBank登录号为HQ829858.构建了35S启动子驱动的CkC3H基因植物表达载体,互补拟南芥C3H(CYP98A3)基因突变体ref8,转基因植物表型得以部分恢复.这些结果说明柠条锦鸡儿CkC3H与拟南芥C3H至少具有部分相同的功能.     

The myrosinase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana: gene organization,expression and evolution

Myrosinase (thioglucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.3.1.) is in Brassicaceae species such as Brassica napus and Sinapis alba encoded by two differentially expressed gene families, MA and MB, consisting of about 4 and 10 genes, respectively. Southern blot analysis showed that Arabidopsis thaliana contains three myrosinase genes. These genes were isolated from a genomic library and two of them, TGG1 and TGG2, were sequenced. They were found to be located in an inverted mode with their 3 ends 4.4 kb apart. Their organization was highly conserved with 12 exons and 11 short introns. Comparison of nucleotide sequences of TGG1 and TGG2 exons revealed an overall 75% similarity. In contrast, the overall nucleotide sequence similarity in introns was only 42%. In intron 1 the unusual 5 splice border GC was used. Phylogenetic analyses using both distance matrix and parsimony programs suggested that the Arabidopsis genes could not be grouped with either MA or MB genes. Consequently, these two gene families arose only after Arabidopsis had diverged from the other Brassicaceae species. In situ hybridization experiments showed that TGG1 and TGG2 expressing cells are present in leaf, sepal, petal, and gynoecium. In developing seeds, a few cells reacting with the TGG1 probe, but not with the TGG2 probe, were found indicating a partly different expression of these genes.     

Linkage map of two HLA-SB beta and two HLA-SB alpha-related genes: an intron in one of the SB beta genes contains a processed pseudogene

Three overlapping cosmid clones contain coding sequences for four HLA Class II genes, provisionally identified as two HLA-SB alpha and two HLA-SB beta genes. The genes are in the order beta, alpha, beta, alpha, inverted with respect to each other. One of the SB beta genes contains a 513 bp sequence that appears to be a processed pseudogene, flanked by direct 17 bp repeat sequences, in the intron upstream of the beta 1 exon. The pseudogene is homologous to a family of sequences of approximately 25-40 members, most of which are not on chromosome 6. A cDNA clone, highly homologous to the pseudogene, except for its 5' end, contains a normal poly(A) addition site and a poly(A) tail. The cDNA clone is homologous to a single-copy gene in both man and mouse, encoded on human chromosome 15. A search of published DNA sequences identified a mouse sequence, with about 77% similarity to the pseudogene sequence, in the negative strand of an intron in a mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene. The second SB beta gene does not contain the pseudogene sequence.     

Guard cell- and phloem idioblast-specific expression of thioglucoside glucohydrolase 1 (myrosinase) in Arabidopsis

Thioglucoside glucohydrolase 1 (TGG1) is one of two known functional myrosinase enzymes in Arabidopsis. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucosinolates into compounds that are toxic to various microbes and herbivores. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying beta-glucuronidase and green fluorescent protein reporter genes fused to 0.5 or 2.5 kb of the TGG1 promoter region were used to study spatial promoter activity. Promoter activity was found to be highly specific and restricted to guard cells and distinct cells of the phloem. No promoter activity was detected in the root or seed. All guard cells show promoter activity. Positive phloem cells are distributed in a discontinuous pattern and occur more frequent in young tissues. Immunocytochemical localization of myrosinase in transverse and longitudinal sections of embedded material show that the TGG1 promoter activity reflects the position of the myrosinase enzyme. In the flower stalk, the myrosinase-containing phloem cells are located between phloem sieve elements and glucosinolate-rich S cells. Our results suggest a cellular separation of myrosinase enzyme and glucosinolate substrate, and that myrosinase is contained in distinct cells. We discuss the potential advantages of locating defense and communication systems to only a few specific cell types.     

Two gene families clustered in a small region of the Drosophila genome

Three Drosophila genes that are clustered within 8 X 10(3) bases of DNA at the chromosomal region 44D have been identified and mapped, and the gene cluster entirely sequenced. The three genes are 55 to 60% homologous in DNA sequence. One gene contains an intron in its 5'-proximal protein coding sequence while the other two have none at this position; similarly, another gene has an intron in its 3'-proximal protein coding sequence which is not found in the other genes. All three genes are abundantly expressed together in Drosophila first, second, and early third instar larval stages and in adults, but they are not abundantly expressed in either embryonic, late third instar larval, or pupal stages. This gene family lies 11 X 10(3) bases away from another cluster containing four Drosophila larval cuticle protein genes plus a pseudogene. The cuticle genes are all abundantly expressed throughout third instar larval development. Thus, at least seven protein-coding genes and one pseudogene lie within 27 X 10(3) bases of DNA. Moreover, two small gene families can lie adjacent on a chromosome and exhibit different patterns of developmental regulation, even though individual genes within each clustered family are co-ordinately expressed.     

Repetitive nucleotide sequence insertions into a novel calmodulin-related gene and its processed pseudogene

A gene containing a transposon-like human repeat element, called THE 1, has been isolated and characterized. The gene, termed T+, encodes a polypeptide resembling known calcium-binding proteins. The THE 1 element is present in the 3'-untranslated region of its message. The cDNA clone corresponding to the gene's mRNA product led to the identification of this gene. A processed RNA pseudogene related to the authentic gene has also been isolated. In addition to intron processing, this pseudogene differs from the gene in that it contains an interspersed Alu repeat instead of a THE 1 element in the 3'-untranslated region. Thus, we compare a site containing a THE 1 element to an ancestrally related transposon-less target site. The comparison suggests a retroviral-related mechanism of THE 1 insertion. This system is unusual in that the parent gene is associated with three distinct retrotransposition events: the parent gene was converted to a processed RNA pseudogene, an Alu repeat inserted into the pseudogene, and a THE 1 element inserted into the parent gene.     

Arabidopsis myrosinases TGG1 and TGG2 have redundant function in glucosinolate breakdown and insect defense

In Arabidopsis and other Brassicaceae, the enzyme myrosinase (beta-thioglucoside glucohydrolase, TGG) degrades glucosinolates to produce toxins that deter herbivory. A broadly applicable selection for meiotic recombination between tightly linked T-DNA insertions was developed to generate Arabidopsis tgg1tgg2 double mutants and study myrosinase function. Glucosinolate breakdown in crushed leaves of tgg1 or tgg2 single mutants was comparable to that of wild-type, indicating redundant enzyme function. In contrast, leaf extracts of tgg1tgg2 double mutants had undetectable myrosinase activity in vitro, and damage-induced breakdown of endogenous glucosinolates was apparently absent for aliphatic and greatly slowed for indole glucosinolates. Maturing leaves of myrosinase mutants had significantly increased glucosinolate levels. However, developmental decreases in glucosinolate content during senescence and germination were unaffected, showing that these processes occur independently of TGG1 and TGG2. Insect herbivores with different host plant preferences and feeding styles varied in their responses to myrosinase mutations. Weight gain of two Lepidoptera, the generalist Trichoplusia ni and the facultative Solanaceae-specialist Manduca sexta, was significantly increased on tgg1tgg2 double mutants. Two crucifer-specialist Lepidoptera had differing responses. Whereas Plutella xylostella was unaffected by myrosinase mutations, Pieris rapae performed better on wild-type, perhaps due to reduced feeding stimulants in tgg1tgg2 mutants. Reproduction of two Homoptera, Myzus persicae and Brevicoryne brassicae, was unaffected by myrosinase mutations.