胁迫诱导型启动子在植物抗逆基因工程中的应用

在抗逆基因工程中,大多采用的是组成型表达启动子,组成型表达启动子驱动外源抗逆基因表达虽然可以提高转基因植物的抗逆性,但会导致转基因植株生长迟缓或不育;而胁迫诱导型启动子则可提高转基因植物的抗逆性,不影响其正常生长发育,所以,胁迫诱导型启动子已逐渐用于植物抗逆基因工程。本文介绍不同胁迫诱导型启动子在植物抗逆基因工程中的应用。     

转铜/锌超氧化物歧化酶和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因甘薯的耐旱性

水分胁迫使转铜／锌超氧化物歧化酶基因（Cu／Zn SOD）和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因（APX）甘薯及未转基因甘薯中超氧阴离子（O2^-）、过氧化氢（H2O2）、丙二醛（MDA）含量和细胞膜相对透性增加,在相同条件下以上指标均为转基因甘薯低于未转基因甘薯;而叶片含水量、净光合速率（Pn）和气孔导度（Gs）均下降,SOD和APX酶活性随胁迫程度的加重先增大后减小,胞间CO2浓度（Ci）则先减小后增大,在相同条件下转基因甘薯中以上指标均高于未转基因甘薯。这些结果表明：转入Cu／Zn SOD和APX基因使转基因甘薯清除活性氧的能力增强,在水分胁迫下能保持较高的叶片含水量和Pn,耐旱性得到提高。     

高等植物胁迫诱导型启动子的研究进展

逆境胁迫严重影响植物生长发育,降低作物产量。目前在植物抗逆基因工程中,大多使用组成型启动子驱动目的基因表达,组成型启动子的表达虽然能提高转基因植株的抗逆性,但持续过量地表达转化的外源基因有时会阻碍植物的生长且降低其产量。因此,诱导型启动子的研究具有重要的应用价值。该文对近年来植物在逆境胁迫处理下,一些诱导型启动子的种类和功能,可能具有的顺式作用元件,反式作用因子及其研究方法进行了综述。     

Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因转化马铃薯的研究

为获得抗旱性强、生长正常的转基因马铃薯植株,以野生拟南芥生态型(Col-0)为材料,利用PCR和DNA重组技术,克隆了拟南芥Rd29A(responsive to dehydration)基因ATG上游+83bp至-1 441bp共1 524bp的启动子区域,其DNA序列与已知拟南芥Rd29A 5'端启动子序列同源性为100%;构建了Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因表达的植物表达载体pCHFRd-CDPK1。以马铃薯品种‘费乌瑞它’的试管微型薯为材料,利用农杆菌介导法,将构建成功的pCHFRd-CDPK1载体转入马铃薯中,经筛选与植株再生,获得抗性再生植株。通过PCR和Southern blot检测显示,Rd29A启动子驱动的AtCDPK1基因已整合在马铃薯的基因组中。利用PEG模拟干旱胁迫后,经RT-PCR分析证实,当用20%的PEG胁迫转基因马铃薯植株时,Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因表达的转基因马铃薯各个株系中AtCDPK1基因表达量明显增强,而在无胁迫的条件下,植株中AtCDPK1基因基本不表达;同时发现35S控制AtCDPK1转基因植株在PEG胁迫前后,基因转录未见明显差异。形态学观察还表明,在30%PEG胁迫下,转基因植株能正常生长,其长势优于未转基因的对照,且对照植株略有萎焉。该结果可为进一步利用逆境诱导型启动子驱动抗逆基因在农作物中的表达研究及其遗传改良提供依据。     

植物逆境相关启动子及功能

启动子是调控基因表达的重要顺式元件, 在植物基因表达调控过程中起着重要作用。目前植物抗逆基因工程中, 人们大多使用组成型表达启动子驱动目的基因的表达。组成型表达启动子虽然能提高转基因植株的抗逆性, 但是其持续过量地表达转化的外源基因会阻碍植物的生长且减少其产量。因此, 只在胁迫条件下才会驱动外源基因表达的诱导型启动子的研究显得尤其重要, 已成为目前研究的热点。文章综述了受非生物逆境和生物逆境胁迫诱导的植物基因启动子的种类和功能, 并展望了植物逆境诱导启动子的研究方向和前景。     

盐胁迫过程中抗坏血酸对植物的保护功能

以拟南芥抗坏血酸突变体 vtc- 1 和野生型 wt 为材料 ,研究了抗氧化系统对盐胁迫的响应机制 ,以揭示抗坏血酸 ASA 的抗氧化机理及对植物的保护功能 .结果显示 :10 0 mm ol/ L Na Cl处理 12、2 4、4 8、72 h,vtc- 1和 wt体内 MDA 丙二醛 及 H2 O2 过氧化氢 的含量均明显增加 ,但 vtc- 1增加的程度明显高于 wt,说明盐胁迫可能对vtc- 1造成了更严重的氧化伤害 .胁迫过程中 ,wt体内的几种抗氧化酶 [超氧化物歧化酶 SOD 、过氧化氢酶 CAT 、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶 APX ]活性均升高 ,而 vtc- 1体内 SOD、CAT活性降低 ,APX活性在胁迫 2 4 h之前增加 ,2 4 h之后降低 ;同时 ,vtc- 1中总的抗坏血酸含量和还原型谷胱甘肽 /氧化型谷胱甘肽 GSH/ GSSG 的比值下降 ,而 wt与此相反 .本研究表明 :抗坏血酸参与活性氧 AOS 的代谢 ,减轻 AOS对植物的伤害 ;并可能对植物细胞内的抗氧化酶具有调节作用 ,增强逆境胁迫下植物的抗逆能力 ,对植物有重要的生物学保护功能     

盐胁迫过程中抗坏血酸对植物的保护功能

以拟南芥抗坏血酸突变体(υtc-1)和野生型(ωt)为材料,研究了抗氧化系统对盐胁迫的响应机制．以揭示抗坏血酸(ASA)的抗氧化机理及对植物的保护功能。结果显示：100mmol／L NaCl处理12、24、48、72h,υtc-1和ωt体内MDA(丙二醛)及H2O2(过氧化氢)的含量均明显增加,但υtc-1增加的程度明显高于ωt,说明盐胁迫可能对υtc-1造成了更严重的氧化伤害。胁迫过程中,ωt体内的几种抗氧化酶[超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)]活性均升高,而υtc-1体内SOD、CAT活性降低,APX活性在胁迫24h之前增加,24h之后降低;同时,υtc-1中总的抗坏血酸含量和还原型谷胱甘肽／氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSH／GSSG)的比值下降,而ωt与此相反。本研究表明：抗坏血酸参与活性氧(AOS)的代谢,减轻AOS对植物的伤害;并可能对植物细胞内的抗氧化酶具有调节作用,增强逆境胁迫下植物的抗逆能力,对植物有重要的生物学保护功能。     

鸡冠花幼苗热胁迫耐性与其SOD之间的关联

为探讨鸡冠花热胁迫耐性与其SOD之间的关联,选用耐热品种Variety-Centrury Green 10叶期幼苗为试材,用二乙基二硫代氨基甲酸钠(DDTC)进行48 h预处理,之后在45℃人工培养箱中进行热胁迫处理,观察其外观形态.结果表明,20 mmol/L DDTC预处理显著抑制叶片SOD活性,明显减弱鸡冠花的热胁迫耐性,表现为幼苗热胁迫耐受时间显著缩短,弯颈、死亡率明显提高.在自然状态下,叶片中有1种MnSOD、1种Cu/ZnSOD和3种FeSOD;迁移率大小依次为Cu/ZnSODFeSODMnSOD;谱带强弱依次为FesOD>Cu/znSOD>MnSOD.经热胁迫处理后,各种SOD同工酶条带亮度均呈现不同程度的增强—减弱的变化趋势,并诱导产生了1条新的Cu/Zn-SOD条带,与此同时MnSOD条带最先消失.由此推测,鸡冠花品种间耐热性差异与其SOD活性相关,与胁迫强度相对应,同时也与Cu/ZnSOD2的诱导产生相关联. 表现为幼苗热胁迫耐受时间显著缩短,弯颈、死亡率明显提高.在自然状态下,叶片中有1种MnSOD、1种Cu/ZnSOD和3种FeSOD;迁移率大小依次为Cu/ZnSODFeSODMnSO ;谱带强弱依次为FesOD>Cu/znSOD>MnSOD.经热胁迫处理后,各种SOD同工酶条带亮度均呈现不同程度的增强一减弱的变化趋势,并诱导产生了1条新的Cu/Zn-SOD条带,与此同时MnSOD条带最先消失.由此推测,鸡冠花品种间耐热性差异与其SOD活性相关,与胁迫强度相对应,同时也与Cu/ZnSOD2的诱导产生     

LeERF2基因对旱稻耐盐性的影响

采用T2代转LeERF2基因旱稻(旱297)为材料,研究分蘖期盐胁迫下植株光合性能和生理反应.结果表明,50 mM NaCl胁迫条件下,转基因植株(T)和野生型对照(WT)的各项光合参数差异不明显,但在100 mM NaCl胁迫条件下,转基因植株仍能维持较高的光合速率和气孔导度.随着NaCl胁迫浓度增加,野生型旱稻和转基因旱稻植株叶片SOD活性增加幅度加大,但都表现为转基因植株增幅更明显,而MDA含量则表现为野生型植株增幅更明显,表明LeERF2基因增强了旱稻盐胁迫下抗氧化能力,提高了耐盐性,能维持较高光合速率.     

干旱胁迫下转基因甘薯块根膨大期水分利用效率和生理代谢特征

以转Cu/Zn-SOD和APX基因及其非转基因甘薯进行盆栽试验,在甘薯块根膨大期进行正常供水(田间最大持水量的80%)、中度缺水(田间最大持水量的60%)和重度缺水(田间最大持水量的40%)3种水分处理,分别测定转基因植株和对照植株在薯块膨大期的第20天和第70天的抗氧化酶系统、可溶性糖含量、光合系统之间的差异,以及在不同水分胁迫处理下产量和水分利用效率之间的差异。以此研究外源基因的超表达是否可以提高甘薯的产量及水分利用效率。结果显示:(1)转基因甘薯(TS)的SOD、APX活性以及可溶性糖含量均高于非转基因对照株(NT),但POD活性低于NT;TS和NT植株的APX活性、可溶性糖含量、净光合速率以及蒸腾速率均随干旱胁迫加重呈递减趋势。(2)干旱胁迫70d时,TS和NT植株光合参数均较胁迫20d时降低,且TS和NT间的净光合速率没有明显差异。(3)TS和NT两株系的块根产量在中度胁迫下最高而在重度胁迫下最低,而TS具有较高的块根产量且在重度胁迫下产量降低幅度较小。(4)TS的气孔导度和蒸腾速率显著低于NT,且TS的水分利用效率较NT更高。研究表明,Cu/Zn-SOD和APX基因可以显著增加干旱胁迫下甘薯块根膨大期的SOD、APX活性和可溶性糖含量,提高其水分利用效率,从而减轻干旱胁迫对产量的影响。     

Stress-induced expression of choline oxidase in potato plant chloroplasts confers enhanced tolerance to oxidative, salt, and drought stresses

Transgenic potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Superior) with the ability to synthesize glycinebetaine (GB) in chloroplasts (referred to as SC plants) were developed via the introduction of the bacterial choline oxidase (codA) gene under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter. SC1 and SC2 plants were selected via the evaluation of methyl viologen (MV)-mediated oxidative stress tolerance, using leaf discs for further characterization. The GB contents in the leaves of SC1 and SC2 plants following MV treatment were found to be 0.9 and 1.43 μmol/g fresh weight by HPLC analysis, respectively. In addition to reduced membrane damage after oxidative stress, the SC plants evidenced enhanced tolerance to NaCl and drought stress on the whole plant level. When the SC plants were subjected to two weeks of 150 mM NaCl stress, the photosynthetic activity of the SC1 and SC2 plants was attenuated by 38 and 27%, respectively, whereas that of non-transgenic (NT) plants was decreased by 58%. Under drought stress conditions, the SC plants maintained higher water contents and accumulated higher levels of vegetative biomass than was observed in the NT plants. These results indicate that stress-induced GB production in the chloroplasts of GB non-accumulating plants may prove useful in the development of industrial transgenic plants with increased tolerance to a variety of environmental stresses for sustainable agriculture applications.     

Enhanced tolerance of transgenic sweetpotato plants that express both CuZnSOD and APX in chloroplasts to methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress and chilling

Oxidative stress is one of the major factors causing injury to plants exposed to environmental stress. Transgenic sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv. Yulmi] plants with an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses were developed by expressing the genes of both CuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter in the chloroplasts of sweetpotato plants (referred to as SSA plants). SSA plants were successfully generated by the particle bombardment method and confirmed by PCR analysis. When leaf discs of SSA plants were subjected to 5 μM methyl viologen (MV), they showed approximately 45% less damage than non-transformed (NT) plants. When 200 μM MV was sprayed onto the whole plants, SSA plants showed a significant reduction in visible damage compared to leaves of NT plants, which were almost destroyed. The expression of the introduced CuZnSOD and APX genes in leaves of SSA plants following MV treatment was significantly induced, thereby reflecting increased levels of SOD and APX in the chloroplasts. APX activity in chloroplast fractions isolated from SSA plants was approximately 15-fold higher than that in their counterparts from NT plants. SSA plants treated with a chilling stress consisting of 4°C for 24 h exhibited an attenuated decrease in photosynthetic activity (Fv/Fm) relative to NT plants; furthermore, after 12 h of recovery following chilling, the Fv/Fm of SSA plants almost fully recovered to the initial levels, whereas NT plants remained at a lower level of Fv/Fm activity. These results suggest that SSA plants would be a useful plant crop for commercial cultivation under unfavorable growth conditions. In addition, the manipulation of the antioxidative mechanism in chloroplasts can be applied to the development of various other transgenic crops with an increased tolerance to multiple environmental stresses.     

Enhanced stress-tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants expressing a human dehydroascorbate reductase gene

To analyze the physiological role of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) catalyzing the reduction of DHA to ascorbate in environmental stress adaptation, T1 transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) plants expressing a human DHAR gene in chloroplasts were biochemically characterized and tested for responses to various stresses. Fully expanded leaves of transgenic plants had about 2.29 times higher DHAR activity (units/g fresh wt) than non-transgenic (NT) plants. Interestingly, transgenic plants also showed a 1.43 times higher glutathione reductase activity than NT plants. As a result, the ratio of AsA/DHA was changed from 0.21 to 0.48, even though total ascorbate content was not significantly changed. When tobacco leaf discs were subjected to methyl viologen (MV) at 5 mumol/L and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at 200 mmol/L, transgenic plants showed about a 40% and 25% reduction in membrane damage relative to NT plants, respectively. Furthermore, transgenic seedlings showed enhanced tolerance to low temperature (15 degrees C) and NaCl (100 mmol/L) compared to NT plants. These results suggest that a human derived DHAR properly works for the protection against oxidative stress in plants.     

Overexpression of 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin enhances tolerance to methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress and high temperature in potato plants

Oxidative stress is one of the major causative factors for injury to plants exposed to environmental stresses. Plants have developed diverse defense mechanisms for scavenging oxidative stress-inducing molecules. The antioxidative enzyme 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin (2-Cys Prx) removes peroxides and protects the photosynthetic membrane from oxidative damage. In this study, transgenic potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Atlantic) expressing At2-Cys Prx under control of the oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter or enhanced CaMV 35S promoter (referred to as SP and EP plants, respectively) was generated using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The transgenic plants were tested for tolerance to stress. Following treatment with 3 μM methyl viologen (MV), leaf discs from SP and EP plants showed approximately 33 and 15% less damage than non-transformed (NT) plants. When 300 μM MV was sprayed onto whole plants, the photosynthetic activity of SP plants decreased by 25%, whereas that of NT plants decreased by 60%. In addition, SP plants showed enhanced tolerance to high temperature at 42 °C. After treatment at high temperature, the photosynthetic activity of SP plants decreased by about 7% compared to plants grown at 25 °C, whereas it declined by 31% in NT plants. These results indicate that transgenic potato can efficiently regulate oxidative stress from various environmental stresses via overexpression of At2-Cys Prx under control of the stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter.     

Enhanced tolerance to methyl viologen‐induced oxidative stress and high temperature in transgenic potato plants overexpressing the CuZnSOD,APX and NDPK2 genes

Oxidative stress is a major threat for plants exposed to various environmental stresses. Previous studies found that transgenic potato plants expressing both copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (referred to as SSA plants), or nucleoside diphosphate kinase 2 (NDPK2) (SN plants), showed enhanced tolerance to methyl viologen (MV)‐induced oxidative stress and high temperature. This study aimed to develop transgenic plants that were more tolerant of oxidative stress by introducing the NDPK2 gene into SSA potato plants under the control of an oxidative stress‐inducible peroxidase (SWPA2) promoter to create SSAN plants. SSAN leaf discs and whole plants showed enhanced tolerance to MV, as compared to SSA, SN or non‐transgenic (NT) plants. SSAN plants sprayed with 400 µM MV exhibited about 53 and 83% less visible damage than did SSA and SN plants, respectively. The expression levels of the CuZnSOD, APX and NDPK2 genes in SSAN plants following MV treatment correlated well with MV tolerance. SOD, APX, NDPK and catalase antioxidant enzyme activities were also increased in MV‐treated SSAN plants. In addition, SSAN plants were more tolerant to high temperature stress at 42°C, exhibiting a 6.2% reduction in photosynthetic activity as compared to plants grown at 25°C. In contrast, the photosynthetic activities of SN and SSA plants decreased by 50 and 18%, respectively. These results indicate that the simultaneous overexpression of CuZnSOD, APX and NDPK2 is more effective than single or double transgene expression for developing plants with enhanced tolerance to various environmental stresses.     

Enhanced tolerances of transgenic tobacco plants expressing both superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in chloroplasts against methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress

In order to better understand the role of antioxidant enzymes in plant stress protection mechanisms, transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) plants were developed that overexpress both superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in chloroplasts. These plants were evaluated for protection against methyl viologen (MV, paraquat)‐mediated oxidative damage both in leaf discs and whole plants. Transgenic plants that express either chloroplast‐targeted CuZnSOD (C) or MnSOD (M) and APX (A) were developed (referred to as CA plants and AM plants, respectively). These plant lines were crossed to produce plants that express all three transgenes (CMA plants and AMC plants). These plants had higher total APX and SOD activities than non‐transgenic (NT) plants and exhibit novel APX and SOD isoenzymes not detected in NT plants. As expected, transgenic plants that expressed single SODs showed levels of protection from MV that were only slightly improved compared to NT plants. The expression of either SOD isoform along with APX led to increased protection while expression of both SODs and APX provided the highest levels of protection against membrane damage in leaf discs and visual symptoms in whole plants.     

Enhanced tolerance of transgenic potato plants expressing both superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase in chloroplasts against oxidative stress and high temperature

Oxidative stress is a major damaging factor for plants exposed to environmental stresses. In order to develop transgenic potato plants with enhanced tolerance to environmental stress, the genes of both Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase were expressed in chloroplasts under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter (referred to as SSA plants). SSA plants showed enhanced tolerance to 250 μM methyl viologen, and visible damage in SSA plants was one-fourth that of non-transgenic (NT) plants that were almost destroyed. In addition, when SSA plants were treated with a high temperature of 42°C for 20 h, the photosynthetic activity of SSA plants decreased by only 6%, whereas that of NT plants decreased by 29%. These results suggest that the manipulation of the antioxidative mechanism of the chloroplasts may be applied in the development of industrial transgenic crop plants with increased tolerance to multiple environmental stresses.Communicated by I. S. Chung     

Enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress in transgenic tobacco plants expressing three antioxidant enzymes in chloroplasts

The effect of simultaneous expression of genes encoding three antioxidant enzymes, copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), and dehydroascorbate (DHA) reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1), in the chloroplasts of tobacco plants was investigated under oxidative stress conditions. In previous studies, transgenic tobacco plants expressing both CuZnSOD and APX in chloroplast (CA plants), or DHAR in chloroplast showed enhanced tolerance to oxidative stresses, such as paraquat and salt. In this study, in order to develop transgenic plants that were more resistant to oxidative stress, we introduced the gene encoding DHAR into CA transgenic plants. Mature leaves of transgenic plants expressing all three antioxidant genes (CAD plants) had approximately 1.6–2.1 times higher DHAR activity, and higher ratios of reduced ascorbate (AsA) to DHA, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) to reduced glutathione (GSH) compared to CA plants. CAD plants were more resistant to paraquat-induced stress, exhibiting only 18.1% reduction in membrane damage relative to CA plants. In addition, seedlings of CAD plants had enhanced tolerance to NaCI (100 mM) compared to CA plants. These results indicate that the simultaneous expression of multiple antioxidant enzymes, such as CuZnSOD, APX, and DHAR, in chloroplasts is more effective than single or double expression for developing transgenic plants with enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses.