Production of human lactoferrin in transgenic cell suspension cultures of sweet potato

Shoot apical meristem-derived calli were transformed with a hLF cDNA in an attempt to produce human lactoferrin (hLF) in transgenic cell suspension cultures of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]. Calli were bombarded with tungsten particles coated with the binary vector pLSM1 containing a hLF cDNA under the control of the 35S promoter and the neomycin phosphotransferase gene as a selection marker. Calli were then transferred to Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 4.52 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 100 mg dm⁻³ kanamycin. Kanamycin-resistant calli were selected at four-week intervals and subcultured. Cell suspension cultures were established in liquid MS medium with 4.52 μM 2,4-D. Southern and Northern blot analyses confirmed that hLF cDNA was incorporated into the plant genome and was properly expressed in the cells. ELISA analysis showed that transgenic cells produced hLF up to 3.2 μg mg⁻¹ (total protein).     

Cloning of differential expression fragments in cauliflower after Xanthomonas campestris inoculation

A near isogenic line (NIL) of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis with resistant and susceptible lines C712 and C731, was used in this study. More than 100 differentially expressed cDNA fragments were obtained from black rot resistant cauliflower plants obtained using cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) after infection with the pathogen. Thirteen of these fragments were cloned and subjected to reverse Northern blot analysis using both infected and control cDNA pools. Two positive clones, M2 and M6, were isolated. Northern dot blot and Northern blot analyses showed that M2 was constitutively expressed, whereas M6 contained a gene that was differentially expressed during pathogen infection. Moreover, M6 cDNA fragment was also highly expressed 16–24 h after H₂O₂ treatment. Southern blots showed that M6 is a single copy gene in the cauliflower genome, and encodes a protein with 84 % homology to gene on Arabidopsis chromosome 1. The deduced M6 protein has 91 % positive homology with the Arabidopsis 2A6 protein, which regulates ethylene synthesis; 76 % homology with a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase (ACO), the last enzyme in ethylene synthesis; and 70 % homology with an ethylene induced DNA binding factor. These results suggest that M6 gene fragment is a new H₂O₂ downstream defense related gene fragment and can be induced by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris and H₂O₂.     

红景天甙生物合成途径：酪醇合成的起始反应及其糖基化

红景天甙(Salidroside)生源途径分子机制的解析是利用基因工程、代谢工程技术合成目标化合物的基础。糖基化是红景天甙生物合成的最后一步反应。在前期工作中,本课题组率先报道了与红景天甙生物合成相关的3个尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖基转移酶(UGTs)基因,在体外酶学性质研究的基础上,利用根癌农杆菌和发根农杆菌介导分别建立了相关转基因体系,鉴别了红景天甙生物合成最适UGT及植物和毛状根生物反应器系统合成红景天甙的效率差异;酪醇(Tyrosol)是红景天甙糖基化反应的甙元底物分子,其具体的代谢通路及其调控机制仍不明确。针对酪醇生物合成来源主要存在两种观点:一是酪醇可能来自于苯丙烷代谢途径产生的4-香豆酸,该途径起源于苯丙氨酸;二是生物碱代谢途径的中间产物酪胺可能是酪醇生物合成的前体,该途径则起源于酪氨酸。在后续工作中,否定了酪醇来源于苯丙烷代谢途径的可能性,进一步的工作证实酪氨酸脱羧酶(TyrDC)在酪醇生物合成的起始反应中担负着重要功能,酪醇作为一种苯乙烷类化合物衍生物,其生物合成来源于生物碱代谢途径。     

高效液相色谱法测定红景天甙含量方法的研究

以高效液相色谱法作为红景天甙含量检测方法, 系统探讨了用超声法从高山红景天根中提取红景天甙用以制备分析样品的方法。确定的最佳提取条件为:以蒸馏水为提取溶剂在60℃下超声提取40 min。     

超临界CO2萃取红景天中红景天苷、苷元酪醇的研究

采用超临界CO₂ 萃取法和乙醇常温浸提法相比较, 研究从红景天中提取红景天苷、苷元酪醇的工艺条件, 结论是:采用超临界CO₂ 萃取法能萃取出红景天生药中红景天苷的1.2%, 提取率不高, 但该方法能萃取出80%的苷元酪醇, 萃取液中苷元酪醇的相对含量可达45.68%;乙醇常温浸提法能将红景天苷、苷元酪醇同时有效萃取, 且得率较高, 但是萃取液中两物质相对含量较低, 进一步分离纯化将有难度。本研究结果表明, 将超临界CO₂ 萃取法和乙醇常温浸提法有效结合, 可实现两物质的有效分离, 推进红景天有效成分的产业化进程。     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a novel mannose-binding lectin gene from Amorphophallus konjac

A new lectin gene was cloned from Amorphophallus konjac. The full-length cDNA of Amorphophallus konjac agglutinin (aka) was 736 bp and contained a 474 bp open reading frame encoding a 158 amino acid protein. Homology analysis revealed that the lectin from this Araceae species belonged to the superfamily of monocot mannose-binding proteins. Molecular modeling of AKA indicated that the three-dimensional structure of AKA strongly resembles that of the snowdrop lectin. Southern blot analysis of the genomic DNA revealed that aka belonged to a low-copy gene family. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that aka expression was tissue-specific with the strongest expression being found in root.     

Chick kidney ferredoxin: Complementary DNA cloning and vitamin D effects on mRNA levels

Vertebrate ferredoxin is non-heme iron-sulfur protein found in steroideogenic tissues that serves as an electron shuttle in mitochondrial mixed function oxidase systems such as the 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃-1α-hydroxylase. A 2530-bp chick kidney ferredoxin cDNA was cloned, and the association between ferredoxin mRNA levels and the regulation of 1α-hydroxylase activity by vitamin D status was examined. The cDNA sequence indicates that the chick kidney mitochondrial mixed function oxidases use the same ferredoxin as do those in the chick testis and that the chick ferredoxin shares greater than 92% amino acid homology with mammalian ferredoxins. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA indicates that there is a single copy of the ferredoxin gene present in the chick genome. Three species of mRNA, 1.8, 3.5 and 5.5 kb, were identified by Northern analysis. Slot blot analysis of poly A⁺ RNA from kidneys of vitamin D-deficient or -replete chicks indicates a 40% induction of ferredoxin message levels in the vitamin D-deficient chick kidney. This suggests that gene regulation of ferredoxin may be part of the mechanism of regulation for 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃-1α-hydroxylase activity in the chick kidney.     

大海林地区不同生境高山红景天根部红景天甙含量的差异

在黑龙江省大海林地区海拔1400~1620m的高山上,依据高山红景天的生境于岳桦林内、高山草甸、苔原上选择了6个样地,测定了高山红景天根部的红景天甙含量。生境不同的高山红景天,根部红景天甙的含量有明显差异,红景天甙含量范围为0.101%~0.684%。从测定结果看,光照条件好、土壤肥沃的生境下高山红景天根部的红景天甙含量较高。     

High yield production of salidroside in the suspension culture of Rhodiola sachalinensis

Salidroside has been identified as the most potent ingredient of the Chinese medicine herb, Rhodiola sachalinensis. Since the natural supply of this herb is rapidly decreasing, we established a compact callus aggregate (CCA) strain and culturing system for high yield salidroside production. Several callus strains induced from the explants originated from root, stem, leaf and cotyledon of R. sachalinensis were established and screened for rapid growth rate, high salidroside content and easy propagation in suspension culture condition. The CCA strain was established from a callus strain initiated from the cotyledon. The kinetics of dry weight accumulation and cellular salidroside content in various culture conditions for the strain was determined. For high salidroside production, the optimal inoculum amount was 10% and the optimal concentration for 6-benzylaminopurine and indole-3-butyric acid added in the liquid medium was 5 and 2.5 mg l-1, respectively. The acidic culture medium and a faster shaking speed favored the salidroside accumulation. The addition of 2,4-D, in the liquid MS medium and the utilization of L-tyrosol for chemical feeding enhanced salidroside production. Using a proper combination of culture condition and treatment, salidroside accumulation could reach 57.72 mg g-1 dry weight, that was 5-10-fold higher than that detected in field-grown plants. The corresponding salidroside yield was 555.13 mg l-1, a level suitable for cost effective commercial production to compensate the natural resource shortage of R. sachalinensis.     

高效毛细管电泳法测定高山红景天中红景天甙含量的比较研究

采用高效毛细管电泳法对采集于两个野生产地不同居群和两个人工栽培地的高山红景天中红景天甙的含量进行了对比研究,实验结果表明,该方法高效、简便、灵敏、可靠;人工栽培高山红景天和自然生境下高山红景天中红景天甙含量有差异,不同天然居群高山红景天中红景天甙含量也有差异。     

The glucosinolate-degrading enzyme myrosinase in Brassicaceae is encoded by a gene family

A full-length cDNA clone (MB3) and three partial clones (MA1, MB1 and MB2) which encode myrosinase (thioglucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.3.1) were isolated from a Sinapis alba (white mustard) cDNA library. Nucleotide sequence analysis of these clones revealed that they are encoded by a gene family. Southern blot analysis with gene-specific probes showed that the gene family consists of a least two subfamilies (MA and MB) each with several members both in S. alba and in Brassica napus (oilseed rape). In Arabidopsis thaliana (wall cress) only three myrosinase genes seem to be present. Northern blot analysis indicated that all the myrosinase mRNA species have the same size, approximately 1.95 kb.     

黄瓜中LFY同源基因CFL的克隆和分析

ＬＦＹ同源基因在高等植物花分生组织的发生中发挥着重要的作用。克隆了黄瓜（ Ｃｕｃｕｍｉｓｓａｔｉｖｕｓ Ｌ．） 中的ＬＦＹ同源基因ＣＦＬ,Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ 杂交的结果显示它在黄瓜基因组中为单拷贝基因,Ｎｏｒｔｈｅｒｎ 杂交结果显示它主要在花芽和幼叶中表达。讨论了ＣＦＬ基因在黄瓜开花和营养生长中可能发挥的作用     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a mannose-binding lectin gene from Crinum asiaticum

Full-length cDNA of a mannose-binding lectin or agglutinin gene was cloned from a traditional Chinese medicinal herb Crinum asiaticum var. sinicum through RACE-PCR cloning. The full-length cDNA of C. asiaticum agglutinin (caa) was 820 bp and contained a 528 bp open reading frame encoding a lectin precursor (preproprotein) of 175 amino acid residues with a 22 aa signal peptide. The coding region of the caa gene was high in G/C content. The first 20 bp of the 5' UTR had a dC content of 50%, which was a typical feature of the leader sequence. By cutting away the signal peptide, the CAA proprotein was 15.79 kDa with a pl of 9.27 and contained 3 mannose-binding sites (QDNY). Random coil and extended strand constituted interlaced domination of the main part of the secondary structure. B-lectin conserved domain existed within N24 to G130. Predicted three-dimensional structure of CAA proprotein was very similar to that of GNA (Galanthus nivalis agglutinin). It is significant that besides certain homologies to known monocot mannose-binding lectins from Amaryllidaceae, Orchidaceae, Alliaceae and Liliaceae, caa also showed high similarity to gastrodianin type antifungal proteins. No intron was detected within the region of genomic sequence corresponding to the caa full-length cDNA. Southern blot analysis indicated that the caa gene belonged to a low-copy gene family. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that caa mRNA was constitutively expressed in all the tested tissue types including the root, bulb, leaf, rachise, flower and fruit tissues.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding soybean nodule IMP dehydrogenase

Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) catalyzes the rate-limiting step in de novo purine biosynthesis and is a postulated key enzyme in nitrogen assimilation in ureide-exporting nodules. A 2016 bp cDNA for IMPDH, designated as IMPDH, was cloned from a soybean nodule cDNA library. IMPDH encodes a polypeptide of 502 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 53000 and a pI of 5.54. The deduced IMPDH is 70.5% identical to that in Arabidopsis, with a 100% homology in the putative active-site region. Expressing the cloned cDNA in Escherichia coli mutant strain KLC381 (DeltaguaB) restored IMPDH activity, permitting bacterial growth on minimal medium. Southern blot analysis suggested a single copy of IMPDH gene in the soybean genome. Northern blot analysis showed that the expression of IMPDH gene is apparently nodule-specific.     

Improved Performance of Transgenic Glycinebetaine-Accumulating Rice Plants under Drought Stress

Plasmid DNA (pChlCOD), containing the selectable hygromycin phosphotransferase hpt gene for hygromycin B resistance and the Arthrobacter globiformis codA gene for choline oxidase which catalyzes the direct conversion of choline to glycinebetaine, was delivered into rice plants using Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer via scutellum-derived calli. Southern, Northern and Western blot analyses demonstrated that the foreign gene had been transferred, integrated into rice chromosomal DNA and expressed. Drought test indicated that glycinebetaine acts as an osmoprotectant and its production in transgenic rice plant helped the cells to maintain osmotic potential and increased root growth, and thus enhanced the ability of the plants to tolerate water deficit This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.