Ac／Ds转座系统在水稻转化群体中的转座活性及转座子插入位点旁侧序列的分析

利用本实验室构建的转Ac(Ac TPase)及Ds(Dissociation)的水稻(Oryza sativa L.)转化群体,配置了Ae×Ds的杂交组合354个。检测了转基因植株的T-DNA插入位点右侧旁邻序列,研究了Ac/Ds转座系统在水稻转化群体中的转座活性。结果表明,有些转化植株T-DNA插入位点相同或相距很近,插入位点互不相同的占65.4％。检测到T-DNA可插入到编码蛋白的基因中。在Ac×Ds的F2代中,Ds因子的转座频率为22.7％。对Ac×Ds杂交子代中Ds因子旁侧序列的分析,进一步表明了Ds因子在水稻基因组中的转座活性,除了从原插入位点解离并转座到新的位点之外,还有复制——转座和小完全切离等现象。获得的旁侧序列中,有些序列与GenBank中的数据没有同源性,目前有2个DNA片段在GenBank登录。探讨了构建转座子水稻突变体库进行水稻功能基因组学研究的策略。     

Ac/Ds转座系统在水稻转化群体中的转座活性及转座子插入位点旁侧序列的分析

利用本实验室构建的转Ac(AcTPase)及Ds(Dissociation)的水稻(Oryza sativa L.)转化群体,配置了Ac×Ds的杂交组合354个.检测了转基因植株的T-DNA插入位点右侧旁邻序列,研究了Ac/Ds转座系统在水稻转化群体中的转座活性.结果表明,有些转化植株T-DNA插入位点相同或相距很近,插入位点互不相同的占65.4%.检测到T-DNA可插入到编码蛋白的基因中.在Ac×Ds的F2代中,Ds因子的转座频率为22.7%.对Ac×Ds杂交子代中Ds因子旁侧序列的分析,进一步表明了Ds因子在水稻基因组中的转座活性,除了从原插入位点解离并转座到新的位点之外,还有复制--转座和不完全切离等现象.获得的旁侧序列中,有些序列与GenBank中的数据没有同源性,目前有2个DNA片段在GenBank登录.探讨了构建转座子水稻突变体库进行水稻功能基因组学研究的策略.     

水稻第4号染色体不同位置的Ds转座子转座行为的分析

使用农杆菌介导的方法转化粳稻品种中花11,构建了在第4号染色体不同位置插入了Ds（dissociation）因子的水稻转化群体和带有Ac（activator）转座酶基因的转化植株。将携带了Ac转座酶基因的植株与不同Ds转化植株杂交,杂交F1代同时带有Ac转座酶和Ds因子（Ac／Ds植株）。用PCR方法检测了杂交F1代Ds的切离频率,结果发现靠近第4号染色体着丝粒附近的Ds转座子切离频率低,而靠近第4号染色体末端区域的Ds转座子切离频率高,这表明Ds转座子的原始插入位置对其杂交后代的切离频率有很大的影响,推测与原始插入位点附近的染色体结构有关。     

不同启动子控制下Ac转座酶基因的表达对玉米Ds因子在水稻中切离频率的影响

用水稻愈伤组织比较了Ac启动子、35S启动子与Ubi启动子控制下Ac转座酶基因（Ts）的表达对Ds因子切离频率的影响。结果表明Ubi启动子与Ac转座酶编码区嵌合基因（Ubipro-Ts）反式激活Ds因子的切离频率最高,达到了72.9%。通过杂交将Ubipro-Ts基因导入Ds因子转化植株,得到9株Ubipro-Ts基因与Ds因子共存的F1代杂交水稻植株,其中有8株Ds因子发生了切离。用Inverse-PCR的方法从其中一株杂交植株中克隆到Ds因子的旁邻序列,其DNA顺序与亲本中Ds因子原插入位点的序列不同,表明Ds因子转座到了新的基因组位点。     

不同启动子控制下Ac转座酶基因的表达对玉米Ds因子在水稻中切离频率的影响

用水稻愈伤组织比较了Ac启动子、35S启动子与Ubi启动子控制下Ac转座酶基因（Ts）的表达对Ds因子切离频率的影响。结果表明Ubi启动子与Ac转座酶编码区嵌合基因（Ubipro-Ts)反式激活Ds因子的切离频率最高,达到了72．9％。通过杂交将Ubipro-Ts基因导入Ds因子转化植株,得到9株Ubipro-Ts基因与Ds因子共存的F1代杂交水稻植株,其中有8株Ds因子发生了切离。用Inverse-PCR的方法从其中一株杂交植株中克隆到Ds因子的旁邻序列,其DNA顺序与亲本中Ds因子原插入位点的序列不同,表明Ds因子转座到了新的基因组位点。     

含Ds转座因子的T-DNA在水稻染色体上的分布研究

应用农杆菌介导的方法获得了有Ds因子插入的3000多株水稻转化群体, 用Inverse PCR方法, 从部分独立转化植株中分离了590条含Ds因子的T-DNA插入位点处的右侧旁邻水稻染色体序列. 根据旁邻序列中T-DNA右边界与侧翼水稻序列之间的插入序列的特征可分成6个主要类别, 其中类型Ⅰ是主要类型, 为通常的T-DNA整合, 即T-DNA右边界序列与水稻染色体序列相连, 或者其间插入小于50 bp的序列片段; 类型Ⅱ为T-DNA右边界旁先接T-DNA载体序列, 再与水稻序列相接的重组类型. 340个类型Ⅰ和Ⅱ的旁邻序列通过与已知的水稻染色体序列数据库一致性比较分析, 确定了它们在水稻染色体上的分布位置, 构建了一个Ds因子在水稻12条染色体插入的框架结构. 这340个有Ds因子插入的位点在整个染色体上平均相距0.8 Mb. 分析在第1条染色体上T-DNA(Ds)插入情况显示有21％的频率插入到预测基因的外显子中. T-DNA(Ds)在染色体上分布位置的确定, 使我们可以选择合适的Ds因子插入株作为起始株系, 导入Ac转座酶基因后, 使Ds发生转座, 从而获得新的Ds插入突变株, 为进一步利用Ds转座标签法分离水稻基因创造了条件.     

水稻Ac×Ds后代基因组DNA中Ds侧翼序列的扩增及其Ds插入分析

采用TAIL-PCR技术从经鉴定含Ac/Ds双元件的材料中扩增Ds侧翼序列并测序, 对水稻Ac×Ds后代基因组DNA进行Ac和Ds插入的PCR分析。利用NCBI的BLAST软件, 以Ds侧翼序列为待查询序列进行GenBank在线搜索比对, 获得Ds插入相关基因的染色体定位和功能注释等信息。对扩增的93个有效Ds侧翼序列进行分析, 结果显示, 有21个水稻杂交后代中Ds插入于基因编码区, 其余72个插入在基因间序列, 其中12个插入在特定基因的上游3 kb以内的间隔区。本研究强调了提高Ds侧翼序列扩增和Ac/Ds植株筛选效率的技术关键。     

Ac/Ds标签系统与水稻功能基因组学

自2002年水稻基因组测序完成后,水稻功能基因组学研究正在成为水稻研究的重要内容.构建突变体库是研究功能基因组学的一条重要而有效的途径.利用外源的Ac/Ds (Activator/Dissociation)标签系统是构建插入突变体库较为理想的方法,经过多年发展完善,其在水稻中已有广泛的应用,但仍面临着一些需要解决的实际问题.文章对Ac/Ds标签系统的转座行为及其构建突变体库的问题和优点进行了综述,总结了近年来Ac/Ds标签系统在水稻中的研究进展,分析了利用Ac/Ds标签系统进行功能基因组学研究所面临的挑战.     

插入玉米Ds转座因子的水稻转化群体及其分子分析

转座子标签法是一种利用转座因子插入高等植物基因组中造成基因突变,然后通过分离转座因子插入的旁邻顺序,进而克隆出突变基因的策略。这种策略在高等植物功能基因组学的研究中是十分有用的。为此目的,将玉米的Ds因子及bar基因连接至载体pCAMBIA1300的T-DNA区域中,构建成重组Ti质粒pDsBar1300。pDsBar1300中T-DNA区域中的潮霉素抗性基因可在转化过程中用作水稻转化植株的选择标记。插入在Ds因子中的bar基因可追踪转化后代的Ds因子。pDsBar1300通过根瘤农杆茵介导引入水稻品种中花11号的幼胚组织。从各转化愈伤组织中获得了1400株独立的Ds水稻转化植株。通过PPT抗性检测和PCR分析证明了水稻转化植株中Ds因子的整合。Southernblot分析了转化植株基因组中Ds因子的插入拷贝数,其中单拷贝插入比率约占70％。这些插有Ds因子的水稻转化植株,当引入自主型的Ac因子反式活化Ds因子后,可使Ds因子跳跃到不同位点上,就可得到更多的突变植株。     

水稻Ds插入淡绿叶突变体的鉴定和遗传分析

Ac/Ds插入突变是水稻基因功能鉴定的有力工具之一。文章从水稻中花11 Ds-T-DNA转化纯合体与Ac-T-DNA 转化纯合体的杂交群体中筛选到一个淡绿叶突变体。该突变体在三叶期由绿苗转为淡绿叶苗, 自然光照下突变体迅速焦枯, 但是在弱光照条件下, 突变体能缓慢生长至开花结实; 突变体光合作用特性研究表明该突变是典型的光抑制突变体。遗传分析表明该突变为Ds插入导致的隐性突变。     

Regulation of activator/dissociation transposition by replication and DNA methylation

In maize the transposable elements Activator/Dissociation (Ac/Ds) transpose shortly after replication from one of the two resulting chromatids ("chromatid selectivity"). A model has been suggested that explains this phenomenon as a consequence of different affinity for Ac transposase binding to holo-, hemi-, and unmethylated transposon ends. Here we demonstrate that in petunia cells a holomethylated Ds is unable to excise from a nonreplicating vector and that replication restores excision. A Ds element hemi-methylated on one DNA strand transposes in the absence of replication, whereas hemi-methylation of the complementary strand causes a >6.3-fold inhibition of Ds excision. Consistently in the active hemi-methylated state, the Ds ends have a high binding affinity for the transposase, whereas binding to inactive ends is strongly reduced. These results provide strong evidence for the above-mentioned model. Moreover, in the absence of DNA methylation, replication enhances Ds transposition in petunia protoplasts >8-fold and promotes formation of a predominant excision footprint. Accordingly, replication also has a methylation-independent regulatory effect on transposition.     

Comparative analysis of non-random DNA repair following Ac transposon excision in maize and Arabidopsis

Ac/Ds transposable elements often leave short DNA rearrangements, or 'footprints,' at the sites where they excise. Previous studies at the maize waxy ( wx ) gene suggest that the DNA repair that forms transposon footprints is not random. Each excision site consistently displays a different, predominant repair product suggesting flanking DNA may influence footprint formation. We have expanded these studies to show that predominant end-joining products also form in association with Ac/Ds excision in Arabidopsis and that chromosomal location of the Ac -containing construct does not appear to influence this repair. The predominant repair product is identical in both maize and Arabidopsis for Ac elements with the same adjacent DNA sequences. However, a broader range of minor footprint types is observed in Arabidopsis , including footprints that are rare in maize, suggesting potential differences in the host proteins involved in either transposition, repair or both. The data also suggest that the sequences influencing footprint formation are within 39 bp 5' and 18 bp 3' of the transposon. These studies demonstrate that transgenic Ac/Ds -containing plants will be useful tools in dissecting plant DNA repair processes.     

Excision of a transposable element from a viral vector introduced into maize plants by agroinfection

The geminivirus maize streak virus (MSV) was used as a vector to introduce the maize transposable element Dissociation (Ds) and to study its excision in maize plants. MSV carrying Ds1 in its genome was introduced into maize plants by agroinfection. Excision of the Ds1 element from the MSV genome was detected only when functions from the transposable element Activator (Ac) were supplied in trans, either endogenously by the recipient maize plant or by co-transformation with Agrobacterium carrying a genomic Ac clone. The excision of Ds1 could easily be visualized by the appearance of viral symptoms induced by the revertant virus. The junction sequences left on the MSV genome after excision revealed 'footprints' typical of transposition as described for maize. From these results, we conclude that transposition functions in our system and that the use of the MSV replicon provides a rapid and simple tool for the investigation of the excision of transposable elements in maize plants.     

A hyperactive transposase of the maize transposable element activator (Ac)

Activator/Dissociation (Ac/Ds) transposable elements from maize are widely used as insertional mutagenesis and gene isolation tools in plants and more recently also in medaka and zebrafish. They are particularly valuable for plant species that are transformation-recalcitrant and have long generation cycles or large genomes with low gene densities. Ac/Ds transposition frequencies vary widely, however, and in some species they are too low for large-scale mutagenesis. We discovered a hyperactive Ac transposase derivative, AcTPase(4x), that catalyzes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae 100-fold more frequent Ds excisions than the wild-type transposase, whereas the reintegration frequency of excised Ds elements is unchanged (57%). Comparable to the wild-type transposase in plants, AcTPase(4x) catalyzes Ds insertion preferentially into coding regions and to genetically linked sites, but the mutant protein apparently has lost the weak bias of the wild-type protein for insertion sites with elevated guanine-cytosine content and nonrandom protein-DNA twist. AcTPase(4x) exhibits hyperactivity also in Arabidopsis thaliana where it effects a more than sixfold increase in Ds excision relative to wild-type AcTPase and thus may be useful to facilitate Ac/Ds-based insertion mutagenesis approaches.     

Molecular Analysis of the Maize Wx-B3 Allele Indicates That Precise Excision of the Transposable Ac Element Is Rare

The somatic and germinal behavior of the maize wx-B3 mutation indicates that this Ac allele rarely reverts. Endosperms containing wx-B3 display tiny and infrequent Wx revertant sectors while no significant reversion is detected when wx-B3 pollen is stained with I/KI. Previous studies of other transposable element alleles that revert infrequently have implicated low levels of element excision. Unlike these other alleles, the wx-B3 Ac element is indistinguishable from fully active Ac elements with respect to its structure, and its ability to transpose from the Wx gene or to trans-activate a Ds element. Characterization of somatic and germinal excision events lead us to conclude that excision of the wx-B3 Ac element almost always produces null alleles. Furthermore, the excellent correlation between the position of the wx-B3 mutation on the physical and genetic maps indicates that the Ac insertion is the only lesion of wx-B3. As a result, precise excision of this Ac should restore Wx function. The fact that revertant sectors and pollen grains are rare indicates that precise excision of Ac is also rare. The finding that the wx-B3 reversion frequency is comparable whether wx-B3 is hemizygous or over a wx allele with a wild-type insertion site illustrates a fundamental difference between the excision mechanisms of Ac and Drosophila P elements.