Ectopic expression of OsMADS3, a rice ortholog of AGAMOUS, caused a homeotic transformation of lodicules to stamens in transgenic rice plants

In order to clarify the evolutionary relationship of floral organs between grasses and dicots, we expressed OsMADS3, a rice (Oryza sativa L.) AGAMOUS(AG) ortholog, in rice plants under the control of an Actin1 promoter. As a consequence of the ectopic expression of the OsMADS3, lodicules were homeotically transformed into stamens. In total, the transformation of lodicules to staminoid organs was observed in 18 out of 26 independent transgenic lines. In contrast to the almost complete transformation occurring in lodicules, none of the transgenic plants exhibited any morphological alterations in the palea or the lemma. Our results confirmed the prediction that the lodicule is an equivalent of a dicot petal and that the ABC model can be applied to rice at least for organ specification in lodicules and stamens.     

superwoman1-cleistogamy, a hopeful allele for gene containment in GM rice

Cleistogamy is an efficient strategy for preventing gene flow from genetically modified (GM) crops. We identified a cleistogamous mutant of rice harbouring a missense mutation (the 45th residue isoleucine to threonine; I45T) in the class-B MADS-box gene SUPERWOMAN1 ( SPW1 ), which specifies the identities of lodicules (equivalent to petals) and stamens. In the mutant, spw1-cls , the stamens are normal, but the lodicules are transformed homeotically to lodicule–glume mosaic organs, thereby engendering cleistogamy. Since this mutation does not affect other agronomic traits, it can be used in crosses to produce transgenic lines that do not cause environmental perturbation. Molecular analysis revealed that the reduced heterodimerization ability of SPW1^I45T with its counterpart class-B proteins OsMADS2 and OsMADS4 caused altered lodicule identity. spw1-cls is the first useful mutant for practical gene containment in GM rice. Cleistogamy is possible in many cereals by engineering class-B floral homeotic genes and thereby inducing lodicule identity changes.     

Identification of class B and class C floral organ identity genes from rice plants

The functions of two rice MADS-box genes were studied by the loss-of-function approach. The first gene, OsMADS4, shows a significant homology to members in the PISTILLATA (PI) family, which is required to specify petal and stamen identity. The second gene, OsMADS3, is highly homologous to the members in the AGAMOUS (AG) family that is essential for the normal development of the internal two whorls, the stamen and carpel, of the flower. These two rice MADS box cDNA clones were connected to the maize ubiquitin promoter in an antisense orientation and the fusion molecules were introduced to rice plants by the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method. Transgenic plants expressing antisense OsMADS4 displayed alterations of the second and third whorls. The second-whorl lodicules, which are equivalent to the petals of dicot plants in grasses, were altered into palea/lemma-like organs, and the third whorl stamens were changed to carpel-like organs. Loss-of-function analysis of OsMADS3 showed alterations in the third and fourth whorls. In the third whorl, the filaments of the transgenic plants were changed into thick and fleshy bodies, similar to lodicules. Rather than making a carpel, the fourth whorl produced several abnormal flowers. These phenotypes are similar to those of the agamous and plena mutants in Arabidopsis and Antirrhinum, respectively. These results suggest that OsMADS4 belongs to the class B gene family and OsMADS3 belongs to the class C gene family of floral organ identity determination.     

SUPERWOMAN1 and DROOPING LEAF genes control floral organ identity in rice

We analyzed recessive mutants of two homeotic genes in rice, SUPERWOMAN1 (SPW1) and DROOPING LEAF (DL). The homeotic mutation spw1 transforms stamens and lodicules into carpels and palea-like organs, respectively. Two spw1 alleles, spw1-1 and spw1-2, show the same floral phenotype and did not affect vegetative development. We show that SPW1 is a rice APETALA3 homolog, OsMADS16. In contrast, two strong alleles of the dl locus, drooping leaf-superman1 (dl-sup1) and drooping leaf-superman2 (dl-sup2), cause the complete transformation of the gynoecium into stamens. In these strong mutants, many ectopic stamens are formed in the region where the gynoecium is produced in the wild-type flower and they are arranged in a non-whorled, alternate pattern. The intermediate allele dl-1 (T65), results in an increase in the number of stamens and stigmas, and carpels occasionally show staminoid characteristics. In the weakest mutant, dl-2, most of the flowers are normal. All four dl alleles cause midrib-less drooping leaves. The flower of the double mutant, spw1 dl-sup, produces incompletely differentiated organs indefinitely after palea-like organs are produced in the position where lodicules are formed in the wild-type flower. These incompletely differentiated organs are neither stamens nor carpels, but have partial floral identity. Based on genetic and molecular results, we postulate a model of stamen and carpel specification in rice, with DL as a novel gene controlling carpel identity and acting mutually and antagonistically to the class B gene, SPW1.     

An RNA-binding protein, AtRBP1, is expressed in actively proliferative regions in Arabidopsis thaliana

A cDNA clone, named XF41, that encodes an RNA-binding protein was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. The deduced protein, named AtRBP1, contains two conserved consensus sequence-type RNA-binding domains (CS-RBDs) in the N-terminal half, a putative PY motif (a target of a WW domain) in the center, and uncharacterized C-terminal domain. A binding assay demonstrated that the AtRBP1 can bind to single-stranded nucleic acids in vitro. Analysis of localization of the GUS activity of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants that have the chimeric gene containing the upstream sequence of the AtRBP1 gene and GUS gene demonstrated that the AtRBP1 gene is expressed in meristematic tissues such as the vegetative shoot apex and root tips, developing organs such as floral buds and pistils of young flowers, abscission layers of immature siliques and junctions of pedicels. Considering the specificity of the expression, AtRBP1 may be required in the progress of cell proliferation.     

一个新的水稻花器官数目突变体fon(t)的鉴定及分析

水稻花器官数目突变体 fon(t)是在单倍体与二倍体的杂交 F2代发现的,经过多代种植,已稳定遗传。以 fon(t)为父本,以日本晴、93?11 和 R527 为母本配制杂交组合进行遗传分析,根据 F2代表型及χ2测验结果表明,该突变体的性状是由单隐性基因控制的。因为对花器官数目突变体曾有报道如 fon1、fon2 和 fon3,所以该突变体暂定名为 fon(t)。该突变体导致内外稃开裂,花器官外露;雄蕊和雌蕊的数目均增多,雄蕊一般 6~9 枚,雌蕊 1~2 枚;浆片同源转化为类内稃的结构;个别的花器官中还出现花丝上伸出类柱头的结构,浆片上部同源转化为类柱头或者类雄蕊的结构。研究结果表明,fon(t)基因可能影响水稻第三、四轮花器官的数目以及第二轮浆片的发育。     

一个水稻畸形颖壳突变体ah的鉴定及其突变性状的遗传分析

水稻畸形颖壳突变体ah是双胚苗品系W2555中自然突变产生的。该突变体的内外稃畸形,退化;雄蕊雌蕊化,雌蕊败育;浆片同源转化为类内外稃的结构,推测该突变体可能影响B功能基因的正常发育。与野生型相比,突变体的小穗分支稀疏,每级枝梗上颖花数目减少,一般为4～6朵;小穗顶端的颖花经常不能成熟,表现为颖花始终泛白,不能转绿,因此该突变也影响花序分生组织的发育。进一步的研究证明,该突变体的发育受外界环境的影响。突变性状的遗传分析表明,该突变体由单隐性基因控制。     

Nature and regulation of pistil-expressed genes in tomato

The specialized reproductive functions of angiosperm pistils are dependent in part upon the regulated activation of numerous genes expressed predominantly in this organ system. To better understand the nature of these pistil-predominant gene products we have analyzed seven cDNA clones isolated from tomato pistils through differential hybridization screening. Six of the seven cDNAs represent sequences previously undescribed in tomato, each having a unique pistil- and/or floral-predominant expression pattern. The putative protein products encoded by six of the cDNAs have been identified by their similarity to sequences in the database of previously sequenced genes, with a seventh sequence having no significant similarity with any previously reported sequence. Three of the putative proteins appear to be targeted to the endomembrane system and include an endo--1,4-glucanase which is expressed exclusively in pistils at early stages of development, and proteins similar in sequence to -thionin and miraculin which are expressed in immature pistils and stamens, and in either sepals or petals, respectively. Two other clones, similar in sequence to each other, were expressed primarily in immature pistils and stamens and encode distinct proteins with similarity to leucine aminopeptidases. An additional clone, which encodes a protein similar in sequence to the enzyme hyoscyamine 6--hydroxylase and to other members of the family of Fe²⁺/ascorbate-dependent oxidases, was expressed at high levels in pistils, stamens and sepals, and at detectable levels in some vegetative organs. Together, these observations provide new insight into the nature and possible functional roles of genes expressed during reproductive development.     

苹果一个锌指蛋白基因的cDNA克隆及其表达特性分析(英文)

A cDNA library was created from stem apex tissue from Jonathan apples (Malus domestica Borkh.), harvested in June to August, during which the plant transitions from vegetative growth to reproductive growth. From this library, we isolated an expressed sequence tag (EST) sequence containing a zinc finger motif, using this sequence, a 779 bp cDNA fragment was obtained by using 5‘ RACE, and a final full-length cDNA encoding an apple zinc finger protein (named MdZF1; GenBank accession number AB116545) was obtained by further PCR. This zinc finger motif of MdZF1 has high homology with INOETERMINATE1 (ID1) gene from maize which seemed to be involved in the transition to flowering. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses showed that the MdZF1 expressed in the root, stem, leaves, shoot apex and floral organs of the apple, with expression levels higher in root, stem, leaves and floral shoot apex than that in floral organs (sepals, petals, stamens and pistils). Genomic Southern analysis showed that there was a single copy gene in apple genome.     

苹果一个锌指蛋白基因的cDNA克隆及其表达特性分析

采集了处于营养生长向生殖行长转化期(6~8月)的红玉苹果(Malus domestica Borkh.)茎顶,构建了其cDNA文库,并从中分离得到了一个具有锌指结构的EST序列,又通过5`RACE的方法,从cDNA文库中找到了其上游779bp的cDNA片段.最后用PCR的方法获得了苹果锌指蛋白的全长cDNA,并命为MdZF1.该cDNA序列已在GenBank登录,登录号为AB116545.MdZF1的锌指结构域与玉米的开花转换基因ID1有高度同源性.通过对苹果不同组织、器官的Northem和RT-PCR分析表明MdZF1在根、茎、叶、顶芽以及花器官(萼片、花瓣、雄蕊、雌蕊)中都有表达.Southern分析表明MdZF1的基因组中是以单拷贝存在的.     

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of indica rice with chitinase gene for enhanced sheath blight resistance

Four rice indica genotypes of local importance were transformed with RC7, rice chitinase cDNA clone through Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer method using mature seed derived calli as explants. The putative hygromycin resistant calli showed varied level of regeneration efficiency ranging from 2.0 to 7.6 %. The stable integration and expression of RC7 was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western analysis. Transformation efficiency ranged from 0.9 to 5.2 %. The expression of RC7 (35 kDa chitinase) in different tissues of transgenic plant (root, sheath and leaf) was proved through Western analysis and in terms of increased chitinase activity. The inheritance of transgene was studied through PCR and Western analysis in transgenic plants of Pusa Basmati 1. Bioassays with transgenic plants of local cultivars exhibited enhanced resistance up to 33.3 % to rice sheath blight pathogen Rhizoctonia solani under glasshouse conditions. Enhanced expression or 3-to 4-fold increased activity of chitinase in transgenic plants was correlated with sheath blight resistance.