三七转录因子PnWRKY1对三七皂苷生物合成的影响

该研究以野生型三七为材料,采用同源克隆的方法,获得三七转录因子PnWRKY1基因,运用农杆菌转化法构建转基因细胞系,通过测定转基因细胞系中的总皂苷含量以及重要单体皂苷的含量,并采用qRT-PCR分析皂苷合成途径中相关基因的表达情况,为三七皂苷生物合成高效调控策略的建立提供理论依据。结果显示:(1)转录因子PnWRKY1长度为810bp,编码269个氨基酸。(2)成功构建PnWRKY1过表达载体pCAMBIA2300sPnWRKY1,经农杆菌转化获得了6株具有卡那霉素抗性的转基因细胞系(T_1~T_6),对卡那霉素基因nptⅡ进行PCR检测表明,所有细胞系均有与预期大小一致的450bp特异性条带,说明成功获得了6株PnWRKY1过表达转基因细胞系。(3)6株转基因细胞系中的PnWRKY1表达水平均极显著高于野生型细胞系,其中表达量最高的T_3细胞系比野生型增加了5.36倍。(4)过表达PnWRKY1基因细胞系的总皂苷生物合成均得到显著提高,其中T_1~T_6中总皂苷含量分别为野生型细胞系的2.46、1.98、2.67、1.74、2.54和1.98倍;6株过表达PnWRKY1细胞系中的4种单体皂苷R1、Rg1、Re、Rb1的含量与野生型细胞系相比均有不同程度的提高,且T_3细胞系中的单体皂苷Re含量最高(37.81mg/g)。(5)与野生型细胞系(WT)相比,过表达PnWRKY1细胞系中三七皂苷合成途径中的关键酶基因PnDS、PnSS和PnSE的最高表达水平分别增加3.1、4.0和4.5倍。研究表明,转录因子PnWRKY1在三七细胞中的过表达可能参与调节皂苷生物合成部分重要酶基因的表达,且PnWRKY1可能通过调控三七皂苷生物合成途径中关键酶基因的表达间接影响三七皂苷的合成。     

西兰花CYP83A1基因的克隆及序列分析

为深入研究西兰花4-甲基亚磺酰丁基芥子油苷的合成代谢途径,对关键合成酶基因CYP83A1进行了克隆与生物信息学分析。根据前期西兰花转录组测序工作中获得的序列数据,同时参照Gen Bank数据库中拟南芥、小白菜和油菜等7种植物的CYP83A1基因CDS序列与西兰花进行比对,确定西兰花CYP83A1基因(Bo CYP83A1)的CDS序列。采用RT-PCR技术对其进行了克隆,获得Bo CYP83A1基因的CDS区序列,其全长为1 509 bp,编码502个氨基酸。预测该蛋白质的分子量为57.47 k D,理论等电点为7.1,包含2个跨膜结构域,且整个序列中不含信号肽,具有一个典型的P450结构域。氨基酸同源性分析表明,西兰花与油菜、大白菜的CYP83A1的相似性较高,均为98%。首次获得Bo CYP83A1的CDS序列,其登录号为KM111290。     

珠子参中HMGR基因对皂苷生物合成的影响

该研究以珠子参愈伤组织为材料,通过同源克隆方法获得了珠子参3-羟基-3-甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(HMGR)基因(PjHMGR,登录号:MG712296)的cDNA序列,并对其进行生物信息学分析。基于PjHMGR序列构建了珠子参过表达载体pCAMBIA2300s-PjHMGR,通过根瘤农杆菌转化法将其转化到珠子参细胞中,成功获得7株阳性转PjHMGR基因细胞系;通过实时荧光定量PCR、比色法及皂化法等技术测定阳性细胞系PjHMGR基因的相对表达量、HMGR酶活、皂苷和植物甾醇含量变化。结果显示:(1)与野生型珠子参细胞系相比,转PjHMGR基因珠子参阳性细胞系中,PjHMGR基因的相对表达量、HMGR酶活和皂苷含量均有不同程度的提高;在效果最好的阳性细胞中,PjHMGR基因的相对表达量、HMGR酶活和皂苷含量分别为对照的7.15、6.14和3.50倍。(2)在研究过程中,发现转基因细胞系的植物甾醇含量也有所升高。研究认为,将珠子参关键酶基因PjHMGR过表达载体导入珠子参愈伤组织细胞中,可引起相关关键酶基因相对表达量和PjHMGR酶活性的增加,从而调控珠子参总皂苷的合成,对皂苷合成途径中关键酶基因进行调控将可能实现对皂苷生物合成的调节。     

CYP79F1基因对西兰花的遗传转化的研究

建立有效的遗传转化体系是基因工程手段改良植物性状的重要前提。本研究对西兰花遗传转化体系进行了初步研究,成功地建立了农杆菌介导的西兰花遗传转化体系。以7日龄无菌苗的下胚轴为外植体,预培养2~3 d后进行农杆菌的侵染,共培养后将外植体转移至无筛选压力的脱菌培养基中,暗培养7 d后置于含有10mg·L-1卡那霉素的筛选培养基中继续培养,待不定芽生长至2~3 cm时转入0.1 mg·L-1IBA的生根培养基中诱导不定根,最后进行驯化和移栽,PCR分子鉴定及外源基因表达水平检测结果证明,我们已经成功地将芥子油苷合成关键酶基因CYP79F1基因转入西兰花商业品种"青秀"中,利用HPLC检测转基因植株中短链脂肪族芥子油苷的含量显著增加。     

西花蓟马P450基因在继代适应菜豆植株中的应答反应

菜豆是西花蓟马的重要寄主,但西花蓟马对豆荚的嗜食性高于叶片。为探讨西花蓟马在适应菜豆植株过程中P450基因的应答反应,利用实时荧光定量PCR技术检测了西花蓟马从菜豆豆荚转换到菜豆植株后F 1、F 2和F 3三个世代2龄若虫和成虫体内9个P450基因相对表达量的变化。结果表明,西花蓟马2龄若虫体内CYP4-1、CYP4-2、CYP4-3和CYP6-4的表达量在转换到菜豆植株后F 1代显著升高,然后下降;而CYP4-4和CYP6-2的表达量到F 3代才显著上升;CYP6-1的表达量只有在F 2代显著下降,仅为对照的42.21%,其余世代下和对照均无显著差异;CYP4-5和CYP6-3的表达量在不同世代均显著低于对照。对于成虫而言,CYP4-4、CYP4-5和CYP6-4的表达量在转换到菜豆植株F 1后显著上升,分别是对照的2.28倍、1.40倍和1.31倍;CYP6-1、CYP6-2、CYP6-3的表达量在F 1代开始下降,而CYP4-1、CYP4-2、CYP4-3的表达量在F 2代才开始下降。在同一个世代下,西花蓟马2龄若虫与成虫体内P450基因表达量不完全相同,除CYP4-2的表达量在F 1和F 3代,以及CYP4-4、CYP4-5和CYP6-3的表达量在F 1代两个虫态间差异不显著外,其余情况下均是2龄若虫的表达量高于成虫的。结果说明西花蓟马通过调节P450基因适应菜豆植株,其表达量与其取食的世代和虫态相关。     

甘蓝型油菜BnCYP79B1基因的克隆与表达

硫苷是十字花科植物的一种次生代谢产物,其合成途径受细胞色素P450的CYP79家族蛋白的调控,该实验采用同源克隆技术在甘蓝型油菜中克隆到了CYP79B1基因,命名为BnCYP79B1(GenBank登录号为JX535391.1)。BnCYP79B1基因cDNA全长1 625bp,编码一个含有541个氨基酸、理论等电点为8.88。序列对比结果显示,BnCYP79B1与花椰菜CYP79B1在DNA序列上的相似性为98.83%,推测蛋白氨基酸序列的相似性为99.26%。通过不同时期不同部位BnCYP79B1基因表达量的分析,发现BnCYP79B1基因在高秆高硫苷品系的根中表达量较高,而对矮秆高硫苷品系则是叶中表达量较高。在BnCYP79B1表达总量上,高秆品系较矮秆品系高,高硫苷品系较低硫苷品系高。     

大肠杆菌ppsA和tktA基因的串联表达

ppsA和tktA是芳香族氨基酸生物合成中心途径的两个关键酶基因,在大肠杆菌中,ppsA基因编码磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸合成酶A(PpsA),该酶催化丙酮酸合成磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸;tktA基因编码转酮酶A,该酶在磷酸戊糖途径中生成4-磷酸赤藓糖起主要作用。采用PCR方法从大肠杆菌K-12株中扩增到ppsA和tktA,并实现了两基因的高效表达,其中ppsA活性提高了10．8倍,tktA活性提高了3．9倍,当这两个基因串联在一个质粒上导入大肠杆菌进行表达时,PpsA的活性变化较大(2．1～9．1倍),TktA的活性相对稳定(3．9～4．5倍),且这两个基因单独表达和串联表达都能使芳香族氨基酸生物合成共同途径中关键中间产物DAHP的产量提高,且串联表达比单独表达较高。     

基于CRISPR/Cas9系统的拟南芥双链结合蛋白AtHyl1基因编辑

RNA沉默是植物重要的抗病毒防御机制,双链RNA结合蛋白(dsRNA-binding proteins, DRB)是RNA沉默信号途径中的关键蛋白。DRB1/HYL1是拟南芥基因组编码的7个DRBs之一,本研究将人工合成含2个AtHyl1靶位点序列的串联t RNA-gRNA片段导入CRISPR/Cas9表达载体中,构建双靶点的CRISPR/Cas9表达载体,通过转化拟南芥dcl2drb4双突变体获得36株转基因阳性植株。对经测序分析可能已发生基因编辑的3株进行单克隆测序分析,测序结果表明均已发生编辑,获得了AtHyl1基因被编辑的拟南芥dcl2drb4突变体T_1代转基因植物。该结果为研究AtHyl1是否参与DCL4介导的抗病毒RNA沉默通路提供了帮助。     

菘蓝CYP83A1基因的克隆、表达特性及原核表达分析

本研究对菘蓝CYP83A1基因进行了克隆、表达特性及原核表达研究。结果表明,IiCYP83A1基因组DNA全长为1 622 bp,包含2个外显子和1个内含子;cDNA全长为1 512 bp,编码503个氨基酸。IiCYP83A1编码的蛋白包含2个跨膜结构域,无信号肽,主要定位于内质网膜,属于亲水性蛋白,二级结构主要由α-螺旋和无规则卷曲组成,与萝卜、欧洲油菜、西兰花和芜菁等植物的CYP83A1蛋白具有较高的同源性。qRT-PCR结果表明,IiCYP83A1在不同组织中的表达具有显著性差异,表现为茎叶果花和根;在幼苗期、生长期和花期的表达量显著高于萌芽期;茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)和伤害处理能够显著促进该基因的表达,而低温(4℃)和水杨酸(SA)处理则对其表达具有一定的抑制作用。将克隆到的IiCYP83A1基因连接到表达载体pET-28a上,构建原核表达载体pET-28a-IiCYP83A1并对其进行原核表达。SDS-PAGE结果显示,在E.coli BL21中成功诱导表达了CYP83A1蛋白,与预期蛋白分子量大小一致。本研究结果可为进一步研究IiCYP83A1的功能提供实验依据。     

COI1参与茉莉酸调控拟南芥吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成过程

芥子油苷是一类具有防御作用的植物次生代谢产物,外源激素茉莉酸对吲哚族芥子油苷的合成具有强烈的诱导作用,但茉莉酸调控吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成的分子机制并不清楚。以模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)的野生型和coi1-22、coi1-23两种突变体为研究材料,通过茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)处理,比较了拟南芥野生型和coi1突变体植株吲哚族芥子油苷含量、吲哚族芥子油苷合成前体色氨酸的生物合成基因(ASA1、TSA1和TSB1)、吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成基因(CYP79B2、CYP79B3和CYP83B1)及调控基因(MYB34和MYB51)的表达对MeJA的响应差异,由此确定茉莉酸信号通过COI1蛋白调控吲哚族芥子油苷生物合成,即茉莉酸信号通过信号开关COI1蛋白作用于转录因子MYB34和MYB51,进而调控吲哚族芥子油苷合成基因CYP79B2、CYP79B3、CYP83B1和前体色氨酸的合成基因ASA1、TSA1、TSB1。并且推断,COI1功能缺失后,茉莉酸信号可能通过其他未知调控因子或调控途径激活MYB34转录因子从而调控下游基因表达。     

Metabolic engineering of aliphatic glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage plants expressing Arabidopsis MAM1, CYP79F1, and CYP83A1

Three Arabidopsis cDNAs, MAM1, CYP79F1, and CYP83A1, required for aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthesis were introduced into Chinese cabbage by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The transgenic lines overexpressing MAM1 or CYP83A1 showed wild-type phenotypes. However, all the lines overexpressing CYP79F1 displayed phenotypes different from wild type with respect to the stem thickness as well as leaf width and shape. Glucosinolate contents of the transgenic plants were compared with those of wild type. In the MAM1 line M1-1, accumulation of aliphatic glucosinolates gluconapin and glucobrassicanapin significantly increased. In the CYP83A1 line A1-1, all the aliphatic glucosinolate levels were increased, and the levels of gluconapin and glucobrassicanapin were elevated by 4.5 and 2 fold, respectively. The three CYP79F1 transgenic lines exhibited dissimilar glucosinolate profiles. The F1-1 line accumulated higher levels of gluconapoleiferin, glucobrassicin, and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin. However, F1-2 and F1-3 lines demonstrated a decrease in the levels of gluconapin and glucobrassicanapin and an increased level of 4-hydroxy glucobrassicin.     

Benzene metabolism in human lung cell lines BEAS-2B and A549 and cells overexpressing CYP2F1

Benzene is an occupational and environmental toxicant. The main human health concern associated with benzene exposure is leukemia. The toxic effects of benzene are dependent on its metabolism by the cytochrome p450 enzyme system. The cytochrome p450 enzymes CYP2E1 and CYP2F2 are the major contributors to the bioactivation of benzene in rats and mice. Although benzene metabolism has been shown to occur with mouse and human lung microsomal preparations, little is known about the ability of human CYP2F to metabolize benzene or the lung cell types that might activate this toxicant. Our studies compared bronchiolar derived (BEAS-2B) and alveolar derived (A549) human cell lines for benzene metabolizing ability by evaluating the roles of CYP2E1 and CYP2F1. BEAS-2B cells that overexpressed CYP2F1 and recombinant CYP2F1 were also evaluated. BEAS-2B cells overexpressing the enzyme CYP2F1 produced 47.4 +/- 14.7 pmols hydroxylated metabolite/10(6) cells/45 min. The use of the CYP2E1-selective inhibitor diethyldithiocarbamate and the CYP2F2-selective inhibitor 5-phenyl-1-pentyne demonstrated that both CYP2E1 and CYP2F1 are important in benzene metabolism in the BEAS-2B and A549 human lung cell lines. The recombinant expressed human CYP2F1 enzyme had a K(m) value of 3.83 microM and a V(max) value of 0.01 pmol/pmol p450 enzyme/min demonstrating a reasonably efficient catalysis of benzene metabolism (V(max)/K(m) = 2.6). Thus, these studies have demonstrated in human lung cell lines that benzene is bioactivated by two lung-expressed p450 enzymes.     

ELOVL2 overexpression enhances triacylglycerol synthesis in 3T3-L1 and F442A cells

Elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (ELOVL) members were overexpressed in two preadipocyte cell lines, ELOVL2 and ELOVL3 in 3T3-L1 cells, and ELOVL1-3 in F442A cells. Cells overexpressing ELOVL2, whose preferred substrates are arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5n-3), showed an enhanced triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis and subsequent accumulation of lipid droplets. Incorporation of fatty acid (FA) but not of glucose into TAG was enhanced by ELOVL2-overexpression. Two lipogenic genes encoding diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (DGAT2) and fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4, aP2) were induced in ELOVL2-overexpressing cells, whereas no such effect was seen on the fatty acid synthase (FAS) gene.     

Bus, a bushy Arabidopsis CYP79F1 knockout mutant with abolished synthesis of short-chain aliphatic glucosinolates

A new mutant of Arabidopsis designated bus1-1 (for bushy), which exhibited a bushy phenotype with crinkled leaves and retarded vascularization, was characterized. The phenotype was caused by an En-1 insertion in the gene CYP79F1. The deduced protein belongs to the cytochrome P450 superfamily. Because members of the CYP79 subfamily are believed to catalyze the oxidation of amino acids to aldoximes, the initial step in glucosinolate biosynthesis, we analyzed the level of glucosinolates in a CYP79F1 null mutant (bus1-1f) and in an overexpressing plant. Short-chain glucosinolates derived from methionine were completely lacking in the null mutant and showed increased levels in the overexpressing plant, indicating that CYP79F1 uses short-chain methionine derivatives as substrates. In addition, the concentrations of indole-3-ylmethyl-glucosinolate and the content of the auxin indole-3-acetic acid and its precursor indole-3-acetonitrile were increased in the bus1-1f mutant. Our results demonstrate for the first time that the formation of glucosinolates derived from methionine is mediated by CYP79F1 and that knocking out this cytochrome P450 has profound effects on plant growth and development.     

Metabolic engineering of indole glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage hairy roots expressing Arabidopsis CYP79B2, CYP79B3, and CYP83B1

Indole glucosinolates (IG), a group of secondary metabolites found almost extensively in the order Brassicales, play an important role in the interaction between plant and insect or microorganism. In order to explore the possibility of IG metabolic engineering in Chinese cabbage hairy roots, three Arabidopsis cDNAs CYP79B2, CYP79B3, and CYP83B1 combined with rolABC were introduced into Chinese cabbage by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Overexpression of CYP79B2, CYP79B3, or CYP83B1 alone did not affect the accumulation levels of IG in transgenic hairy roots. However, when CYP83B1 was overexpressed together with CYP79B2 and/or CYP79B3, some of the transgenic hairy roots accumulated higher levels of glucobrassicin (GBC) or 4-methoxy glucobrassicin (4-OMeGBC) than control hairy root line carrying rolABC vector. With regard to the IG accumulation, overexpression of all three cDNAs showed no better than overexpression of both cDNAs. Both 4-OMeGBC and neoglucobrassicin (neo-GBC) were found to be the main components of IG that comprise about 90% of total IG in all types of Chinese cabbage hairy root lines. In transgenic hairy root lines rB3B1-8 and rB2B1B3-5, 4-OMeGBC increased to 2 and 1.5-fold, while neo-GBC decreased to 0.5 and 0.6-fold, respectively. This suggests that an increased production of 4-OMeGBC causes a reduction of neo-GBC level since the two types derive from a common precursor GBC. However, in terms of the total IG level, the transgenic hairy roots did not show significant differences from controls.     

BjuB.CYP79F1 Regulates Synthesis of Propyl Fraction of Aliphatic Glucosinolates in Oilseed Mustard Brassica juncea: Functional Validation through Genetic and Transgenic Approaches

Among the different types of methionine-derived aliphatic glucosinolates (GS), sinigrin (2-propenyl), the final product in 3C GS biosynthetic pathway is considered very important as it has many pharmacological and therapeutic properties. In Brassica species, the candidate gene regulating synthesis of 3C GS remains ambiguous. Earlier reports of GSL-PRO, an ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana gene At1g18500 as a probable candidate gene responsible for 3C GS biosynthesis in B. napus and B. oleracea could not be validated in B. juncea through genetic analysis. In this communication, we report the isolation and characterization of the gene CYP79F1, an ortholog of A. thaliana gene At1g16410 that is involved in the first step of core GS biosynthesis. The gene CYP79F1 in B. juncea showed presence-absence polymorphism between lines Varuna that synthesizes sinigrin and Heera virtually free from sinigrin. Using this presence-absence polymorphism, CYP79F1 was mapped to the previously mapped 3C GS QTL region (J16Gsl4) in the LG B4 of B. juncea. In Heera, the gene was observed to be truncated due to an insertion of a ~4.7 kb TE like element leading to the loss of function of the gene. Functional validation of the gene was carried out through both genetic and transgenic approaches. An F₂ population segregating only for the gene CYP79F1 and the sinigrin phenotype showed perfect co-segregation. Finally, genetic transformation of a B. juncea line (QTL-NIL J16Gsl4) having high seed GS but lacking sinigrin with the wild type CYP79F1 showed the synthesis of sinigrin validating the role of CYP79F1 in regulating the synthesis of 3C GS in B. juncea.     

CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 have distinct functions in the biosynthesis of aliphatic glucosinolates in Arabidopsis

Cytochromes P450 of the CYP79 family catalyze the conversion of amino acids to oximes in the biosynthesis of glucosinolates, a group of natural plant products known to be involved in plant defense and as a source of flavor compounds, cancer-preventing agents and bioherbicides. We report a detailed biochemical analysis of the substrate specificity and kinetics of CYP79F1 and CYP79F2, two cytochromes P450 involved in the biosynthesis of aliphatic glucosinolates in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using recombinant CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 expressed in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively, we show that CYP79F1 metabolizes mono- to hexahomomethionine, resulting in both short- and long-chain aliphatic glucosinolates. In contrast, CYP79F2 exclusively metabolizes long-chain elongated penta- and hexahomomethionines. CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 are spatially and developmentally regulated, with different gene expression patterns. CYP79F2 is highly expressed in hypocotyl and roots, whereas CYP79F1 is strongly expressed in cotyledons, rosette leaves, stems, and siliques. A transposon-tagged CYP79F1 knockout mutant completely lacks short-chain aliphatic glucosinolates, but has an increased level of long-chain aliphatic glucosinolates, especially in leaves and seeds. The level of long-chain aliphatic glucosinolates in a transposon-tagged CYP79F2 knockout mutant is substantially reduced, whereas the level of short-chain aliphatic glucosinolates is not affected. Biochemical characterization of CYP79F1 and CYP79F2, and gene expression analysis, combined with glucosinolate profiling of knockout mutants demonstrate the functional role of these enzymes. This provides valuable insights into the metabolic network leading to the biosynthesis of aliphatic glucosinolates, and into metabolic engineering of altered aliphatic glucosinolate profiles to improve nutritional value and pest resistance.     

Metabolic engineering of indole glucosinolates in Chinese cabbage plants by expression of Arabidopsis CYP79B2, CYP79B3, and CYP83B1

Indole glucosinolates (IG) play important roles in plant defense, plant-insect interactions, and stress responses in plants. In an attempt to metabolically engineer the IG pathway flux in Chinese cabbage, three important Arabidopsis cDNAs, CYP79B2, CYP79B3, and CYP83B1, were introduced into Chinese cabbage by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Overexpression of CYP79B3 or CYP83B1 did not affect IG accumulation levels, and overexpression of CYP79B2 or CYP79B3 prevented the transformed callus from being regenerated, displaying the phenotype of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) overproduction. However, when CYP83B1 was overexpressed together with CYP79B2 and/or CYP79B3, the transformed calli were regenerated into whole plants that accumulated higher levels of glucobrassicin, 4-hydroxy glucobrassicin, and 4-methoxy glu-cobrassicin than wild-type controls. This result suggests that the flux in Chinese cabbage is predominantly channeled into IAA biosynthesis so that coordinate expression of the two consecutive enzymes is needed to divert the flux into IG biosynthesis. With regard to IG accumulation, overexpression of all three cDNAs was no better than overexpression of the two cDNAs. The content of neoglucobrassicin remained unchanged in all transgenic plants. Although glucobrassicin was most directly affected by overexpression of the transgenes, elevated levels of the parent IG, glucobrassicin, were not always accompanied by increases in 4-hydroxy and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin. However, one transgenic line producing about 8-fold increased glucobrassicin also accumulated at least 2.5 fold more 4-hydroxy and 4-methoxy glucobrassicin. This implies that a large glucobrassicin pool exceeding some threshold level drives the flux into the side chain modification pathway. Aliphatic glucosinolate content was not affected in any of the transgenic plants.     

Functional analysis of the tandem-duplicated P450 genes SPS/BUS/CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 in glucosinolate biosynthesis and plant development by Ds transposition-generated double mutants

A significant fraction (approximately 17%) of Arabidopsis genes are members of tandemly repeated families and pose a particular challenge for functional studies. We have used the Ac-Ds transposition system to generate single- and double-knockout mutants of two tandemly duplicated cytochrome P450 genes, SPS/BUS/CYP79F1 and CYP79F2. We have previously described the Arabidopsis supershoot mutants in CYP79F1 that exhibit massive overproliferation of shoots. Here we use a cytokinin-responsive reporter ARR5::uidA and an auxin-responsive reporter DR5::uidA in the sps/cyp79F1 mutant to show that increased levels of cytokinin, but not auxin, correlate well with the expression pattern of the SPS/CYP79F1 gene, supporting the involvement of this gene in cytokinin homeostasis. Further, we isolated Ds gene trap insertions in the CYP79F2 gene, and find these mutants to be defective mainly in the root system, consistent with a root-specific expression pattern. Finally, we generated double mutants in CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 using secondary transpositions, and demonstrate that the phenotypes are additive. Previous biochemical studies have suggested partially redundant functions for SPS/CYP79F1 and CYP79F2 in aliphatic glucosinolate synthesis. Our analysis shows that aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthesis is completely abolished in the double-knockout plants, providing genetic proof for the proposed biochemical functions of these genes. This study also provides further demonstration of how gluconisolate biosynthesis, regarded as secondary metabolism, is intricately linked with hormone homeostatis and hence with plant growth and development.