盐穗木miRNA417的克隆及对种子萌发和幼苗成活率的影响

MicroRNA (miRNA)是植物重要的基因表达调控因子,miR417的表达受盐胁迫的调节,高盐胁迫时,拟南芥miR417的表达能够抑制种子的萌发和幼苗成活。本研究通过分析miRbase数据库中已知植物miRNA417的序列,利用PCR技术成功克隆获得了盐生植物盐穗木的miR417（HcmiR417）的前体序列,将其构建至植物表达载体pCAMBIA1301上,通过花絮浸染法对拟南芥进行遗传转化。结果表明,在150 mmol·L^-1 NaCl的胁迫下,分别过表达HcmiR417和过表达拟南芥miRNA417（AtmiR417）的转基因拟南芥种子的萌发率和幼苗存活率均较野生型低,但两种转基因拟南芥株系之间没有差异。初步验证了盐生植物HcmiR417在种子萌发和幼苗成活率方面也具有负调控作用,盐生植物盐穗木和拟南芥植物miRNA在功能没有显示出差异。     

基于农杆菌介导瞬时转化法的AtGLR1.4亚细胞定位分析

将拟南芥基因AtGLR1.4启动子驱动的AtGLR1.4基因与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因融合后,利用根瘤农杆菌介导瞬时转化法(Fast Agro-mediated Seedling Transfomation,FAST)浸染拟南芥幼苗,对其进行亚细胞定位的研究。转基因植株通过激光共聚焦扫描显微镜的观察,发现GFP绿色荧光在叶片表皮细胞的细胞膜上特异表达,表明At-GLR 1.4蛋白定位于细胞质膜上,为其后续的功能研究提供了线索。     

拟南芥未知功能基因At3g61870编码蛋白的叶绿体定位研究

利用反向遗传学研究方法对1个预测的拟南芥叶绿体未知功能基因At3g61870编码蛋白进行了亚细胞定位研究.通过克隆At3g61870基因5′端长229 bp的DNA片段,与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)基因构建重组表达载体pMON530-CP-TP-GFP,经农杆菌介导转化拟南芥.转基因植株的叶肉细胞经激光共聚焦显微镜观察,叶绿素自发荧光与GFP荧光共定位于叶绿体中.结果表明,未知功能基因At3g61870编码的蛋白质为叶绿体蛋白质.     

拟南芥谷氨酸受体基因的亚细胞定位

为明确拟南芥谷氨酸受体1.3基因(AtGLR1.3)的亚细胞定位,该实验以拟南芥(Arabidopsis thalianaCo-lumbia ecotype)为材料,运用PCR方法从其基因组中扩增得到了AtGLR1.3的启动子和基因序列,将其连接到载体pBIsGFP上,构建成AtGLR1.3基因与绿色荧光蛋白基因融合的植物表达载体,通过农杆菌介导的花序浸润法将重组载体转化拟南芥野生型,转基因植株通过激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察显示,GFP荧光信号存在于细胞质膜上,表明AtGLR1.3为细胞膜蛋白.该结果为进一步研究AtGLR1.3的作用机理奠定了基础.     

拟南芥血红蛋白1的亚细胞定位

为研究拟南芥的血红蛋白1(AtGLB1)基因的亚细胞定位,该实验构建了拟南芥血红蛋白1基因与绿色荧光蛋白基因融合的植物表达载体pUCGFP/ AtGLB1.利用基因枪转化法将重组载体转入洋葱表皮细胞瞬时表达,通过检测融合蛋白在洋葱表皮细胞中的分布来确定拟南芥血红蛋白1在细胞中的定位.荧光显微镜检测结果表明,AtGLB1基因表达产物主要定位在细胞核中,少量定位在细胞质中.     

多选择标记植物表达载体的构建

具有多选择标记的植物基因表达载体有利于转基因植物研究中的转基因植株的筛选.本研究对植物基因表达载体pCAMBIA1301进行了改造,产生了1个具有可溶性的红移绿色荧光蛋白基因(smRS-GFP)、抗除草剂Basta、葡萄糖苷酸酶(GUS)及潮霉素(Hpt)的多选择标记的新的植物基因表达载体.运用这一表达载体的多选择标记可以有效降低检测和筛选转化植株时的假阳性率.此外,如此的基因表达载体也能满足实验室的不同筛选方法的需求.     

灰绿藜液泡膜焦磷酸酶基因（CgVP1）过表达提高拟南芥的耐盐性。

克隆获得包含完整开放阅读框（0RF）的灰绿藜液泡膜焦磷酸酶基因（CgVP1）cDNA序列,构建成基因表达载体pCAMBIA1301．1-CgVPl后,利用根癌农杆菌介导的花序浸染法转化拟南芥,再以抗性筛选方法获得了T3代纯合的转基因植株,经检测外源目的基因已经整合到拟南芥基因组中并能正常表达。分析结果表明,在拟南芥中过表达劬VP1基因后提高了植株抗盐胁迫的能力。     

GFP基因在新疆小拟南芥和拟南芥中的表达分析

以质粒pMCB30为模板,扩增GFP基因,连接到载体pCMBIA2300-35S-OCS上,构建过量表达载体p35S:GFP,将其转入农杆菌GV3101.通过农杆菌介导法将p35S:GFP载体分别转入新疆特色植物小拟南芥和拟南芥中.T0代经含有卡那霉素的1/2MS培养基筛选,获得了T1代转基因小拟南芥2株,T1代转基因拟南芥9株.通过激光共聚焦显微镜观察,在转基因小拟南芥和拟南芥的根尖细胞中均可检测到GFP绿色荧光蛋白;对转基因植株进行PCR扩增,均可检测到GFP基因,表明GFP基因已成功转入小拟南芥和拟南芥中.该研究建立了小拟南芥的遗传转化体系,为进一步利用GFP基因和进一步研究小拟南芥的功能基因奠定基础.     

过量表达大叶补血草LgNHX1基因对拟南芥耐盐性的影响

利用植物表达载体pCAMBIA1301和农杆菌GV3101将LgNHX1(全长1 656 bp)基因在拟南芥中过量表达.在含30 mg/L潮霉素的培养基上筛选获得LgNHX1的纯合转化子,并对其进行了分子鉴定和耐盐性分析.结果显示,经PCR和RT-PCR鉴定,野生型植株(对照)没有出现扩增条带,而转基因株系有相应的扩增条带,表明LgNHX1的确已经整合到拟南芥的基因组中,并已正常转录.在不同盐浓度处理下,转基因株系生长情况好于野生型对照;转基因植株地上部分和根的干重、鲜重相对高于野生型对照,但差异没有达到显著水平;当盐浓度达到150-200 mmol/L时,两个特基因株系的Na+含量显著高于野生型,K+含量极显著高于野生型.以上结果表明,过量表达LgNHX1基因可能增强了拟南芥将Na+区隔化至液泡的能力,提高了转基因拟南芥的耐盐能力.     

拟南芥未知功能基因At4g22890 编码蛋白的叶绿体定位

蛋白质的亚细胞定位信息对于深入了解该蛋白质的功能具有重要意义。本文对一个预测的拟南芥叶绿体未知功能基因At4g22890 编码蛋白进行了叶绿体定位研究。我们克隆了该基因5′端长208 bp 的DNA 片段, 与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP) 基因构建重组表达载体pMON530-cTP-GFP, 经农杆菌介导转化拟南芥。转基因植株经激光共聚焦显微镜观察, GFP 荧光仅在叶绿体中观察到, 表明所克隆的DNA 序列编码的多肽能够将At4g22890 编码蛋白质引导进入叶绿体, 由此推测该蛋白质为叶绿体蛋白质。     

Mechanisms and effects of retention of over-expressed aquaporin AtPIP2;1 in the endoplasmic reticulum

Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) are aquaporins that mediate water transport across the plant plasma membrane (PM). The present work addresses, using Arabidopsis AtPIP2;1 as a model, the mechanisms and significance of trafficking of newly synthesized PIPs from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus. A functional diacidic export motif (Asp4-Val5-Glu6) was identified in the N-terminal tail of AtPIP2;1, using expression in transgenic Arabidopsis of site-directed mutants tagged with the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Confocal fluorescence imaging and a novel fluorescence recovery after photobleaching application based on the distinct diffusion of PM and intracellular AtPIP2;1-GFP forms revealed a retention in the ER of diacidic mutated forms, but with quantitative differences. Thus, the individual role of the two acidic Asp4 and Glu6 residues was established. In addition, expression in transgenic Arabidopsis of ER-retained AtPIP2;1-GFP constructs reduced the root hydraulic conductivity. Co-expression of AtPIP2;1-GFP and AtPIP1;4-mCherry constructs suggested that ER-retained AtPIP2;1-GFP may interact with other PIPs to hamper their trafficking to the PM, thereby contributing to inhibition of root cell hydraulic conductivity.     

A complex and mobile structure forms a distinct subregion within the continuous vacuolar membrane in young cotyledons of Arabidopsis

The plant vacuole is a multifunctional organelle which is essential for growth and development. To visualize the dynamics of plant vacuolar membranes, gamma-TIP (tonoplast intrinsic protein) was fused to GFP and expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana. The marker molecule was targeted to the vacuolar membranes in most tissues, as expected. In rapidly expanding cells, some additional spherical structures were often observed within the lumen of vacuoles, which emitted strong fluorescence. To confirm their normal presence, we examined wild-type Arabidopsis cotyledons by transmission electron microscopy. The metal-contact rapid-freezing method revealed that the vacuolar lumen of epidermal cells contained many cytoplasmic projections, which often formed spherical structures (1-3 microm diameter) consisting of double membranes. Thus we concluded that these structures are authentic and named them 'bulbs'. Three-dimensional reconstruction from serial electron microscopic images demonstrates that bulbs are very intricately folded, but are continuous with the limiting vacuolar membrane. The fluorescence intensity of bulbs is about threefold higher than that of vacuolar membrane. GFP-AtRab75c, another marker of the vacuole, did not give fluorescent signals of bulbs in transgenic plants, but the existence of bulbs was still confirmed by electron microscopy. These results suggest that bulbs define a subregion in the continuous vacuolar membrane, where some proteins are concentrated and others segregated.     

马槟榔甜蛋白基因（MBL11）的剪切重组和结构分析

马槟榔甜蛋白（mabinlin II）是我国所特有且唯一的植物甜蛋白,在体外至今没有得到具有甜味的基因表达产物。本文采用基因工程手段对基因进行剪切重组,将重组基因构建成植物表达载体转入拟南芥中,通过RT-．PCR检测导入基因的表达,同时采用生物信息学方法对MBL II基因及其重组基因进行分析和甜味检测显示,转基因拟南芥不具有明显的甜味,但RT-PCR的结果显示,MBL II基因及其重组基因可在转基因的拟南芥中表达。根据生物信息学方法分析结果推测,导入拟南芥中的重组马槟榔甜蛋白可能是具有甜味的蛋白。     

过量表达星星草PtSOS_1提高拟南芥的耐盐性

将星星草中分离的质膜型Na+/H+逆向转运蛋白基因PtSOS1(GenBank登录号EF440291)构建到pGWB2植物表达载体上,转化拟南芥,获得抗卡那霉素的抗性植株.PCR和Northern检测表明,PtSOS1已整合到拟南芥基因组中并过量表达.耐盐性实验表明,PtSOS1过量表达提高了拟南芥植株的耐盐性.盐分测定表明,盐胁迫下PtSOS1转基因植株中Na+积累低于野生型的,K+含量则高于野生型的,转基因植株中K+/Na+比值高于野生型.     

Endosomal proteases facilitate the fusion of endosomes with vacuoles at the final step of the endocytotic pathway

The mechanism by which plasma membrane proteins are transported to vacuoles for degradation has not been well characterized in plants. To clarify how plasma membrane proteins are degraded, we monitored the endocytotic pathway in tobacco suspension-cultured BY-2 cells with a fluorescent endocytosis marker, FM4-64. Because of the efficient and rapid delivery of endosomes to the vacuoles, endosomes were scarcely detectable. Interestingly, we found that E-64d, an inhibitor of papain family proteases, caused the accumulation of a large number of endosomes in the cells under the sucrose-starved condition. This result indicates that E-64d attenuates the fusion of endosomes with vacuoles. We identified two papain homologues, which are localized in the endosomes, with a biotinylated inhibitor. We designated them as endosome-localized papains (ENPs). Immunofluorescent analysis revealed that vacuolar sorting receptor, a marker of prevacuolar compartment (PVC), was localized in the endosomes. This result and their acidic nature show that the endosomes correspond to PVC. These results suggest that ENPs facilitate the final step in the vacuolar trafficking pathway under the sucrose-starved condition. We further examined the effects of E-64d on two transgenic Arabidopsis plants that constitutively express a fusion protein composed of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a plasma membrane protein (GFP-PIP2a or GFP-LTI6b). GFP fluorescence was observed on the plasma membrane of root cells in these transgenic plants. Treatment with E-64d induced the accumulation of GFP-fluorescent endosomes and inhibited the degradation of these fusion proteins. No GFP fluorescence was observed in vacuoles in E-64d-treated transgenic plants. Taken together, these results suggest that endosomal proteases are required for the fusion of endosomes with vacuoles at the final step in the endocytotic pathway for degradation of plasma membrane proteins in plants.     

A rapid and non‐destructive screenable marker,FAST, for identifying transformed seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana

The creation of transgenic plants has contributed extensively to the advancement of plant science. Establishing homozygous transgenic lines is time‐consuming and laborious, and using antibiotics or herbicides to select transformed plants may adversely affect the growth of some transgenic plants. Here we describe a novel technology, which we have named FAST (fluorescence‐accumulating seed technology), that overcomes these difficulties. Although this technology was designed for use in Arabidopsis thaliana, it may be adapted for use in other plants. The technology is based on the expression of a fluorescent co‐dominant screenable marker FAST, under the control of a seed‐specific promoter, on the oil body membrane. The FAST marker harbors a fusion gene encoding either GFP or RFP with an oil body membrane protein that is prominent in seeds. The marker protein was only expressed in a specific organ (i.e. in dry seeds) and at a specific time (i.e. during dormancy), which are desirable features of selectable and/or screenable markers. This technique provides an immediate and non‐destructive method for identifying transformed dry seeds. It identified the heterozygous transformed seeds among the T₁ population and the homozygous seeds among the T₂ population with a false‐discovery rate of <1%. The FAST marker reduces the length of time required to produce homozygous transgenic lines from 7.5 to 4 months. Furthermore, it does not require sterilization, clean‐bench protocols or the handling of large numbers of plants. This technology should greatly facilitate the generation of transgenic Arabidopsis plants.     

Identification of a calmodulin-regulated Ca2+-ATPase in the endoplasmic reticulum

A unique subfamily of calmodulin-dependent Ca2+-ATPases was recently identified in plants. In contrast to the most closely related pumps in animals, plasma membrane-type Ca2+-ATPases, members of this new subfamily are distinguished by a calmodulin-regulated autoinhibitor located at the N-terminal instead of a C-terminal end. In addition, at least some isoforms appear to reside in non-plasma membrane locations. To begin delineating their functions, we investigated the subcellular localization of isoform ACA2p (Arabidopsis Ca2+-ATPase, isoform 2 protein) in Arabidopsis. Here we provide evidence that ACA2p resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In buoyant density sucrose gradients performed with and without Mg2+, ACA2p cofractionated with an ER membrane marker and a typical "ER-type" Ca2+-ATPase, ACA3p/ECA1p. To visualize its subcellular localization, ACA2p was tagged with a green fluorescence protein at its C terminus (ACA2-GFPp) and expressed in transgenic Arabidopsis. We collected fluorescence images from live root cells using confocal and computational optical-sectioning microscopy. ACA2-GFPp appeared as a fluorescent reticulum, consistent with an ER location. In addition, we observed strong fluorescence around the nuclei of mature epidermal cells, which is consistent with the hypothesis that ACA2p may also function in the nuclear envelope. An ER location makes ACA2p distinct from all other calmodulin-regulated pumps identified in plants or animals.     

Why green fluorescent fusion proteins have not been observed in the vacuoles of higher plants

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) makes it possible for organelles and protein transport pathways to be visualized in living cells. However, GFP fluorescence has not yet been observed in the vacuoles of any organs of higher plants. We found that the fluorescence of a vacuole-targeted GFP was stably observed in the vacuoles of transgenic Arabidopsis plants under dark conditions, and that the fluorescence rapidly disappeared under light conditions. The vacuolar GFP was rapidly degraded within 1 h in the light, especially blue light. An inhibitor of vacuolar type H+-ATPase, concanamycin A, and an inhibitor of papain-type cysteine proteinase, E-64d, abolished both the light-dependent disappearance of GFP fluorescence and GFP degradation in the vacuoles. An in vitro assay showed that bacterially expressed GFP was degraded by extracts of Arabidopsis cultured-cell protoplasts at an acidic pH in the light. These results suggest that blue light induced a conformational change in GFP, and the resulting GFP in the vacuole was easily degraded by vacuolar papain-type cysteine proteinase(s) under the acidic pH. The light-dependent degradation accounts for the failure to observe GFP fluorescence in the vacuoles of plant organs. Our results show that stable GFP-fluoresced vacuoles are achieved by transferring the plants from the light into the dark before inspection with a fluorescent microscope. This might eliminate a large hurdle in studies of the vacuolar-targeting machinery and the organ- and stage-specific differentiation of endomembrane systems in plants.