抗盐胡杨Na+/H+逆向转运蛋白基因PeNhaD1的功能

将胡杨Na /H 逆向转运蛋白基因PeNhaD1,分别转入对盐敏感的缺失质膜和缺失液泡膜Na /H 逆向转运蛋白基因的酵母突变菌株ANT3和GX1中。结果表明,在pH6.0、Na 浓度为80mmol/L(固体培养基)或400mmol/L(液体培养基)的条件下,转化具有目的基因的酵母ANT3具有更高的耐盐性,而将目的基因转化到突变株GX1时,却不能提高其耐盐性。实验结果说明PeNhaD1可能是通过编码质膜Na /H 逆向转运蛋白而提高酵母的耐盐性的,推测其在胡杨耐盐机制中的作用可能是提高拒盐性。     

木麻黄NHX基因家族的鉴定及盐胁迫下的表达分析

Na^(+)/H^(+)转运蛋白在植物的耐盐性和生长发育中起关键作用。该研究采用生物信息学方法对木麻黄(Casuarina equisetifolia L.)NHX基因家族成员进行全基因组鉴定和分析,并利用qRT-PCR技术检测NHX基因在盐胁迫下的表达,以探讨木麻黄NHX家族基因的生物学功能,为进一步研究盐胁迫机制以及挖掘其抗逆基因奠定理论基础。结果显示:(1)鉴定获得8个木麻黄NHX基因家族成员(CeqNHX1-8),系统进化树分析发现其可分为Endo、Vac和PM共3个亚家族,分别包含1、5和2个基因;编码氨基酸数为324~546个,分子量为34.87~60.27 kD,等电点在6.29~9.08之间,均为疏水蛋白。(2)基因结构和Motif分析发现,所有CeqNHXs基因的外显子数为2~17不等,且均具有保守的Na^(+)/H^(+)交换结构域;CeqNHX基因的蛋白质二级结构主要以α-螺旋和不规则卷曲为主。(3)木麻黄CeqNHX基因的启动子区含有大量非生物胁迫和激素响应元件,其中CeqNHX5启动子共含有13种共38个元件。(4)qRT-PCR分析表明,CeqNHX基因家族成员在木麻黄根、茎、枝和雄花序中均有不同程度的表达,且多数主要在小枝上表达;在200 mmol/L NaCl处理下,8个木麻黄CeqNHXs基因的表达量均有一定程度的上调。研究表明,木麻黄CeqNHXs基因家族可能参与多种激素和应激反应的调节,且CeqNHXs基因的表达对盐胁迫有显著的响应,推测CeqNHXs基因与木麻黄的耐盐性相关。     

新疆无苞芥Na~+/H~+逆向转运蛋白基因OpNHX1的克隆、表达分析与功能验证

从耐盐植物无苞芥中克隆获得了1个Na+/H+逆向转运蛋白基因NHX1,命名为OpNHX1(GenBank登录号:KC200248)。OpNHX1基因cDNA全长2 153 bp,包含一个1 605 bp的开放阅读框,编码534个氨基酸。系统进化树分析表明,OpNHX1编码产物与拟南芥、小盐芥亲缘关系较近,属于同一进化分支。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,该蛋白基因在无苞芥根、茎、叶、花和荚果中均有表达,其中茎中表达量最高。半定量RT-PCR分析表明,该基因受高盐、干旱、低温及ABA的诱导上调表达。进一步将该基因在拟南芥中过量表达,显著提高了转基因植株在盐胁迫下的存活率,说明OpNHX1基因参与了植物的耐盐性。酵母功能互补试验结果显示,该基因转化酵母Δnhx1后可以补充NHX1的缺失,表明OpNHX1参与Na+/H+的转运。     

利用RNAi技术抑制拟南芥NHX1基因家族的表达

采用RNAi抑制NHX1基因家族的表达,并观察其对拟南芥耐盐性和耐旱性的影响.根据从拟南芥(Ara-bidopsis thaliana)cDNA中扩增出编码Na /H 反向转运蛋白基因AtNHX1长度为210 bp高度保守序列作为RNAi的靶标区,并正反2个方向插入载体pHANNIBAL中,2个片段用intron连接;将RNAi表达框连入具有NPTⅡ筛选标记基因的表达载体pART27中,构建以拟南芥NHX1基因家族为靶标的RNAi载体.采用农杆菌介导的真空渗透法转化拟南芥,得到T0代转基因拟南芥种子.对转基因阳性植株进行RT-PCR检测以及耐盐性和耐旱性分析.结果表明,利用本实验构建的NHX1基因家族RNAi载体,拟南芥NHX1基因家族表达被成功地抑制;耐盐和耐旱分析表明RNAi技术对基因表达沉默是有效的.     

新疆3种藜科盐生植物NHX基因的克隆与序列分析比较

从新疆野生植物盐角草(Salicornia europaea)、盐爪爪(Kalidium foliatum)和盐穗木(Halostachys caspica)中分别克隆了约1.7kb的NHX基因cDNA片段,此片段均包含了NHX完整基因,三者之间有较高的同源性,盐角草NHX基因与盐爪爪NHX基因同源性达92.81%,盐角草与盐穗木同源性达92.19%,盐爪爪与盐穗木同源性达97.66%.它们与其它几种藜科盐生植物如滨藜、碱蓬、灰绿藜的NHX基因同源性也很高,达到80%以上,与拟南芥同源性也达到86%.此基因在植物尤其是藜科盐生植物中高度保守,其编码的功能性蛋白可能在影响植物耐盐中起作用.     

香蕉海藻糖合成酶基因(MaTPS5)生物学及表达特性分析

通过研究香蕉Ma TPS5基因的生物学功能,探讨海藻糖合成酶基因在香蕉植株抗逆反应中的作用。利用随机克隆测序法从香蕉根系转录组中获得海藻糖合成酶基因,命名为Ma TPS5。生物信息学分析表明,Ma TPS5全长c DNA序列3 081 bp,完整开放阅读框2 559 bp,编码852个氨基酸;Ma TPS5蛋白属于不稳定、疏水性蛋白,等电点p I6.52,有两个结构域GT1-TPS和TPP,定位于细胞质中,含2个跨膜区域,不存在信号肽;与已知植物TPS氨基酸序列同源性达到77.31%;进化分析表明,香蕉Ma TPS5氨基酸序列与野蕉TPS氨基酸序列聚为一类,说明二者亲缘关系较近,具有共同的祖先。组织特异性表达研究表明Ma TPS5在球茎、叶、花中表达量较高,在根中表达量最低。q RT-PCR分析表明,Ma TPS5响应激素ACC和盐的处理,表达量在24 h均达到极显著水平。在Foc TR4病原菌处理后,表达量升高,并在3个时段保持一致。结果表明,Ma TPS5可能依赖乙烯信号传导途径诱导自身表达,合成海藻糖,参与香蕉抗逆反应。     

向日葵E3泛素连接酶基因的分析定位和表达鉴定

该研究利用前期获得的向日葵耐盐相关基因E3泛素连接酶基因序列(HERC2),构建瞬时表达载体Cam-35S-HERC2-GFP,采用基因枪法转化洋葱表皮细胞进行亚细胞定位;采用RT-PCR技术,分析盐胁迫下HERC2在耐盐品种P50和盐敏感品种P29根、下胚轴和叶中的表达差异;构建HERC2植物表达载体pPZP221-HERC2,采用农杆菌介导法将HERC2导入烟草,进行耐盐功能验证。结果表明:(1)HERC2蛋白定位在细胞膜、细胞质和细胞核中。(2)受到NaCl胁迫后,HERC2基因在耐盐品种P50和盐敏感品种P29中均上调表达,但耐盐品种中的表达量较高。(3)HERC2基因的表达,能够提高转基因烟草的耐盐性。该研究结果为进一步解析向日葵对盐胁迫的响应机制,以及耐盐新品种的选育奠定了基础。     

纤枝短月藓LEA5基因表达及耐盐性分析

该研究以纤枝短月藓为材料,利用RT-PCR和HiTail-PCR技术分别克隆得到纤枝短月藓LEA5基因的ORF和启动子序列,并进行生物信息学、基因表达及耐盐性分析,为进一步研究LEA5蛋白的保护机制奠定基础。结果显示:(1)LEA5基因包含267 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码88个氨基酸。(2)LEA5基因启动子序列为1 053 bp,利用PlantCARE在线工具预测顺式作用元件显示,该启动子不仅具有典型的CAAT box元件,还含有ABRE、MYB、MYC、MYB结合位点(MBS)等其他元件。(3)荧光定量分析表明,LEA5基因在纤枝短月藓不同时期和不同组织中都有表达。(4)LEA5蛋白的异源表达提高了大肠杆菌对盐胁迫的耐受性,表明LEA5蛋白可能在耐盐性中起重要作用。     

转座子挽救法对苜蓿中华根瘤菌与耐盐有关基因的定位

用含Tn5转座子的质粒pRL1063a诱变苜蓿中华根瘤菌(Sinorhizobium meliloti)042BM,得到盐敏感突变株042BML-2。采用转座子挽救法对Tn5插入位点两边的序列进行克隆与测序,获得了1179bp的转座子插入位点侧翼DNA序列。在GenBank中进行序列同源性和基因定位分析,结果表明：转座子插入在一个功能未知的基因内部,此基因长6270bp。研究证明：该基因与042BM的耐盐性有关,并定名为rtsC。氨基酸疏水性分析表明,在RtsC蛋白的N端有两个跨膜区,该蛋白与细菌趋化性相关蛋白的功能域有同源性。并对RtsC蛋白在苜蓿中华根瘤菌042BM耐盐性中的作用进行了讨论。     

在胡杨NHX基因内发现细菌转座子IS10-L的存在

采用RT-PCR扩增的方法,从新疆不同地区的野生植物胡杨中分别克隆获得lkb和2．3kb的cDNA片段,测序和序列分析表明这两个基因片段均包含NHX基因的部分读码框架,分别命名为PtNHX和PwNHX。PtNHX序列同源性分析结果显示胡杨NHX基因与滨藜NHX基因同源性高达98％,与碱蓬同源性达到86%,与拟南芥同源性为84％,与水稻同源性为80％,表明它是植物中高度保守的一种基因,同时说明野生植物胡杨中也存在与拟南芥相似的植物耐盐相关基因。PwNHX序列分析表明,该基因内部含有一种转座酶的读码框,大小约1350bp,与已发表的Shigella flexneri．转座子Th10基因序列(AF162223)同源性为99％。NHX基因的蛋白产物在植物的耐盐性方面起着重要的作用。推测PwNHX。由于插入转座酶读码框可能会导致该基因的功能丧失。胡杨生存于盐碱地,其体内可能存在另一些机制使胡杨具有抗盐碱的能力。对于这些机制的研究可能有助于进一步了解植物的抗盐机制。利用PwNHX基因内的转座子作基因标签,可进一步研究胡杨的其它基因,从而有可能揭示胡杨叶子发育的变态过程、耐盐碱等性状．     

Cloning and characterization of a plasma membrane Na+/H+ antiporter gene from Cucumis sativus

A plasma membrane Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter gene (CsSOS1) was separated from cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants by RT-PCR and RACE methods. Sequence analysis indicated that the full-length CsSOS1 cDNA was 3638 bp long with an open reading frame of 3435 bp long encoding a protein of 1145 amino acids. The deduced protein contained conserved structural domains and shared a high similarity with plasma membrane type Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters from other plants. TMpred prediction showed that CsSOS1 had 11 transmembrane domains. As shown by RT-PCR, the expression of CsSOS1 was tissue-specific and increased in the root but decreased in the leaves with increasing NaCl concentration. In addition, expression of CsSOS1 in ATX3 mutant yeast could grow on medium containing NaCl and enhanced AXT3 salt tolerance. These results suggest that the CsSOS1 plays a key role in cucumber plants under salt stress.     

A new tip homolog, <Emphasis Type="Italic">ShTIP</Emphasis>, from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salicornia</Emphasis> shows a different involvement in salt stress compared to that of TIP from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis>

To obtain an insight into the comprehensive molecular characteristics of the salt tolerance mechanism, we performed a screening for salt inducible genes in a halophytic plant, Salicornia herbacea, using mRNA differential display. A comparative analysis of gene expression in Salicornia grown in control and salt-stressed conditions led to the detection of a gene that was induced by salt. Both sequence analysis and a subsequent database search revealed that this gene was highly homologous to tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) from a variety of plant species. This gene, designated as ShTIP, is 1014 bp in size and contains a coding region of 762 nucleotides, which encodes a protein of 254 amino acids. Northern blot analysis revealed that ShTIP was predominantly expressed in shoots under normal conditions. However, salt stress induced high expression of ShTIP in both the shoots and roots. The expression of ShTIP in a salt-sensitive calcineurin-deficient yeast mutant (cnbΔ) resulted in a resistance to the high salt conditions. In addition, we compared the expression of a TIP gene in Arabidopsis with that of ShTIP under different conditions and found that the Salicornia TIP has a different regulatory mechanism for adapting to salt stress conditions compared with the glycophyte Arabidopsis TIP. These results indicate that ShTIP plays an important role in salt tolerance.     

Phosphorylation of SOS3-LIKE CALCIUM BINDING PROTEIN8 by SOS2 Protein Kinase Stabilizes Their Protein Complex and Regulates Salt Tolerance in Arabidopsis

The Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) pathway plays an important role in the regulation of Na⁺/K⁺ ion homeostasis and salt tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Previously, we reported that the calcium binding proteins SOS3 and SOS3-LIKE CALCIUM BINDING PROTEIN8 (SCaBP8) nonredundantly activate the protein kinase SOS2. Here, we show that SOS2 phosphorylates SCaBP8 at its C terminus but does not phosphorylate SOS3. In vitro, SOS2 phosphorylation of SCaBP8 was enhanced by the bimolecular interaction of SOS2 and SCaBP8 and did not require calcium ions. In vivo, this phosphorylation was induced by salt stress, occurred at the membrane, stabilized the SCaBP8-SOS2 interaction, and enhanced plasma membrane Na⁺/H⁺ exchange activity. When a Ser at position 237 in the SCaBP8 protein (the SOS2 phosphorylation target) was mutated to Ala, SCaBP8 was no longer phosphorylated by SOS2 and the mutant protein could not fully rescue the salt-sensitive phenotype of the scabp8 mutant. By contrast, when Ser-237 was mutated to Asp to mimic the charge of a phosphorylated Ser residue, the mutant protein rescued the scabp8 salt sensitivity. These data demonstrate that calcium sensor phosphorylation is a critical component of SOS pathway regulation of salt tolerance in Arabidopsis.     

Isolation and characterization of a Na+/H+ antiporter gene from the halophyte Atriplex gmelini

With a homologous gene region we successfully isolated a Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter gene from a halophytic plant, Atriplex gmelini, and named it AgNHX1. The isolated cDNA is 2607 bp in length and contains one open reading frame, which comprises 555 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 61.9 kDa. The amino acid sequence of the AgNHX1 gene showed more than 75% identity with those of the previously isolated NHX1 genes from glycophytes, Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. The migration pattern of AgNHX1 was shown to correlate with H⁺-pyrophosphatase and not with P-type H⁺-ATPase, suggesting the localization of AgNHX1 in a vacuolar membrane. Induction of the AgNHX1 gene was observed by salt stress at both mRNA and protein levels. The expression of the AgNHX1 gene in the yeast mutant, which lacks the vacuolar-type Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter gene (NHX1) and has poor viability under the high-salt conditions, showed partial complementation of the NHX1 functions. These results suggest the important role of the AgNHX1 products for salt tolerance.     

Molecular Cloning and Functional Analysis of a Na<Superscript>+</Superscript>/H<Superscript>+</Superscript> Antiporter Gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">ThNHX1</Emphasis> from a Halophytic Plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thellungiella halophila</Emphasis>

Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger catalyzes the countertransport of Na⁺ and H⁺ across membranes. Using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method, a Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter gene (ThNHX1) was isolated from a halophytic plant, salt cress (Thellungiella halophila). The deduced amino acid sequence contained 545 amino acid residues with a conserved amiloride-binding domain (⁸⁷LFFIYLLPPI⁹⁶) and shared more than 94% identity with that of AtNHX1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. The ThNHX1 mRNA level was upregulated by salt and other stresses (abscisic acid, polyethylene glycol, and high temperature). This gene partially complemented the Na⁺/Li⁺-sensitive phenotype of a yeast mutant that was deficient in the endosomal–vacuolar Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter ScNHX1. Overexpression of ThNHX1 in Arabidopsis increased salt tolerance of transgenic plants compared with the wild-type plants. In addition, the silencing of ThNHX1 gene in T. halophila caused the transgenic plants to be more salt and osmotic sensitive than wild-type plant. Together, these results suggest that ThNHX1 may function as a tonoplast Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter and play an important role in salt tolerance of T. halophila. Chunxia Wu, Xiuhua Gao, and Xiangqiang Kong contributed equally to this work.     

Comparative salt tolerance analysis between Arabidopsis thaliana and Thellungiella halophila, with special emphasis on K(+)/Na(+) selectivity and proline accumulation

The eco-physiology of salt tolerance, with an emphasis on K⁺ nutrition and proline accumulation, was investigated in the halophyte Thellungiella halophila and in both wild type and eskimo-1 mutant of the glycophyte Arabidopsis thaliana, which differ in their proline accumulation capacity. Plants cultivated in inert sand were challenged for 3 weeks with up to 500 mM NaCl. Low salinity significantly decreased A. thaliana growth, whereas growth restriction was significant only at salt concentrations equal to or exceeding 300 mM NaCl in T. halophila. Na⁺ content generally increased with the amount of salt added in the culture medium in both species, but T. halophila showed an ability to control Na⁺ accumulation in shoots. The analysis of the relationship between water and Na⁺ contents suggested an apoplastic sodium accumulation in both species; this trait was more pronounced in A. thaliana than in T. halophila. The better NaCl tolerance in the latter was associated with a better K⁺ supply, resulting in higher K⁺/Na⁺ ratios. It was also noteworthy that, despite highly accumulating proline, the A. thaliana eskimo-1 mutant was the most salt-sensitive species. Taken together, our findings indicate that salt tolerance may be partly linked to the plants’ ability to control Na⁺ influx and to ensure appropriate K⁺ nutrition, but is not linked to proline accumulation.     

Disruption of <Emphasis Type="Italic">RCI2A</Emphasis> leads to over-accumulation of Na<Superscript>+</Superscript> and increased salt sensitivity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis> plants

For plant salt tolerance, it is important to regulate the uptake and accumulation of Na⁺ ions. The yeast pmp3 mutant which lacks PMP3 gene accumulates excess Na⁺ ions in the cell and shows increased Na⁺ sensitivity. Although the function of PMP3 is not fully understood, it is proposed that PMP3 contributes to the restriction of Na⁺ uptake and consequently salt tolerance in yeasts. In this paper, we have investigated whether the lack of RCI2A gene, homologous to PMP3 gene, causes a salt sensitive phenotype in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.) plants; and to thereby indicate the physiological role of RCI2A in higher plants. Two T-DNA insertional mutants of RCI2A were identified. Although the growth of rci2a mutants was comparable with that of wild type under normal conditions, high NaCl treatment caused increased accumulation of Na⁺ and more reduction of the growth of roots and shoots of rci2a mutants than that of wild type. Undifferentiated callus cultures regenerated from rci2a mutants also accumulated more Na⁺ than that from wild type under high NaCl treatment. Furthermore, when wild-type and rci2a plants were treated with NaCl, NaNO₃, Na₂SO₄, KCl, KNO₃, K₂SO₄ or LiCl, the rci2a mutants showed more reduction of shoot growth than wild type. Under treatments of tetramethylammonium chloride, CaCl₂, MgCl₂, mannitol or sorbitol, the growth reduction was comparable between wild-type and rci2a plants. These results suggested that RCI2A plays a role directly or indirectly for avoiding over-accumulation of excess Na⁺ and K⁺ ions in plants, and contributes to salt tolerance.     

Overexpression of AeNHX1, a root-specific vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter from Agropyron elongatum, confers salt tolerance to Arabidopsis and Festuca plants

Agropyron elongatum, a species in grass family, has a strong tolerance to salt stress. To study the molecular mechanism of Agropyron elongatum in salt tolerance, we isolated a homolog of Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters from the root tissues of Agropyron plants. Sequence analysis revealed that this gene encodes a putative vacuolar Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter and was designated as AeNHX1. The AeNHX1–GFP fusion protein was clearly targeted to the vacuolar membrane in a transient transfection assay. Northern analysis indicated that AeNHX1 was expressed in a root-specific manner. Expression of AeNHX1 in yeast Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter mutants showed function complementation. Further, overexpression of AeNHX1 promoted salt tolerance of Arabidopsis plants, and improved osmotic adjustment and photosynthesis which might be responsible for normal development of transgenic plants under salt stress. Similarly, AeNHX1 also functioned in transgenic Festuca plants. The results suggest that this gene might function in the roots of Agropyron plants, and its expression is involved in the improvement of salt tolerance.