培育具有安全选择标记或无选择标记的转基因植物

转基因植物中选择标记的安全性已成为植物基因工程研究的热点之一。从两个方面可以解决转基因植物中的选择标记问题。一是选用安全的正向选择标记,主要是与糖代谢和激素代谢相关的基因。二是构建能去除选择标记基因的转化系统,主要有共转化系统、双T-DNA边界载体系统、位点特异性重组系统和转座子系统等。这些植物基因工程的方法将有助于培育安全的转基因植物。 Abstract:The bio-safety of selective markers in transgenic plants has been a hot spot in the field of plant genetic engineering.To solve the problem of selective markers in the transgenic plants,two means of producing transgenic plants have been developed.One is the utilization of bio-safe positive selective markers which are genes mainly related to metabolism of auxins and carbohydrates.The other is the establishment of transformation systems allowing marker genes to be eliminated from the transgenic plants,which include co-ransformation,double T-DNA border vectors,site-specific recombination and transposition.All these approaches of plant genetic engineering will benefit breeding transgenic plants with bio-safety.     

Advances in chloroplast engineering

The chloroplast is a pivotal organelle in plant cells and eukaryotic algae to carry out photosynthesis, which provides the primary source of the world＇s food. The expression of foreign genes in chloroplasts offers several advantages over their expression in the nucleus： high-level expression, transgene stacking in operons and a lack of epigenetic interference allowing stable transgene expression. In addition, transgenic chloroplasts are generally not transmitted through pollen grains because of the cytoplasmic localization. In the past two decades, great progress in chloroplast engineering has been made. In this paper, we review and highlight recent studies of chloroplast engineering, including chloroplast transformation procedures, controlled expression of plastid transgenes in plants, the expression of foreign genes for improvement of plant traits, the production of biopharmaceuticals, metabolic pathway engineering in plants, plastid transformation to study RNA editing, and marker gene excision system.     

Deletional analysis of functional regions of complementary sense promoter from cotton leaf curl virus

Complementary sense promoter from cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) is a novel plant promoter for genetic engineering that could drive high-level foreign gene expression in plant. To determine the optimal promoter sequence for gene expression, CLCuV promoter was deleted from its 5' end to form promoter fragments with five different lengths, and chimeric gus genes were constructed using the promoterdeletion. These vectors were delivered into Agrobacterium and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L cv. Xanthi) plants which were transformed by leaf discs method. GUS activity of transgenic plants was measured. The results showed that GUS activities with the promoter deleted to -287 and -271 from the translation initiation site were respectively about five and three times that of full-length promoter. There exists a c/s-element which is important for the expressing activity in phloem from -271 to -176. Deletion from -176 to -141 resulted in a 20-30-fold reduction in GUS activity in leaves with weak activity in leaves and     

用于叶绿体遗传转化的表达载体

叶绿体遗传转化是植物基因工程的新方向。本文简要介绍用于叶绿体遗传转化的表达载体的构建方法,涉及同源重组片段、叶绿体特异的启动子和终止子、筛选标记基因,以及目前在叶绿体中已实现表达的外源基因等内容。 Abstract:Chloroplast genetic transformation is a new way of plant genetic engineering.This paper reviews the construction methods of expression vector used in chloroplast genetic transformation.It contains the homologous recombinant fragments,the chloroplast specific promoter and terminater,the selectable marker genes and the interest genes whose expression in chloroplast have been achieved.     

TRANSGENIC PLANTS EXPRESSING BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS DELTA-ENDOTOXINS

Commercial varieties of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) plants have been developed in many countries to control target pests. Initially, the expression of native Bt genes in plants was low due to mRNA instability, improper splicing, and post-translation modifications. Subsequently, modifications of the native Bt genes greatly enhanced expression levels. This is a review of the developments that made modem high-expression transgenic Bt plants possible, with an emphasis on the reasons for the low-level expression of native Bt genes in plant systems, and the techniques that have been used to improve plant expression of Bt toxin genes.     

植物纤维素合成酶基因的研究进展

纤维素是植物细胞壁的主要成分。自然界中每年大约有1800亿吨的纤维素产物生成。纤维素的巨大经济价值使纤维素合成酶基因成为基因工程的热点之一。1996年, Delmer小组首次从植物中克隆出纤维素合成酶基因。近年来,在纤维素合成酶的结构、功能、定位和基因功能的研究方面成果斐然。本文概述了植物纤维素合成酶基因的研究进展。 Abstract:Cellulose is a major component in plant cell wall.About 180 billion tons of cellulose are produced per year in nature.The commercial importance of cellulose makes the genes coding it one of attractive targets for plant genetic engineering.A number of cellulose synthase genes have been first cloned from plant species by Delmer's group in 1996.Recently,research achievement has been obtained in accumulating to understanding the cellulose synthase function,location,and the gene function.The paper summarized the research progress of cellulose synthase genes in higher plants.     

Analyses of Sexual Reproductive Success in Transgenic and/or Mutant Plants

The pistil, the female reproductive organ of plants, is a key player in the success of sexual plant reproduction. Ultimately, the production of fruits and seeds depends on the proper pistil development and function. Therefore, the identification and characterization of pistil expressed genes is essential for a better understanding and manipulation of the plant reproduction process. For studying the function of pistil expressed genes, transgenic and/or mutant plants for the genes of interest are used. The present article provides a review of methods already exploited to analyze sexual reproductive success. We intend to supply useful information and to guide future experiments in the study of genes affecting pistil development and function.     

降低转基因植物外源基因扩散的分子策略

转基因植物可以通过花粉或种子将外源基因转移到其他植物,从而对生态环境造成潜在的危害。如何降低外源基因的扩散已引起了人们的极大关注。目前降低外源基因扩散的方法主要有叶绿体转化、花粉不育、种子不育、闭花受精、无融合生殖、暂时性控制及转基因缓和等。主要对各种方法的原理和优缺点及目前的使用情况进行综述。Abstract: Transgenic plants can transfer foreign genes through pollen or seed to related plant species. This may cause potential harm to ecological environment. How to decrease the gene flow is drawing a growing public attention. The approaches for decreasing the gene flow include chloroplast transformation, pollen sterility, seed sterility, cleistogamy, apomixis, temporal control, and transgenic mitigation. The theoretical basis, advantages and disadvantages, and usage status of these approaches are presented in this review.