江南卷柏脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶的分子特性

脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶 (DHAR) 在植物抗坏血酸?谷胱甘肽循环中发挥着重要作用。利用同源克隆技术从江南卷柏中克隆到2个脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶基因,分别命名为SmDHAR1和SmDHAR2。SmDHAR1和SmDHAR2分别编码218和241个氨基酸,预测分子量分别是23.97 kDa和27.33 kDa。基因组序列分析显示这2个基因分别含有5和6个内含子。器官表达模式分析发现这2个基因在根、茎、叶中均有表达,是组成型表达基因。在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化了2个基因的重组蛋白。酶活性分析显示SmDHAR1和SmDHAR2蛋白对底物DHA的活性有显著差异,分别是19.76和0.17 μmol/(min·mg)。热力学稳定性分析显示这2个重组蛋白的热力学稳定性具有明显差异。因此,基因结构与酶学性质的差异预示着这2个基因可能存在功能上的分化。     

棉花GhDHAR2基因克隆、功能序列分析及原核表达

通过RT-PCR方法从棉花纤维组织中克隆得到脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶基因GhDHAR2的cDNA,该基因开放阅读框为639 bp,编码212个氨基酸的蛋白质。同源性序列对比分析显示,GhDHAR2蛋白具有较高的保守性,具有典型的功能结构域,包括GST-N家族和GST-C-DHAR家族的功能结构域;进化树分析显示GhDHAR2和拟南芥AtDHAR2在进化关系上较近。将GhDHAR2基因连接到原核表达载体pET-28a中,将重组载体pET28a-GhDHAR2转入到表达菌株BL21(DE3)中,通过IPTG诱导表达出重组GhDHAR2蛋白,SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳分析显示重组蛋白大小约为28 kD,诱导表达的重组蛋白具有较高的DHAR活性。首次克隆了棉花GhDHAR2基因,通过结构域分析其可能的作用,并成功进行蛋白体外表达及酶活性分析。     

星星草脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶（PtDHAR）cDNA的克隆及表达分析

脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶是抗坏血酸代谢循环中的关键酶,在多种植物中与抗胁迫相关。为了获得抗盐碱植物星星草中该基因序列,利用RACE技术,从星星草中克隆出脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶基因（PtDHAR）的cDNA全长序列,其GenBank登录号为HM125046。PtDHAR cDNA核苷酸序列长度为987bp,开放阅读框为639bp,编码213个氨基酸。该基因编码的氨基酸序列与水稻、小麦等禾本科作物具有很高的同源性。Northern杂交分析表明,该基因在盐碱胁迫下表达量显著升高。     

箭舌豌豆根系抗坏血酸及相关酶对镉胁迫的响应

以箭舌豌豆(Vicia sativa L.)品种L3(耐镉)和ZM(镉敏感)为材料,研究了不同程度镉胁迫下箭舌豌豆幼苗根系抗坏血酸(AsA)含量、脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(DHAR)同工酶活性、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)同工酶活性以及APX基因表达的变化。结果显示:(1)2个箭舌豌豆品种根系AsA和脱氢抗坏血酸(DHA)含量在镉胁迫下显著升高;AsA/DHA比值在镉耐性品种L3中显著升高,在敏感品种ZM中显著下降;相同镉处理浓度下,L3根系AsA含量和AsA/DHA比值显著大于ZM。(2)2个品种根系DHAR的活性电泳共显示4条同工酶条带,它们的活性均随镉处理浓度的升高而升高;其中DHAR1只在L3显示,DHAR4只在ZM显示;相同镉处理浓度下,品种L3的DHAR的总活性大于品种ZM。(3)2个品种根系APX的活性电泳共显示11条同工酶条带,其中的APX1、2、4仅在敏感品种ZM中受镉胁迫诱导,APX 8在耐性品种L3中受到比敏感品种ZM更显著的诱导;克隆得到1个箭舌豌豆APX基因,荧光定量RT-PCR结果显示该基因的转录在L3和ZM根系均受镉处理诱导。研究表明,镉胁迫下2个箭舌豌豆品种根系AsA含量,AsA代谢相关酶DHAR和APX的活性以及APX的转录水平均显著升高;镉耐性品种L3较敏感品种ZM能更有效地促进AsA循环,维持更高的AsA水平,从而更有效地缓解镉胁迫诱导产生的氧化胁迫,这可能是L3较ZM具有更高镉耐性的重要机制之一。     

草莓MDHAR及AO基因的克隆及序列分析

从新鲜幼嫩‘丰香’草莓(Fragaria×ananassa cv.Toyonaka)果实中提取分离总RNA,反转录成cDNA,根据已报道的其他植物单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶(MDHAR)及抗坏血酸氧化酶(AO)基因的保守区分别设计 一对引物,通过PCR扩增均得到目的条带.序列分析发现:mdhar基因片段长372bp,与刺梨同源性最高达96％,该片段编码123个氨基酸,推导的氨基酸序列与苹果属植物同源性为91％,与其他植物该基因编码的氨基酸序列也有较高相似性;a基因片段长842 bp,编码280个氨基酸,该片段与其他多种植物的ao基因均具有较高同源性,与甜瓜和黄瓜ao基因的同源性最高,均为70％,编码的氨基酸序列与其他多种植物均具有70％左右的相似性.     

环境胁迫和抗坏血酸的氧化还原状态

为了解环境胁迫对植物体中抗坏血酸含量及氧化还原状态的影响,以不同强度的冰冻和干旱两种胁迫为例,研究了它们对沈阳几种针叶树离体叶抗坏血酸、脱氢抗坏血酸含量以及抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽循环中4种酶活性的影响.结果表明,两种胁迫达到一定强度后,都能使还原态抗坏血酸含量下降而使脱氢抗坏血酸含量上升.冰冻使抗坏血酸过氧化酶和单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶活性下降.轻度失水使这两种酶活性上升,失水加重后转而趋于下降.脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶和谷胱甘肽还原酶活性对两种胁迫反应均不如前两种酶敏感.结合以前的研究结果,认为这一H2O2清除系统在导致驯化(acclimation)的轻度胁迫作用下可以得到加强,而当胁迫强度过大时则其清除能力下降并使组织受到伤害.文中还报告了沈阳几种针叶树抗寒性和针叶中抗坏血酸含量及上述4种酶活性之间的相关关系.     

过表达单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶基因提高番茄抗UV-B胁迫能力

以野生型（WT）和转正义叶绿体单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶基因（LeMDAR）番茄为试材,探讨了UV-B胁迫下过表达LeMDAR对番茄抗氧化能力的影响。测定了不同时间uV-B处理下番茄抗坏血酸（AsA）含量,脱氢抗坏血酸（DHA）含量,单脱氢抗坏血酸还原酶（MDAR）活性,光合速率和叶绿素荧光参数等。在UV-B处理下,转基因番茄植株的AsA含量、MDAR酶及抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（APx）活性、H：0：和超氧阴离子清除速率、净光合速率（只）高于野生型番茄。此外,紫外胁迫下,转基因株系丙二醛（MDA）含量和相对电导率（REC）较野生型增加的少。上述结果表明,MDAR对抗抗坏血酸再生具有重要作用,过表达LeMDAR提高了番茄植株抗氧化能力,对光合机构有保护作用。     

毛白杨细胞质抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因的克隆及表达分析

利用同源克隆技术得到1个毛白杨细胞质抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因,命名为PcAPX。该基因编码249个氨基酸残基,预测分子量为33.01kD。采用原核表达技术在大肠杆菌中表达并纯化该蛋白并进行酶活性分析,结果表明:重组PcAPX蛋白对抗坏血酸(AsA)和过氧化氢(H2O2)有很高的活性,其对抗坏血酸的米氏常数(Km)和最大反应速度(Vmax)分别为(0.71±0.03)mmol·L-1和(0.41±0.02)mmol·L-1·min-1·mg-1;对过氧化氢的Km和Vmax分别为(0.60±0.21)mmol·L-1和(0.35±0.12)mmol·L-1·min-1·mg-1,表明PcAPX对AsA和H2O2拥有较高的催化底物的能力和催化效率。利用实时定量RT-PCR分析毛白杨PcAPX基因的表达模式,结果表明其在老叶中表达量高于新叶、韧皮部、形成层和根部。该研究结果将进一步促进毛白杨APX基因家族成员参与植物生长调控的研究。     

胆固醇7,8位脱氢酶的表达及催化活性研究

果蝇的neverland基因是胆固醇7,8位脱氢的重要酶基因。为了探究其在胆固醇脱氢反应中的催化机制,将neverland分别克隆至表达载体p IEx-6及p XY212,再转染导入S2细胞并电转化到S.cerevisiae W303-1A中表达。Western blot结果证实NVD蛋白在重组S2细胞及S.cerevisiae W303-1A中实现了表达。胆固醇转化实验经HPLC分析发现,重组S2细胞可以将胆固醇转化为7-脱氢胆固醇,而重组S.cerevisiae W303-1A并不能实现胆固醇的7,8位脱氢。此外,在重组S.cerevisiae W303-1A和S2细胞的破碎液共同转化胆固醇及NVD体外转化实验中也未发现产物7-脱氢胆固醇的生成。实验结果显示,neverland基因在S2细胞中具有生物活性而在S.cerevisiae中没有生物活性,表明它在胆固醇脱氢时需要其它的伴侣蛋白协助,实验结果为进一步研究其催化机制提供了理论基础。     

硫素对冬小麦旗叶抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽循环系统的影响

选用大穂型品种'兰考矮早8'和多穂型品种'豫麦49-198'为供试材料,设置3个施硫水平,通过遮雨棚中盆栽试验研究了不同施硫量对冬小麦旗叶中抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽抗氧化循环系统的影响.结果表明: 2个小麦品种抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽抗氧化循环系统测定指标变化趋势表现一致,其中在花后28 d旗叶抗坏血酸(AsA)含量和谷胱甘肽硫转移酶(GSTs)表现有明显差异,但均表现为施硫处理高于对照,且达显著水平.2个品种花后旗叶中谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量、GSTs活性和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性变化均呈单峰曲线,在花后7～10 d达到高峰,后缓慢下降;AsA含量随生育进程推进逐步升高,至花后28 d达到高峰;花后旗叶中谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)活性则随花后天数增加呈下降趋势.由此证明,施硫对小麦生育后期植株体内抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽抗氧化循环系统有加强作用.     

Redox regulation of ascorbate and glutathione by a chloroplastic dehydroascorbate reductase is required for high-light stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

Chloroplasts are a significant site for reactive oxygen species production under illumination and, thus, possess a well-organized antioxidant system involving ascorbate. Ascorbate recycling occurs in different manners in this system, including a dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) reaction. We herein investigated the physiological significance of DHAR3 in photo-oxidative stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. GFP-fused DHAR3 protein was targeted to chloroplasts in Arabidopsis leaves. A DHAR3 knockout mutant exhibited sensitivity to high light (HL). Under HL, the ascorbate redox states were similar in mutant and wild-type plants, while total ascorbate content was significantly lower in the mutant, suggesting that DHAR3 contributes, at least to some extent, to ascorbate recycling. Activation of monodehydroascorbate reductase occurred in dhar3 mutant, which might compensate for the lack of DHAR3. Interestingly, glutathione oxidation was consistently inhibited in dhar3 mutant. These findings indicate that DHAR3 regulates both ascorbate and glutathione redox states to acclimate to HL.     

Enhanced stress-tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants expressing a human dehydroascorbate reductase gene

To analyze the physiological role of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) catalyzing the reduction of DHA to ascorbate in environmental stress adaptation, T1 transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) plants expressing a human DHAR gene in chloroplasts were biochemically characterized and tested for responses to various stresses. Fully expanded leaves of transgenic plants had about 2.29 times higher DHAR activity (units/g fresh wt) than non-transgenic (NT) plants. Interestingly, transgenic plants also showed a 1.43 times higher glutathione reductase activity than NT plants. As a result, the ratio of AsA/DHA was changed from 0.21 to 0.48, even though total ascorbate content was not significantly changed. When tobacco leaf discs were subjected to methyl viologen (MV) at 5 mumol/L and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at 200 mmol/L, transgenic plants showed about a 40% and 25% reduction in membrane damage relative to NT plants, respectively. Furthermore, transgenic seedlings showed enhanced tolerance to low temperature (15 degrees C) and NaCl (100 mmol/L) compared to NT plants. These results suggest that a human derived DHAR properly works for the protection against oxidative stress in plants.     

Antioxidant enzymes as biochemical markers for sharka resistance in apricot

The activity of antioxidant enzymes in different apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars, resistant or susceptible to Plum pox virus (PPV), was analyzed during the years 2002 and 2003. Resistant cultivars showed higher activities of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) than susceptible cultivars. Only CuZn-SOD isozymes were detected in the apricot cultivars. However, no correlation was observed between this isozyme pattern and the resistance to PPV. On the other hand, PPV-resistant apricot cultivars could have a greater capability for elimination of H₂O₂ and recycling of ascorbate-glutathione cycle, and they have at least two of these enzymatic activities (CAT, APX and DHAR) over the average. In contrast, this response was not observed in the susceptible cultivars. All these data suggest that the activities of CAT, APX and DHAR could be used as biochemical markers of sharka resistance in apricot.     

Leaf dehydroascorbate reductase and catalase activity is associated with soil drought tolerance in bread wheat

A number of morphological, physiological and phenological traits have been suggested as significant markers of adaptation to drought in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This study was aimed at the identification of a relationship between dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activities in leaves of wheat plants and stability of yield components under water deficit. The single chromosome substitution lines of cv. Chinese Spring carrying separate chromosomes from the donor Synthetic 6x, an artificial hexaploid combining the genomes of the two wild species, Triticum dicoccoides (AABB) and Aegilops tauschii (DD), were the objects of the investigations. The activities of the DHAR and CAT were correlated with flag leaf relative water content and two indexes of stability of grain yield components under drought across the set substitution lines. The lines carrying a synthetic hexaploid homologous pair of chromosomes 1B, 1D, 2D, 3D or 4D all expressed a low constitutive level of DHAR and the lines carrying chromosomes 3B, 1D, 2D and 3D a low constitutive level of CAT. All were able to increase this level (by fourfold for DHAR and by 1.5-fold for CAT) in response to stress caused by water deficit. When challenged by drought stress, these lines tended to be the most effective in retaining the water status of the leaves and preventing the grain yield components from being compromised. The discovered genetic variability for enzymes activity in leaves of wheat might be a useful selection criterion for drought tolerance.     

Co-expression of monodehydroascorbate reductase and dehydroascorbate reductase from Brassica rapa effectively confers tolerance to freezing-induced oxidative stress

Plants are exposed to various environmental stresses and have therefore developed antioxidant enzymes and molecules to protect their cellular components against toxicity derived from reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ascorbate is a very important antioxidant molecule in plants, and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR; EC 1.6.5.4) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR; EC 1.8.5.1) are essential to regeneration of ascorbate for maintenance of ROS scavenging ability. The MDHAR and DHAR genes from Brassica rapa were cloned, transgenic plants overexpressing either BrMDHAR and BrDHAR were established, and then, each transgenic plant was hybridized to examine the effects of co-expression of both genes conferring tolerance to freezing. Transgenic plants co-overexpressing BrMDHAR and BrDHAR showed activated expression of relative antioxidant enzymes, and enhanced levels of glutathione and phenolics under freezing condition. Then, these alteration caused by co-expression led to alleviated redox status and lipid peroxidation and consequently conferred improved tolerance against severe freezing stress compared to transgenic plants overexpressing single gene. The results of this study suggested that although each expression of BrMDHAR or BrDHAR was available to according tolerance to freezing, the simultaneous expression of two genes generated synergistic effects conferring improved tolerance more effectively even severe freezing.