Expression of two soybean resistance gene candidates shows divergence of paralogous single-copy genes

The cloning of several plant genes directly involved in triggering a disease resistance response has shown that numerous resistance genes in the nucleotide binding site (NBS)/leucine-rich repeat (LRR) class have similar conserved amino acid sequences. In this study, we used a short soybean DNA sequence, previously cloned based on its conserved NBS, as a probe to identify full-length resistance gene candidates. Two homologous, but genetically independent genes were identified. One gene maps to the soybean molecular linkage group (MLG) F and a second is coded on MLG E. The first gene contains a 3,279 nucleotide open reading frame (ORF) sequence and possesses all the functional motifs characteristic of previously cloned NBS/LRR resistance genes. The N-terminal sequence of the deduced gene product is highly characteristic of other resistance genes in the subgroup of NBS/LRR genes which show homology to the Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor genes. The C-terminal region is somewhat more divergent as seen in other cloned disease resistance genes. This region of the F-linked gene contains an LRR region that is characterized by two alternatively spliced products which produce gene products with either a four-repeat or a ten-repeat LRR. The second cloned gene that maps to soybean MLG E contains 1,565 nucleotides of ORF in the N-terminal domain. Despite strong homology, however, the 3′ region of this gene contains several in-frame stop codons and apparent frame shifts compared to the F-linked gene, suggesting that its functionality as a disease resistance gene is questionable. These two disease resistance gene candidates are shown to be closely related to one another and to the members of the NBS/LRR class of disease resistance genes. Received: 29 November 1999 / Accepted: 22 December 1999     

NBS-LRR resistance gene homologues in rice

Twenty three DNA fragments with a size of about 520 bp have been cloned from rice genome by PCR amplification using primers designed according to the conserved region of most plant resistance (R) genes which have Nucleotide Binding Site (NBS) and Leucine-Rich Repeat (LRR) domains. Homologous comparison showed that these fragments contained typical motifs of the NBS-LRR resistance gene class, kinase 1a, kinase 2a, kinase 3a and domain 2. Thus they were named R gene homologous sequences (RS). These RS were divided into 4 groups by clustering analysis and mapped onto chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, respectively, by genetic mapping. Ten RS were located in the chromosomal intervals where known R genes had been mapped. Further RFLP analysis of an RS, RS13, near the bacterial blight resistance gene Xa4 locus on chromosome 11 among near isogenic lines and pyramiding lines of Xa4 showed that RS13 was possibly amplified from the gene family of Xa4.     

植物防御系统中抗病相关基因的研究进展

本文论述了植物防御系统中抗病相关基因（resistance gene,R基因）的研究进展。列表总结了迄今已克隆的R基因,并将其归为四种不同的类型。综述了不同基因表达产物-R蛋白在细胞中的定位及其相应的功能。此外,还对R基因编码区的多态性、R基因在染色体上排列方式以及R基因的进化与起源等问题进行了讨论。 Abstract:This review comments on recent advances in research of disease resistance genes(R Genes) in defence system of plants.The R genes cloned up to date are summarized and classified roughly into four classes listed in the Table 1.The location and the founction of the R proteins,i.e.,the expressed products of different R genes in the cells are reviewed.In addition,the polymophism of coding region of R genes,the different fashions of R gene arrangement on the chromosomes,and the evolution and origin of R genes are discussed.     

Expressional and Biochemical Characterization of Rice Disease Resistance Gene Xa3/Xa26 Family

The rice （Oryza sativa L.） Xa3/Xa26 gene, conferring race-specific resistance to bacterial blight disease and encoding a leucine-rich repeat （LRR） receptor kinase-like protein, belongs to a multigene family consisting of tandem clustered homologous genes, colocalizing with several uncharacterized genes for resistance to bacterial blight or fungal blast. To provide more information on the expressional and biochemical characteristics of the Xa3/Xa26 family, we analyzed the family members. Four Xa3/Xa26 family members in the indica rice variety Teqing, which carries a bacterial blight resistance gene with a chromosomal location tightly linked to Xa3/Xa26, and five Xa3/Xa26 family members in the japonica rice variety Nipponbare, which carries at least one uncharacterized blast resistance gene, were constitutively expressed in leaf tissue. The result suggests that some of the family members may be candidates of these uncharacterized resistance genes. At least five putative N-glycosylation sites in the LRR domain of XA3/XA26 protein are not glycosylated. The XA3/XA26 and its family members MRKa and MRKc all possess the consensus sequences of paired cysteines, which putatively function in dimerization of the receptor proteins for signal transduction, immediately before the first LRR and immediately after the last LRR. However, no homo-dimer between the XA3/XA26 molecules or hetero-dimer between XA3/XA26 and MRKa or MRKc were formed, indicating that XA3/XA26 protein might function either as a monomer or a hetero-dimer formed with other protein outside of the XA3/XA26 family. These results provide valuable information for further extensive investigation into this multiple protein family.     

Recent Advances in Cloning and Characterization of Disease Resistance Genes in Rice

Rice diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses are one of the major constraints for sustainable rice （Oryza sativa L.） production worldwide. The use of resistant cultivars is considered the most economical and effective method to control rice diseases. In the last decade, a dozen resistance genes against the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea and the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae have been cloned. Approximately half of them encode nuclear binding site （NBS） and leucine rich repeat （LRR）-containing proteins, the most common type of cloned plant resistance genes. Interestingly, four of them encode novel proteins which have not been identified in other plant species, suggesting that unique mechanisms might be involved in rice defense responses. This review summarizes the recent advances in cloning and characterization of disease resistance genes in rice and presents future perspectives for in-depth molecular analysis of the function and evolution of rice resistance genes and their interaction with avirulence genes in pathogens.     

Isolation and characterization of resistance and defense gene analogs in cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.)

Plant disease resistance gene (R gene) and defense response gene encode some con-served motifs. In the present work,a PCR strategy was used to clone resistance gene analogs (RGAs) and defense gene analogs (DGAs) from Sea-island cotton variety Hai7124 using oligonucleotide primers based on the nucleotide-binding site (NBS) and serine/threonine kinase (STK) in the R-gene and pathogenesis-related proteins of class 2 (PR2) of defense response gene. 79 NBS sequences,21 STK sequences and 11 DGAs were cloned from disease-resistance cotton. Phylogenic analysis of 79 NBS-RGAs and NBS-RGAs nucleotide sequences of cotton already deposited in GenBank identified one new sub-cluster. The deduced amino acid sequences of NBS-RGAs and STK-RGAs were divided into two distinct groups respectively: Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) group and non-TIR group,A group and B group. The expression of RGAs and DGAs having consecutive open reading frame (ORF) was also investigated and it was found that 6 NBS-RGAs and 1 STK-RGA were induced,and 1 DGA was up-regulated by infection of Verticillium dahliae strain VD8. 4 TIR-NBS-RGAs and 4 non-TIR-NBS-RGAs were arbitrarily used as probes for Southern-blotting. There existed 2-10 blotted bands. In addition,since three non-TIR-NBS-RGAs have the same hybridization pattern,we conjecture that these three RGAs form a cluster distribution in the genome.     

植物抗病基因及其作用机理

综合近年国内外对植物抗病基因的研究和我们对水稻抗病基因的研究成果,对植物抗病基因进行归纳分类,并就其结构、功能、作用机理和信号传导进行分析和讨论.根据植物抗病基因编码蛋白的保守结构,将植物抗病基因分成NBS-LRR、eLRR-TM、eLRR-TM-pkinase、STK和其他五大类.不同类型的基因在细胞水平上的分布不一样,NBS、激酶和LRR在不同类型的基因之间结构差异也较大,但是它们通过各不相同的作用机理参与细胞对病原体的防御.     

Identification of genes contributing to quantitative disease resistance in rice

Despite the importance of quantitative disease resistance during a plant’s life, little is known about the molecular basis of this type of host-pathogen interaction, because most of the genes underlying resistance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) are unknown. To identify genes contributing to resistance QTLs in rice, we analyzed the colocalization of a set of characterized rice defense-responsive genes and resistance QTLs against different pathogens. We also examined the expression patterns of these genes in response to pathogen infection in the parents of the mapping populations, based on the strategy of validation and functional analysis of the QTLs. The results suggest that defense-responsive genes are important resources of resistance QTLs in rice. OsWRKY45-1 is the gene contributing to a major resistance QTL.NRR,OsGH3-1,and OsGLP members on chromosome 8 contribute alone or collectively to different minor resistance QTLs. These genes function in a basal resistance pathway or in major disease resistance gene-mediated race-specific pathways.     

Mapping of Defense Response Gene Homologs and Their Association with Resistance Loci in Maize

Defense response genes in higher plant species are involved in a variety of signal transduction pathways and biochemical reactions to counterattack invading pathogens. In this study, a total of 366 non-redundant defense response gene homologs （DRHs）, including 124 unigenes/expressed sequence tags, 226 tentative consensuses, and 16 DRH contigs have been identified by mining the Maize Genetics and Genomics and The Institute for Genomic Research maize databases using 35 essential defense response genes. Of 366 DRHs, 202 are mapped to 152 loci across ten maize chromosomes via both the genetic and in silico mapping approaches. The mapped DRHs seem to cluster together rather than be evenly distributed along the maize genome. Approximately half of these DHRs are located in regions harboring either major resistance genes or quantitative trait loci （QTL）. Therefore, this comprehensive DRH linkage map will provide reference sequences to identify either positional candidate genes for resistance genes and/or QTLs or to develop makers for fine-mapping and marker-assisted selection of resistance genes and/or QTLs.     

植物葡聚糖酶基因抗病作用的研究进展

β-1,3-葡聚糖酶作为植物抗真菌基因工程的热点之一,近年来的研究进展较为迅速。本文叙述了植物β-1,3-葡聚糖酶的基本生物学特性和抗病机制,对β-1,3-葡聚糖酶抗病基因的分类、结构功能及转基因植物的研究进展进行综述。 Advances on the Plant Disease Resistant β-glucanase Gene XING Quan-hua,WANG Bin Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China Abstract:Study of β-1,3-glucanase is one of the hot points in plant genetic engineering of disease resistance,big progress has been made in the past few years.This paper briefly reviewed the main biological characters and mechanism involved in the disease resistance,the classification,structure,function and the transformation of β-1,3-glucanase genes. Key words：β-1,3-glucanase;biological characters;disease resistance mechanism     

Embryo and Endosperm Function and Failure inSolanumSpecies and Hybrids

Although the importance of the endosperm as a food store inmany angiosperm seeds is well known, its significance duringearly embryogenesis has been neglected. In many interspecifichybrids, and in some other situations, embryos do not developfully and abort. It has often been stated that this is causedby the endosperm failing to conduct sufficient nutrients tothe embryo, but seldom has it been suggested that the endospermactively controls most of the early stages of morphogenesisof the embryo. Information gleaned from a broad survey of theliterature, combined with additional evidence presented here,obtained fromSolanum incanumand interspecific hybrids, indicatethat the endosperm is dynamic and very active in regulatingearly embryo development. This requires highly integrated geneticcontrol of rapidly changing metabolism in the endosperm. Ininterspecific hybrids, lack of coordination may cause unbalancedproduction of growth regulating substances by the endospermand hence abortion of the embryo, or even unregulated productionof nucleases and proteases resulting firstly in autolysis ofthe endosperm and then digestion of the embryo. The endospermmay thus serve to detect inappropriate hybridization of speciesor ploidy levels and so prevent waste of resources by producingseeds that would result in sterile hybrids or unthrifty subsequentgenerations. This discriminatory function of the endosperm hasdiminished during evolution and domestication of the crop plantSolanummelongenaL.Copyright 1998 Annals of Botany Company Solanum, embryo morphogenesis, endosperm, hybrid, seed development.     

环腺苷酸应答元件结合蛋白与学习记忆

环腺苷酸(cAMP)应答元件结合蛋白(cAMP response element binding protein,CREB)是一种核转录因子,可与cAMP反应元件结合,调节基因转录,具有调节精子生成,昼夜节律,学习记忆等功能.近年来关于其在学习记忆中的作用成为医学研究热点.CREB是神经元内多条信息传递途径的汇聚点,参与长时记忆形成和突触可塑性.长时记忆(long-term memory)形成需依赖CREB介导的基因转录,干扰或抑制CREB活性可破坏长时记忆.长时程增强(long-term potentiation,LTP)是研究学习记忆的理想模型,在LTP诱导和维持过程中均可观察到CREB活性持续升高.但增龄过程中,海马CREB活性下降,影响学习记忆功能,与许多神经退行性疾病发生有关.     

HIFs and tumors--causes and consequences

For most organisms oxygen is essential fo life. When oxygen levels drop below those required to maintain the minimum physiological oxygen requirement of an organism or tissue it is termed hypoxia. To counter act possible deleterious effects of such a state, an immediate molecular response is initiated causing adaptation responses aimed at cell survival. This response is mediated by the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), which is a heterodimer consisting of an alpha- and a beta-subunit. HIF-1 alpha protein is stabilized under hypoxic conditions and therefore confers selectivity to this response. Hypoxia is characteristic of tumors, mainly because of impaired blood supply resulting from abnormal growth. Over the past few years enormous progress has been made in the attempt to understand how the activation of the physiological response to hypoxia influences neoplastic growth. In this review some aspects of HIF-1 pathway activation in tumors and the consequences for pathophysiology and treatment of neoplasia are discussed.     

Pragmatic Women and Body Politics and Maternities and Modernities: Colonial and Postcolonial Experiences in Asia and the Pacific

Pragmatic Women and Body Politics. Margaret Lock and Patricia A. Kaufert. eds. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. xii +364 pp.
Maternities and Modernities: Colonial and Postcolonial Experiences in Asia and the Pacific. Kalpana Ram and Margaret Jolly. eds. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. xiv. 305 pp.