烟草质体分裂相关基因NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2对叶绿体分裂和形态的影响

质体作为植物细胞中一类重要的细胞器,控制其分裂的分子机制一直都不清楚。最近的研究表明,植物细胞中与原核细胞分裂基因fisZ类似的同源基因控制着质体的分裂过程。通过正反义转化分析了两个烟草的ftsZ基因（NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2)在转基因烟草中的功能。二的反义表达并未对转化烟草细胞中叶绿体的分裂和形态产生明显影响,但二过表达转化植株中叶绿体的数目和形态都发生了明显的变化,在某些转化植株的叶肉细胞中甚至只有1－2个巨大的叶绿体存在。对不同转化植株的电镜观察和叶绿素含量分析认为,NtFtsZs基因可能对叶绿体的正常发育和功能没有影响,叶绿体形态的变化是对其数目减少的一种补偿。正反义转化植株中叶绿体的不同表型暗示高等植物中同一家族的ftsZ基因可能在控制质体分裂方面具有相同的功能。同时,过表达植株中叶绿体形态的变化被认为是高等植物的FtsZ质体骨架功能的体现。     

烟草质体分裂相关基因NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2对叶绿体分裂和形态的影响

质体作为植物细胞中一类重要的细胞器,控制其分裂的分子机制一直都不清楚.最近的研究表明,植物细胞中与原核细胞分裂基因ftsZ类似的同源基因控制着质体的分裂过程.通过正反义转化分析了两个烟草的ftsZ基因(NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2)在转基因烟草中的功能.二者的反义表达并未对转化烟草细胞中叶绿体的分裂和形态产生明显影响,但二者过表达转化植株中叶绿体的数目和形态都发生了明显的变化,在某些转化植株的叶肉细胞中甚至只有1～2个巨大的叶绿体存在.对不同转化植株的电镜观察和叶绿素含量分析认为,NtFtsZs基因可能对叶绿体的正常发育和功能没有影响,叶绿体形态的变化是对其数目减少的一种补偿.正反义转化植株中叶绿体的不同表型暗示高等植物中同一家族的ftsZ基因可能在控制质体分裂方面具有相同的功能.同时,过表达植株中叶绿体形态的变化被认为是高等植物FtsZ质体骨架功能的体现.     

叶绿体分裂相关基因NtFtsZ2-1在大肠杆菌中的表达与定位

FtsZ蛋白在细菌的分裂中担任着重要作用,能够在分裂位点形成一个环状结构而控制细菌的分裂过程。胞内FtsZ蛋白浓度的明显降低或异常升高均可阻断正常的细胞分裂过程进而导致丝状菌体的产生。我们为了研究烟草FtsZ蛋白与大肠杆菌FtsZ蛋白的异同,构建了烟草全长ftsZ2-1与绿色荧光蛋白EGFP的融合表达质粒并转化大肠杆菌JM109。融合表达质粒的过量表达导致宿主菌形成了丝状菌体。通过荧光显微镜观察发现NtFtsZ2-1-EGFP融合蛋白沿着宿主菌体的纵轴方向有规律地聚集成荧光点或荧光带,说明烟草FtsZ2-1蛋白能够识别宿主菌内分裂位点的定位信号并参与其细胞分裂复合物的组装。     

拟南芥叶绿体分裂突变体cpd111的基因定位与分析

通过EMS(ethyl methane sulphonate)诱变从拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)突变体库中筛选到一个叶绿体分裂突变体(c)hloro(p)last (d)ivision 111 (cpd111).遗传学分析表明,该突变体的表型是单基因控制的隐性性状.与野生型相比,突变体植物细胞的叶绿体数量少,叶绿体形态和大小多样化,并且细胞体积与叶绿体数量之间无相关性.利用图位克隆的方法确定cpd111的突变基因为FtsZ1.进一步的分析表明,该突变影响FtsZ7基因mRNA的正常剪切和稳定性,使蛋白质翻译提前终止,最终导致叶绿体分裂异常.该工作为研究FtsZ1在叶绿体分裂中的作用提供了新的材料和线索.     

拟南芥叶绿体分裂突变体pdl37的基因鉴定与分析

pd137是经甲基磺酸乙脂（ethyl methane sulphonate, EMS）诱变并通过筛选得到的一个拟南芥叶绿体分裂突变体。该突变体的叶绿体表型与野生型相比有很大差异： 叶绿体面积显著增大, 细胞中叶绿体数量明显减少。遗传分析显示pd137的突变表型受隐性单基因控制。本研究通过遗传作图将该突变基因粗定位于拟南芥2号染色体的分子标记CH2-13.70和CH2-16.0区间内。该区间内已知的与叶绿体分裂相关的基因只有FtsZ2-1。对FtsZ2-1基因的测序结果显示pd137突变体的FtsZ2-1基因第505位碱基发生了无义突变, 使蛋白质翻译提前终止。该突变还严重影响了FtsZ2-1基因的mRNA水平。转基因互补实验进一步验证了该突变体表型是由于FtsZ2-1基因突变引起。本项工作为研究叶绿体分裂的机制提供了新材料和一些有用的线索。     

拟南芥叶绿体分裂突变体pd137的基因鉴定与分析

pd137是经甲基磺酸乙脂(ethyl methane sulphonate,EMS)诱变并通过筛选得到的一个拟南芥叶绿体分裂突变体。该突变体的叶绿体表型与野生型相比有很大差异:叶绿体面积显著增大,细胞中叶绿体数量明显减少。遗传分析显示pd137的突变表型受隐性单基因控制。本研究通过遗传作图将该突变基因粗定位于拟南芥2号染色体的分子标记CH2-13.70和CH2-16.0区间内。该区间内已知的与叶绿体分裂相关的基因只有FtsZ2-1。对FtsZ2-1基因的测序结果显示pd137突变体的FtsZ2-1基因第505位碱基发生了无义突变,使蛋白质翻译提前终止。该突变还严重影响了FtsZ2-1基因的mRNA水平。转基因互补实验进一步验证了该突变体表型是由于FtsZ2-1基因突变引起。本项工作为研究叶绿体分裂的机制提供了新材料和一些有用的线索。     

烟草质体分裂蛋白NtFtsZs在大肠杆菌中的定位分析

分别构建了两个烟草 (NicotianatabacumL .)质体分裂基因NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2与编码绿色荧光蛋白的gfpS65A、V68L、S72A基因相融合的原核表达载体 ,并导入大肠杆菌 (Escherichiacoli)JM10 9菌株中进行表达。全长NtFtsZs∶GFP融合蛋白在菌体中有规律地定位 ,暗示NtFtsZs能识别大肠杆菌潜在的分裂位点 ,并能与大肠杆菌的内源FtsZ发生聚合作用 ;融合蛋白的诱导表达抑制了宿主菌的分裂 ,形成了明显的丝状菌体 ,证明真核生物的ftsZ基因与大肠杆菌的ftsZ基因有相似的作用。同时构建了NtFtsZs不同缺失的原核表达载体 ,对这两个基因所编码蛋白不同结构域的功能做了初步分析。实验结果表明 ,烟草FtsZ蛋白的C端结构域与其在大肠杆菌细胞中的正确定位有关 ;而N端结构域与NtFtsZs∶GFP融合蛋白的聚合有关。     

烟草质体分裂蛋白NtFtsZs在大肠杆菌中的定位分析

分别构建了两个烟草(Nicotiana tabacum L.)质体分裂基因NtFtsZ1和NtFtsZ2与编码绿色荧光蛋白的gfpS65A、V68L、S72A基因相融合的原核表达载体,并导入大肠杆菌( Escherichia coli ) JM109菌株中进行表达.全长NtFtsZs∶GFP融合蛋白在菌体中有规律地定位,暗示NtFtsZs能识别大肠杆菌潜在的分裂位点,并能与大肠杆菌的内源FtsZ发生聚合作用;融合蛋白的诱导表达抑制了宿主菌的分裂,形成了明显的丝状菌体,证明真核生物的 ftsZ 基因与大肠杆菌的 ftsZ 基因有相似的作用.同时构建了NtFtsZs不同缺失的原核表达载体,对这两个基因所编码蛋白不同结构域的功能做了初步分析.实验结果表明,烟草FtsZ蛋白的C端结构域与其在大肠杆菌细胞中的正确定位有关;而N端结构域与NtFtsZs∶GFP融合蛋白的聚合有关.     

植物叶绿体分裂的分子机制

叶绿体是植物细胞内一种重要的细胞器．它不仅是光合作用的场所,还是其它多种中间代谢的场所．叶绿体起源于蓝细菌,与其原核祖先类似,通过二分裂方式进行增殖．最近的研究表明,叶绿体的分裂装置包含原核起源和真核起源的蛋白质,它们在叶绿体的内膜内侧和外膜外侧协同作用以完成叶绿体的分裂．在过去十几年里,包括丝状温度敏感蛋白Z（FtsZ）、Min系统蛋白、质体分裂蛋白（PDV）和ARC蛋白等在内的多个叶绿体分裂相关组分被分离鉴定．本文简要介绍了叶绿体分裂装置各成员的发现、叶绿体被膜的收缩和叶绿体分裂位点的选择机制．另外,植物发育过程中叶绿体分裂可能受到细胞的控制,但目前对细胞如何调控叶绿体分裂知之甚少．本文对该领域的最新研究进展也进行了综述．     

叶绿体增殖调控机制研究进展

叶绿体为内共生起源的细胞器。利用电镜观察发现叶绿体分裂时具有中央缢缩现象,并且缢缩过程中存在环状结构。在大肠杆菌中,FtsZ蛋白最早在分裂位点组成一个环状结构（Z-环,FtsZ protein ring）,其他分裂相关蛋白再与之结合,共同组成一个复杂的分裂装置,最终导致原核细胞分裂的完成。其分裂位点的选择受到min操纵子（包括MinC,MinD。MinE基因）的精细调控。叶绿体分裂的分子调控机制与原核细胞类似。原核起源与真核起源的分裂相关蛋白组成分裂复合体,确保叶绿体的正常分裂。     

A large population of small chloroplasts in tobacco leaf cells allows more effective chloroplast movement than a few enlarged chloroplasts

We generated transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi) plants that contained only one to three enlarged chloroplasts per leaf mesophyll cell by introducing NtFtsZ1-2, a cDNA for plastid division. These plants were used to investigate the advantages of having a large population of small chloroplasts rather than a few enlarged chloroplasts in a leaf mesophyll cell. Despite the similarities in photosynthetic components and ultrastructure of photosynthetic machinery between wild-type and transgenic plants, the overall growth of transgenic plants under low- and high-light conditions was retarded. In wild-type plants, the chloroplasts moved toward the face position under low light and toward the profile position under high-light conditions. However, chloroplast rearrangement in transgenic plants in response to light conditions was not evident. In addition, transgenic plant leaves showed greatly diminished changes in leaf transmittance values under both light conditions, indicating that chloroplast rearrangement was severely retarded. Therefore, under low-light conditions the incomplete face position of the enlarged chloroplasts results in decreased absorbance of light energy. This, in turn, reduces plant growth. Under high-light conditions, the amount of absorbed light exceeds the photosynthetic utilization capacity due to the incomplete profile position of the enlarged chloroplasts, resulting in photodamage to the photosynthetic machinery, and decreased growth. The presence of a large number of small and/or rapidly moving chloroplasts in the cells of higher land plants permits more effective chloroplast phototaxis and, hence, allows more efficient utilization of low-incident photon flux densities. The photosynthetic apparatus is, consequently, protected from damage under high-incident photon flux densities.     

Growth retardation of plants transformed by overexpression of NtFtsZ1-2 in Tobacco

We transformed tobacco plants (Mcotiana tabacum L, Xanthi) by introducing a sense construct ofNtFtsZ1-2. This tobacco nuclear gene encodes a chloroplast-localized homologue of FtsZ, the bacterial cell-division protein. The overexpressing plants contained enlarged chloroplasts in their leaf mesophyll cells. In the T₁ progeny, we observed three different phenotypes: 1 ) plants with cells containing many small chloroplasts, which was the same as for wild-type plants; 2) plants in which the celts contained one to three enlarged chloroplasts (severe type); and 3) plants whose cells contained a combination of many small chloroplasts and one to three enlarged chloroplasts (intermediate type). The outward appearance of the severe and intermediate types of transgenic plants did not differ noticeably from the wild-types. However, the severe-type plants were most retarded in their growth under both high- and low-light conditions, followed by the intermediate-types. Under medium levels of light, the two types of transgenic plants exhibited growth rates comparable to that of the wild types. Based on the overall results, we suggest that many small chloroplasts, rather than a few large chloroplasts, are required for efficient use of light energy in the mesophyll cells.     

Chloroplast division in higher plants requires members of two functionally divergent gene families with homology to bacterial ftsZ.

The division of plastids is critical for viability in photosynthetic eukaryotes, but the mechanisms associated with this process are still poorly understood. We previously identified a nuclear gene from Arabidopsis encoding a chloroplast-localized homolog of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ, an essential cytoskeletal component of the prokaryotic cell division apparatus. Here, we report the identification of a second nuclear-encoded FtsZ-type protein from Arabidopsis that does not contain a chloroplast targeting sequence or other obvious sorting signals and is not imported into isolated chloroplasts, which strongly suggests that it is localized in the cytosol. We further demonstrate using antisense technology that inhibiting expression of either Arabidopsis FtsZ gene (AtFtsZ1-1 or AtFtsZ2-1) in transgenic plants reduces the number of chloroplasts in mature leaf cells from 100 to one, indicating that both genes are essential for division of higher plant chloroplasts but that each plays a distinct role in the process. Analysis of currently available plant FtsZ sequences further suggests that two functionally divergent FtsZ gene families encoding differentially localized products participate in chloroplast division. Our results provide evidence that both chloroplastic and cytosolic forms of FtsZ are involved in chloroplast division in higher plants and imply that important differences exist between chloroplasts and prokaryotes with regard to the roles played by FtsZ proteins in the division process.     

Overexpression of the Arabidopsis thaliana MinD1 gene alters chloroplast size and number in transgenic tobacco plants

The Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. minD gene (AtMinD1) was isolated and constitutively expressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants using the CaMV 35S promoter. Confocal and electron-microscopic analysis of the AtMinD1 transgenic tobacco lines revealed that the chloroplasts were abnormally large and fewer in number compared with wild-type tobacco plants. The abnormal chloroplasts were less prevalent in guard cells than in mesophyll cells. Chloroplast and nuclear gene expression was not significantly different in AtMinD1-overexpressing plants relative to wild-type tobacco plants. Chloroplast DNA copy number was not affected, based on the relative level of the rbcL gene in transgenic plants. Transgenic tobacco plants constitutively overexpressing AtMinD1 were completely normal phenotypically with respect to growth and development, and also displayed normal photosynthetic electron transport rates. These results show that the Arabidopsis MinD1 gene also functions in a heterologous system and confirm the role of the MinD protein in regulation of chloroplast division.     

Giant chloroplast development in ethylene response1-1 is caused by a second mutation in ACCUMULATION AND REPLICATION OF CHLOROPLAST3 in Arabidopsis

The higher plants of today array a large number of small chloroplasts in their photosynthetic cells. This array of small chloroplasts results from organelle division via prokaryotic binary fission in a eukaryotic plant cell environment. Functional abnormalities of the tightly coordinated biochemical event of chloroplast division lead to abnormal chloroplast development in plants. Here, we described an abnormal chloroplast phenotype in an ethylene insensitive ethylene response1-1 (etr1-1) of Arabidopsis thaliana. Extensive transgenic and genetic analyses revealed that this organelle abnormality was not linked to etr1-1 or ethylene signaling, but linked to a second mutation in ACCUMULATION AND REPLICATION3 (ARC3), which was further verified by genetic complementation analysis. Despite the normal expression of other plastid division-related genes, the loss of ARC3 caused the enlargement of chloroplasts as well as the diminution of a photosynthetic protein Rubisco in etr1-1. Our study has suggested that the increased size of the abnormal chloroplasts may not be able to fully compensate for the loss of a greater array of small chloroplasts in higher plants.     

定位于类囊体膜的PPF1在转基因拟南芥中的表达影响叶绿体的发育

PPF1是一个与植物营养生长相关的基因。它编码的产物可能是一个膜蛋白并与拟南芥叶绿体中的类囊体蛋白ALB3有很高的同源性。免疫电镜分析表明PPF1蛋白同样主要定位于类囊体膜 ,而且在短日照G2豌豆开花两周后仍发育良好的叶绿体中有很高的表达 ,在长日照豌豆同时期非正常叶绿体中丰度非常低。对转基因拟南芥和野生型植株的叶片衰老进程比较发现 ,PPF1在拟南芥中的过量表达可以延缓叶片的衰老 ,而用PPF1反义mRNA抑制拟南芥中的同源基因ALB3则明显加快叶片衰老速度。对转基因拟南芥的超微结构分析显示 ,PPF1在拟南芥中过量表达时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体大并含有更多的基粒和基质类囊体膜 ;相反 ,反义PPF1表达抑制其在拟南芥中的同源物时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体小并含有较少的基粒和发育较差的类囊体膜系统。这些数据表明叶绿体的发育状况与PPF1或拟南芥同源物ALB3的表达水平呈正相关。我们的结果提示PPF1基因可能通过控制叶绿体的发育状况来调节植物的发育。     

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit translation is regulated in a small subunit-independent manner in the expanded leaves of tobacco

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) is composed of small subunits (SSs) encoded by rbcS on the nuclear genome and large subunits (LSs) encoded by rbcL on the chloroplast genome, and it is localized in the chloroplast stroma. Constitutive knockdown of the rbcS gene reportedly causes a reduction in LS quantity and the level of translation in tobacco and the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas. Constitutively knockdown of the rbcS gene also causes a reduction in photosynthesis, which influences the expression of photosynthetic genes, including the rbcL gene. Here, to investigate the influence of the knockdown of the rbcS gene on the expression of the rbcL gene under normal photosynthetic conditions, we generated transgenic tobacco plants in which the amount of endogenous rbcS mRNA can be reduced by inducible expression of antisense rbcS mRNA with dexamethasone (DEX) treatment at later stages of growth. In already expanded leaves, after DEX treatment, the level of photosynthesis, RuBisCO quantity and the chloroplast ultrastructure were normal, but the amount of rbcS mRNA was reduced. An in vivo pulse labeling experiment and polysome analysis showed that LSs were translated at the same rate as in wild-type leaves. On the other hand, in newly emerging leaves, the rbcS mRNA quantity, the level of photosynthesis and the quantity of RuBisCO were reduced, and chloroplasts failed to develop. In these leaves, the level of LS translation was inhibited, as previously described. These results suggest that LS translation is regulated in an SS-independent manner in expanded leaves under normal photosynthetic conditions.     

猪圆环病毒2型Cap蛋白在烟草叶绿体中的表达

猪圆环病毒2型(porcine circovirus type 2,PCV2)可读框2(open reading frame 2,ORF2)基因编码具有多个抗原表位的病毒衣壳(Cap)蛋白,能在机体内有效引发免疫反应并产生中和抗体,是预防和治疗猪圆环病毒病(porcine circovirus-associated disease,PCVAD)的主要抗原。但Cap蛋白高昂的生产成本限制了它的广泛应用。为了探索Cap蛋白新的生产途径,本研究选择烟草叶绿体为表达平台,构建了ORF2抗原基因烟草叶绿体表达载体pNK-a03,并通过基因枪法(gene biolistics)将表达载体导入烟草叶绿体中。转化植株经PCR和RT-PCR检测,证实ORF2抗原基因已整合进烟草叶绿体基因组中且正常转录。蛋白质印迹检测和ELISA分析表明,Cap蛋白在烟草叶绿体内获得有效表达,具有免疫活性。此外,种子萌发研究结果显示,转基因烟草植株F1代具有aadA抗性,目的基因可正常进行遗传。这些研究结果为探索Cap蛋白的新型表达途径提供了理论基础。