Antisense regulation of the rice waxy gene expression using a PCR-amplified fragment of the rice genome reduces the amylose content in grain starch

The waxy gene encodes a granule-bound starch synthase. A 1.0-kb portion of the sequence of the rice waxy gene, which includes the region between exon 4 and exon 9, was inserted in an antisense orientation between the 35 S promoter and the GUS gene of pBI221. The resultant plasmid, pWXA23, was introduced into rice protoplasts by electroporation. GUS activity was clearly detected in derived callus lines, suggesting that the antisense component of the fusion gene was also expressed. Transgenic rice plants were regenerated from these callus lines and their GUS activity was confirmed. Some of the rice seeds from these transformants showed a significant reduction in the amylose content of grain starch, even though they had become polyploid. These results suggest that even when intron sequences are included, antisense constructs can bring about a reduced level of expression of a target gene. The utility of GUS, included as a reporter gene, for the simple detection of expression of an antisense gene, was apparent from these results.     

不同调控序列作用下GUS基因在烟草中瞬时表达活性的研究

以pBI121为出发质粒, 利用烟草泛素启动子Ubi.U4、CaMV35S启动子以及Kozak序列构建4种GUS基因表达载体,通过叶盘转化法转化烟草叶片, 检测瞬时表达活性, 研究不同调控序列对外源基因表达的调控作用。结果表明: CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列后使GUS活性比独立使用CaMV35S提高了近2倍; 双CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列驱动GUS基因的表达活性与单CaMV35S附加Kozak序列相当; 烟草泛素启动子附加Kozak序列的表达活性为CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列的1.5倍; Ubi.U4-CaMV35S复合启动子附加Kozak序列驱动GUS基因表达水平最高, 其表达效率是双CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列调控下GUS表达效率的3倍, 为CaMV35S独立作用时的10倍。     

Strong expression of the rice catalase gene CatB promoter in protoplasts and roots of both a monocot and dicots.

The rice (Oryza sativa L.) catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) gene CatB is expressed in roots and cultured cells. We examined the promoter activity of its 5'-flanking region in a monocot and in two dicots. Transient expression assays in rice Oc and tobacco BY-2 suspension cell protoplasts showed that CatB's 5'-flanking DNA fragments (nucleotides -1066 to +298) had about 20 and 3-4 times as much promoter activity, respectively, as the CaMV 35S promoter. Serial deletion analyses of the CatB promoter region revealed that the shortest fragment (-56 to +298) still had about 10 times as much promoter activity as the CaMV 35S promoter in rice protoplasts. In tobacco protoplasts, the activity of the fragment (-56 to +298) was about half of the CaMV 35S promoter. Transgenic rice and Arabidopsis plants carrying GUS genes driven by the 5'-truncated CatB promoters were generated and their GUS activity was examined. The region ranging from -329 to +298 showed preferential expression in the roots of rice and Arabidopsis, and in the shoot apical meristems of Arabidopsis. In situ hybridization revealed that CatB was highly expressed in branch root primordia and root apices of rice. Fusion of the GUS gene to the region (-329 to +298) conferred strong expression in these same areas, indicating that the presence of this region was sufficient to express CatB specifically in the roots. There may be new regulatory element(s) in this region, because it contained no previously known cis-regulatory elements specific for gene expression in roots.     

水稻OsBP-73基因表达需要其内含子参与

该实验室以前的研究表明,水稻OsBP-73基因含有2个外显子和1个长度为2 471 bp的内含子.该文报告用OsBP-73基因ATG翻译起始密码子(在第1外显子中)上游序列(1- 818～ 215)与GUS基因构成嵌合质粒pRSSl,将该质粒转化水稻后,在抗性愈伤组织和转基因植株中未能检测到GUS基因的表达.只有用含有完整的内含子及其上游序列(1 818～ 2 844)与GUS基因构成嵌合质粒(p13GNF)时,才能在p13GNF的转基因抗性愈伤组织和植株中检测到GUS基因的表达.实验还证明,单是内含子序列并不能驱动GUS基因在转基因水稻中表达.由此推测:OsBP-73基因的启动子序列驱动基因表达时,需要基因内含子的参与.     

不同调控序列作用下GUS基因在烟草中瞬时表达活性

以pB1121为出发质粒,利用烟草泛素启动子Ubi．U4、CaMV35S启动子以及Kozak序列构建4种GUS基因表达载体,通过叶盘转化法转化烟草叶片,检测瞬时表达活性,研究不同调控序列对外源基因表达的调控作用。结果表明：CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列后使GUS活性比独立使用CaMV35S提高了近2倍：双CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列驱动GUS基因的表达活性与单CaMV35S附加Kozak序列相当;烟草泛素启动子附加Kozak序列的表达活性为CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列的1．5倍;Ubi．U4-CaMV35S复合启动子附加Kozak序列驱动GUS基因表达水平最高,其表达效率是双CaMV35S启动子附加Kozak序列调控下GUS表达效率的3倍,为CaMV35S独立作用时的10倍。     

The TACPyAT repeats in the chalcone synthase promoter of Petunia hybrida act as a dominant negative cis-acting module in the control of organ-specific expression

Analysis of the expression of the GUS reporter gene driven by various regions of the Petunia hybrida chalcone synthase (chsA) promoter revealed that the developmental and organ-specific expression of the chsA gene is conferred by a TATA proximal module located between -67 and -53, previously designated as the TACPyAT repeats. Histochemical analysis of GUS reporter gene expression revealed that the organ-specific 67 bp promoter fragment directs the same cell-type specificity as a 530 bp promoter, whereas additional enhancer sequences are present within the more TATA distal region. Moreover, the region between -800 and -530 is also involved in extending the cell-type specificity to the trichomes of flower organs and of young seedlings. The mechanism by which the TACPyAT repeats modulate expression during plant development was studied by analysing the expression of the GUS gene driven by chimeric promoters consisting of the CaMV 35S enhancer (domain B, -750 to -90) fused to various chsA 5' upstream sequences. Detailed enzymatic and histochemical analysis revealed that in the presence of the TACPyAT module the CaMV 35S region only enhances GUS activity in those organs in which the chsA promoter is normally active. Furthermore, this analysis shows that enhancement in the presence of the CaMV 35S domain B is accomplished by increasing the number of cell types expressing the GUS gene within the organ, rather than enhancement of the chsA cell-type-specific expression within these organs. Deletion of the TACPyAT sequences in the chimeric promoter construct completely restores the well-documented CaMV 35S domain B cell-type specificity, showing that the TACPyAT module acts as a dominant negative cis-acting element which controls both organ and developmental regulation of the chsA promoter activity.     

Activity of the 5′ regulatory regions of the rice polyubiquitin <Emphasis Type="Italic">rubi3</Emphasis> gene in transgenic rice plants as analyzed by both <Emphasis Type="Italic">GUS</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">GFP</Emphasis> reporter genes

Ubiquitin is an abundant protein involved in protein degradation and cell cycle control in plants and rubi3 is a polyubiquitin gene isolated from rice (Oryza sativa L.). Using both GFP and GUS as reporter genes, we analyzed the expression pattern of the rubi3 promoter as well as the effects of the rubi3 5'-UTR (5' untranslated region) intron and the 5' terminal 27 bp of the rubi3 coding sequence on the activity of the promoter in transgenic rice plants. The rubi3 promoter with the 5'-UTR intron was active in all the tissue and cell types examined and supported more constitutive expression of reporter genes than the maize Ubi-1 promoter. The rubi3 5'-UTR intron mediated enhancement on the activity of its promoter in a tissue-specific manner but did not alter its overall expression pattern. The enhancement was particularly intense in roots, pollen grains, inner tissue of ovaries, and embryos and aleurone layers in maturing seeds. The translational fusion of the first 27 bp of the rubi3 coding sequence to GUS gene further enhanced GUS expression directed by the rubi3 promoter in all the tissues examined. The rubi3 promoter should be an important addition to the arsenal of strong and constitutive promoters for monocot transformation and biotechnology.     

Functional analysis of a reproductive organ predominant expressing promoter in cotton plants

The successful development and application of transgenic Bt cotton is a milestone of cotton produc-tion in China[1]. However, the CaMV35s promoter is commonly used for driving Bt gene expression in transgenic cotton plants. During infection, the CaMV35S promoter can direct the synthesis of 35RNA [2]. From the aspect of bio-security, it would be more secure and compatible if the promoter of cot-ton plants could be utilized for transgene expression[3]. In addition, studies showed that unde…     

Gene expression enhancement mediated by the 5′ UTR intron of the rice <Emphasis Type="Italic">rubi3</Emphasis> gene varied remarkably among tissues in transgenic rice plants

Introns are important sequence elements that modulate the expression of genes. Using the GUS reporter gene driven by the promoter of the rice (Oryza sativa L.) polyubiquitin rubi3 gene, we investigated the effects of the 5' UTR intron of the rubi3 gene and the 5' terminal 27 bp of the rubi3 coding sequence on gene expression in stably transformed rice plants. While the intron enhanced GUS gene expression, the 27-bp fused to the GUS coding sequence further augmented GUS expression level, with both varying among different tissues. The intron elevated GUS gene expression mainly at mRNA accumulation level, but also stimulated enhancement at translational level. The enhancement on mRNA accumulation, as determined by realtime quantitative RT-PCR, varied remarkably with tissue type. The augmentation by the intron at translational level also differed by tissue type, but to a lesser extent. On the other hand, the 27-bp fusion further boosted GUS protein yield without affecting mRNA accumulation level, indicating stimulation at translation level, which was also affected by tissue type. The research revealed substantial variation in the magnitudes of intron-mediated enhancement of gene expression (IME) among tissues in rice plants and the importance of using transgenic plants for IME studies.