甘蓝型油菜RPD3/HDA1基因家族鉴定及早熟相关基因挖掘

该研究运用生物信息学方法鉴定甘蓝型油菜RPD3/HDA1基因家族,检测了其在‘黔油早2号’和‘中双11’中的表达水平及2个品种在低温(4℃)和ABA胁迫下该家族基因的表达特征,以探讨RPD3/HDA1基因在甘蓝型油菜中的潜在功能,为早熟油菜抗逆性遗传改良提供理论基础和候选基因。结果表明:(1)在甘蓝型油菜全基因组中共鉴定到28个RPD3/HDA1基因,将其命名为BnHDA1~BnHDA28,聚类为4个亚家族,同一亚家族成员的基因结构较为相似;在该基因家族中共检测到16对复制基因,均为片段重复。(2)顺式作用元件预测统计中共发现675个元件与植物激素、环境胁迫和光响应有关。(3)qRT-PCR分析显示,RPD3/HDA1基因在‘黔油早2号’中的表达量均高于‘中双11’;低温胁迫下,‘黔油早2号’和‘中双11’中RPD3/HDA1基因呈差异表达,与‘中双11’相比,RPD3/HDA1基因在‘黔油早2号’中的下调幅度较大;ABA处理后,RPD3/HDA1基因在2个品种中表达模式不一致,‘黔油早2号’中大部分RPD3/HDA1基因表达量较‘中双11’下调幅度小。研究认为,RPD3/HDA1基因可能在油菜开花中发挥调节作用,而且可能通过激素信号通路和防御信号通路参与油菜的生长发育和防御反应的调节。     

葡萄蔗糖转化酶基因家族的生物信息学及响应逆境胁迫分析

蔗糖转化酶(invertase, INV)在植物生长发育和抵御胁迫中发挥着重要作用。研究从葡萄基因组数据库中鉴定出19个蔗糖转化酶基因,对基因结构和编码蛋白质的理化性质进行生物信息学分析,并利用qRT-PCR技术分析基因在不同激素和非生物胁迫条件下的表达特征,为进一步探索葡萄INV基因家族参与葡萄逆境响应提供了一定的理论依据。结果表明,(1)该基因家族编码蛋白的氨基酸长度在150～766 aa之间,理论等电点介于4.43～9.1之间,亚细胞定位预测发现其主要在细胞质中表达,此外液泡和细胞壁也存在部分基因表达;(2)共线性结果显示VvCINV与其他5个物种复制频率较高;(3)保守基序分析表明VvCwINV包含了所有的保守基序,且Glyco＿32和Glyco＿hydro＿100是VvINV基因主要结构域;(4)组织特异性表达分析发现多数基因在葡萄生长发育进程中都有表达;(5)qRT-PCR分析结果显示,VvINV基因家族在叶片中对激素处理和非生物胁迫的响应出现上调,VvCINV1在50 mg/L GA₃和10%PEG处理后上调表达极显著,VvCINV4在盐胁迫、ABA...     

谷类作物β-葡聚糖合成酶基因家族的研究进展

Beta-葡聚糖是由β-(1,3)和β-(1,4)糖苷键连接的非纤维素多糖,主要分布在谷类作物籽粒胚乳及糊粉层中,在高尔基体合成,经由囊泡运输到质膜,最终在细胞壁上沉积。通过增加胆汁酸排泄,延迟葡萄糖吸收,β-葡聚糖可有效降低胆固醇及血糖水平。Beta-葡聚糖合成酶基因家族成员最早在水稻(Oryza sativa)中得到鉴定,后在其他作物中陆续被发现。该基因家族包括3个主要成员：CslF、CslH和CslJ亚基因家族,起源于不同分支,经过趋同演化,执行合成β-葡聚糖的功能。Beta-葡聚糖基因家族成员均受到负选择压力,演化过程中序列高度保守。CslF亚家族基因成员相对较多,常在染色体上形成基因簇,CslF6是介导β-葡聚糖合成的主效基因。CslF亚家族在叶基部等幼嫩组织中表达水平相对较高,且明显受到光照强度的影响;CslH和CslJ亚家族成员较少,其中CslH亚家族在叶尖等成熟组织中的表达水平高,而CslJ亚家族在籽粒中有较高的表达水平。该文综述了β-葡聚糖合成酶基因家族成员的系统发育关系、表达模式,β-葡聚糖合成酶的亚细胞定位,以及作物中的定向育种研究进展,提出β-葡聚糖合成酶基因家...     

Five New Phenolic Glycosides from Viburnum luzonicum

Viburnum luzonicum is widely distributed in China. Its branch extracts showed potential α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. In order to discover new bioactive constituents, five undescribed phenolic glycosides, viburozosides A−E ( 1 – 5 ), were obtained by bioassay-guided isolation coupled with HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D NMR, 2D NMR, ECD, and ORD. All compounds were tested for their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potency. Compound 1 showed significantly competitive inhibition against α-amylase (IC₅₀=17.5 μM) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀=13.6 μM).     

Antibacterial Compound Isolation and Characterization from the Plant Cynotis axillaris Schult

A novel flavone glycoside was isolated from the methanolic extract of Cynotis axillaris Schult. Various analysis and characterization techniques were used to determine its structure and properties. The compound exhibited a melting point range of 231–232 °C and had a molecular formula of C₂₇H₃₀O₁₄. Several spectral characterization techniques were employed to establish the isolated compound's structure. These included UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, LC-ESI-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. Based on these analyses, the structure of the isolated compound was determined to be 5,7,4’-trihydroxyflavone-8-α-L-rhamnopyranoside-4’-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl. This structure indicates that it is a flavone glycoside consisting of a flavone (5,7,4’-trihydroxyflavone) moiety attached to a sugar molecule (galactopyranosyl) at position 4’, which further bears a rhamnose group at position 8 of the flavone. In addition, to the structural characterization, the compound also demonstrated significant antibacterial efficacy against various bacterial pathogens, including Gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis MTCC441 and Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli MTCC1098, Proteus vulgarize MTCC426, and Salmonella Typhimurium MTCC3224. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated by measuring the zone of inhibition in millimetres, which provides an indication of the compound's ability to inhibit bacterial growth. The study successfully identified and characterized a novel flavone glycoside from Cynotis axillaris Schult. and its antimicrobial activity.     

西方蜜蜂Lozenge基因的克隆鉴定及时空表达分析

Lozenge蛋白（Lz蛋白）是昆虫的重要转录因子,在昆虫胚胎发育过程中发挥重要作用。为研究Lozenge在西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera中的作用,本研究克隆了Lozenge基因,并对其进行生物信息学分析,同时基于荧光定量PCR技术检测该基因在西方蜜蜂不同发育时期（卵期、幼虫期、蛹期和成年蜂）和10日龄哺育蜂各组织的表达谱。生物信息学分析结果显示,Lozenge基因的开放阅读框（ORF）为1 554 bp,共编码517个氨基酸,预测分子量为54.63918 kDa,等电点为6.08;结构域预测分析发现Lozenge蛋白含有一个Runt结构域,多物种蛋白序列对比发现该蛋白同源性高。时期表达谱表明,该基因在第1日卵和第2日卵的表达量远高于其他时期,在卵期表达量随时间依次递减,幼虫期表达量极低,蛹期表达量呈先增后减的趋势,而成年蜂中均有表达;组织表达谱显示,该基因在哺育蜂头部、上颚腺中的表达量较高,而在腹部的表达量低。这些结果表明,Lozenge基因可能在西方蜜蜂胚胎期细胞发育过程、哺育蜂蜂王浆合成和分泌过程中发挥重要作用,这些结果为该基因功能的深入研究提供了重要的理论参考。     

β-Glucosidase activities and HCN liberation in unimbibed and imbibed seeds, and the induction of cocklebur seed germination by cyanogenic glycosides

In many seed species, the major source of HCN evolved during water imbibition is cyanogenic glycosides. The present investigation was performed to elucidate the role of endogenous cyanogenic glycosides in the control of seed germination and to examine the involvment of β-glucosidase in this process. All seed species used here contained some activities of β-glucosidase already in the dry state before imbibition. in the decreasing order of Malus pumila, Daucus carota, Hordeum vulgare, Chenopodium album and so on. β-Gluosidase activity in upper and lower seeds of cocklebur (Xanthium pennsylvanicum Wallr.) decreased with imbibition, and in lower seeds the activity disappeared when they germinated. On the contrary, in caryopses of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Sasanishiki) β-glucosidase increased during imbibition, and this increase continued even after germination. β-Glucosidase in cocklebur seeds was more active in the axial than in the cotyledonary tissue. Amygdalin, prunasin and linamarin could all serve as substrattes for the β-glucosidase(s) from both cocklebur and rice. Amygdalin, prunasin and linamarin as well as KCN, were effective in stimulating the germination of upper cocklebur seeds. The seeds evolved much more free HCN gas when they were exposed to the cyanogenic glycosides than when the glycosides were absent. Moreover, the application of the cyanogenic glycosides or of KCN caused accumulation of bound HCN in the seeds. Carbon monoxide, which stimulated cocklebur seed germination only slightly, did not cause accumulation of bound HCN. We suggest that a balance between the cytochrome and the alternative respiration pathways, which is adequate for germination (Esashi et al. 1987. Plant Cell Physiol. 28: 141–150), may be brought about by the action of endogenous HCN; a large portion of which is liberated from cyanogenic glycosides via the action of β-glucosidase. In addition to the partial suppression of the cytochrome path and unlike carbon monoxide, the HCN thus produced may act to supply cyanide group(s) to unknown compounds necessary for germination.     

Characterization of the activity of fatty-acid epoxide hydrolase in seeds of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.)

Epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3) activity was measured with [1-¹⁴C]cis-9,10-epoxystearic acid as the substrate. Homogenates were prepared from the endosperm tissue of germinating seeds of castor bean (Ricinus communis L. zanzibariensis). The activity of fatty-acid epoxide hydrolase was characterized with respect to dependence on time, amount of protein, pH and temperature. Analyses of enzyme distribution in endosperm, cotyledons, root and hypocotyl showed the highest total activity in the endosperm, less in the cotyledons and low activity in the root and hypocotyl. The specific activity was similar for cotyledons and endosperm. Analysis of the temporal expression of the enzyme in the endosperm during germination revealed high activity already in the imbibed seed. Activity was maximal between days four to six and then decreased at the end of one week. Subcellular fractionation of endosperm revealed a dual distribution of activity between the glyoxysomal and the cytosolic fractions.     

Ti plasmid-encoded octopine and nopaline catabolism in Agrobacterium: specificities of the LysR-type regulators OccR and NocR, and protein-induced DNA bending

The occ and noc regions in octopine and nopaline Ti plasmids, respectively, are responsible for the catabolism of octopine and nopaline in Agrobacterium. The functions are activated in the presence of the opines by OccR and NocR, two related regulatory proteins, and the promoters contain common sequence motifs. We have investigated heterologous interactions between the regulators and the promoters. Previous experiments using all possible heterologous combinations of opines, regulators, and promoters in vivo had demonstrated that only the combination of nopalme, NocR, and the occ promoter led to limited promoter activation. We now show that OccR and NocR bind to the heterologous promoters in vitro and in vivo. The weak or non-existent promoter activation actually observed could be explained by the assumption that OccR and NocR use different activation mechanisms; we investigated protein-induced DNA bending because of reports that the two regulators differ in this respect. Analysis with a bending vector showed that both OccR and NocR induced a DNA bend that is relaxed in the presence of the respective opine. The data suggest that subtle differences in regulator/promoter interactions are responsible for the inactivity of the heterologous combinations. Investigations with a chimeric NocR/OccR protein indicated that it induced a DNA bend in both promoters. No opine-induced relaxation was detectable with the hybrid, and the inducible promoter was not activated. These findings suggest that bend relaxation may be an integral part of promoter activation.