拟南芥AtPSK3基因的克隆及序列分析

根据拟南芥基因组数据库提供的信息,首次以特异引物经PCR技术克隆到拟南芥硫肽激素α的一个前体基因———AtPSK3,并对其进行了测序。序列分析表明,所获得的AtPSK3基因全长为505bp,含有一个内含子和两个没有3′或5′非转译区的外显子,与数据库提供的序列比较,同源性为100%。     

Plant Cell Wall Is a Stumbling Stone for Molecular Biologists

Cell wall is a key structure of the plant organism engaged in numerous functions, and plants spend enormous resources on cell wall formation. Cell wall components are the most widespread organic substances on the Earth. However important is assembling plant cell wall polysaccharides, this process has been insufficiently studied by the methods of molecular genetics; in particular, too little is known of the genes that code for the relevant enzymes (glycosyltransferases, GT). The review addresses the current situation by expounding on GT classification, describing the characteristics of enzymes that synthesize cell wall polysaccharides, and summing up the existing knowledge of already identified and putative cellulose and callose synthases and GT localized in the Golgi apparatus. The methodology for searching and characterizing new genes that participate in cell wall formation is under discussion.__________Translated from Fiziologiya Rastenii, Vol. 52, No. 3, 2005, pp. 443–462.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Gorshkova, Nikolovski, Finaev.     

Gene expression of the biosynthetic enzymes and biosynthesis of starch during Rice Grain development

Amylose and amylopectin are determinants of the physicochemical properties for starch and grain quality in rice. Their biosynthesis is catalyzed by the interplay of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), soluble starch synthase (SSS), a starch branching enzyme (SBE), and a starch debranching enzyme (SDE). In this study, the genes for these enzymes were highly expressed 7 to 28 days after flowering during grain development, and their expression closely matched increases in both starch content and grain weight Among all the tested cultivars, amylose contents in the rice grains remained essentially constant throughout their development The AGPase gene was highly expressed in the high-yield cultivars of both glutinous and non-glutinous rice. The SSS gene was actively expressed when mature GBSS mRNA decreased. Genes responsible for amylopectin biosynthesis were simultaneously expressed in the late stage of grain development. We have now demonstrated that the expression patterns of starch biosynthetic genes differ between glutinous and non-glutinous rice, and between Tongil (a Japonica/ Indica hybrid) and Japonica types.     

Mapping minor QTL for increased stearic acid content in sunflower seed oil

Increased stearic acid (C18:0) content in the seed oil of sunflower would improve the oil quality for some edible uses. The sunflower line CAS-20 (C18:0 genotype Es1Es1es2es2), developed from the high C18:0 mutant line CAS-3 (C18:0 genotype es1es1es2es2; 25% C18:0), shows increased C18:0 levels in its seed oil (8.6%). The objective of this research was to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring increased C18:0 content in CAS-20 in an F₂ mapping population developed from crosses between HA-89 (wild type Es1Es1Es2Es2; low C18:0) and CAS-20, which segregates independently of the macromutation Es1 controlling high C18:0 content in CAS-3. Seed oil fatty acid composition was measured in the F₂ population by gas-liquid chromatography. A genetic linkage map of 17 linkage groups (LGs) comprising 80 RFLP and 19 SSR marker loci from this population was used to identify QTL controlling fatty acid composition. Three QTL affecting C18:0 content were identified on LG3, LG11, and LG13, with all alleles for increased C18:0 content inherited from CAS-20. In total, these QTL explained 43.6% of the C18:0 phenotypic variation. Additionally, four candidate genes (two stearate desaturase genes, SAD6 and SAD17, and a FatA and a FatB thioesterase gene) were placed on the QTL map. On the basis of positional information, QTL on LG11 was suggested to be a SAD6 locus. The results presented show that increased C18:0 content in sunflower seed oil is not a simple trait, and the markers flanking these QTL constitute a powerful tool for plant breeding programs.     

植物抗寒及其基因表达研究进展

植物经过逐渐降低的温度从而提高抗寒能力 ,这个过程被人们称为低温驯化。植物低温驯化过程是一个复杂的生理、生化和能量代谢变化过程 ,这些变化主要包括膜系统的稳定性、可溶性蛋白的积累和小分子渗透物质 ,比如脯氨酸、糖等 ,这些变化中的一些是植物抗寒必需的 ,而另外一些变化不是必需的。主要对冷害和低温生理生化变化、低温诱导表达基因的功能和作用、低温驯化的调节机制及其信号转导方面进行了综述。通过差别筛选 c DNA文库的方法已经鉴定了许多低温诱导表达、进而提高植物抗寒能力的基因 ,其中有脱水素、COR基因和 CBF1转录因子等。低温信号的感受、转导和调节表达是低温驯化的关键环节 ,低温信号的转导过程与干旱胁迫之间具有一定的交叉 ,这为利用 ABA等来提高植物抗寒能力成为可能 ,相信不久的将来人们可以通过提高植物抗寒能力从而增加经济产量成为现实。     

发光酶基因lux AB标记硅酸盐细菌NBT菌株的研究

外源基因标记技术为研究土壤引入细菌的生态行为提供了有效的检测手段,通过选择不同的碳源和降低碳氮比筛选获得0．25％麦芽糖作为碳源的菌体制备培养基,对硅酸盐细菌BT菌株进行紫外诱变和抗生素抗性驯化获得—株抗利福平200μg·ml^-1的NBT-R200菌株,含发光酶基因luxAB的质粒pTR102：：luxAB在辅助质粒pRK2013的帮助下转入该菌株中,从而赋予NBT菌株以发光活性和利福平、卡那霉素、四环素三种抗生素抗性．以对数生长期的菌体制备受体细胞,发现对数生长前期的细胞转移频率最高,可达6．70×10^-5,杂交比例以1：1：1适宜．标记菌株RL85的释钾能力没有丧失且有提高,发光特性稳定,连续转接20次后仍具有发光活性和3种抗生素抗性,适用于根际微生态学研究。     

人胚胎干细胞和分化细胞差别基因的筛选

人类胚胎干细胞(human embryonic stem cell,hESC)在增殖过程中如何保持未分化状态是干细胞生物学的核心问题之一,已有的LIF通路、Oct-4因子及Nanog基因的作用还不能对这一问题做出全面的解释。为进一步了解维持hESC未分化状态的机制,采用自行建立培养的hESC及分化的hESC细胞克隆(differentiated hESC,dhESC),应用抑制消减杂交(Suppression Subtractive Hybridization,SSH)结合反向cDNA斑点杂交技术,筛选出在hESC高表达、在dhESC中低表达或不表达的表达序列标签(Expressed Sequence Tag,EST)共105个。通过与GenBank比较,显示其中76个EST代表61个已知基因,18个EST代表15个假想基因,另有11个属于未知EST。选取其中8个克隆进行半定量RT-PCR分析,证实其中7个克隆在hESC中高表达,在dhESC中低表达或不表达。结果表明,hESC分化前后涉及多个基因的差异表达,对这些在hESC中高表达、在dhESC中低表达或不表达基因的进一步功能研究为阐明维持hESC未分化状态的机制提供了基础。     

Screening and identification of Shigella flexneri 2a virulence-related genes induced after invasion of epithelial cells

~~Screening and identification of Shigella flexneri 2a virulence-related genes induced after invasion of epithelial cells1. Jin, Q., Yuan, Z., Xu, J., Wang, Y., Shen, Y., Lu, W., Wang, J., Liu, H., Yang, J., Yang, P., Zhang, X., Zhang, J., Yang, G, Wu, H., Qu, D., Dong, J., Sun, L., Xue, Y, Zhao, A., Gao, Y., Zhu, J., Kan, B., Ding, K.. Chen, S., Cheng, H., Yao, Z., He, B., Chen, R., Ma, D., Qiang, B., Wen, Y, Hou, Y., Yu, J., Genome sequence of Shigella flexneri 2…