逆境胁迫对油菜谷胱甘肽还原酶基因表达及其酶活性的影响

利用cDNA末端快速分离(RACE)技术从陇油6号油菜中克隆得到一个新的谷胱甘肽还原酶基因GR2,全长2073 bp,开放阅读框1692 bp,编码563个氨基酸,预测蛋白质分子量为60.7 kDa,等电点7.9.实时荧光定量PCR分析表明:GR2基因在油菜根、茎、叶中均有表达,其中在叶中表达量最高.GR1和GR2基因的转录以及谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)活性受到低温、高温、干旱、高盐胁迫的诱导,表明油菜谷胱甘肽还原酶在抵御低温、高温、干旱、高盐胁迫过程中发挥重要作用.脱落酸(ABA)预处理后再进行上述胁迫处理,与单独上述胁迫相比,GR1和GR2基因的转录以及GR活性水平明显上升,表明ABA可以诱导GR1和GR2基因表达和GR酶活性.MAPKK抑制剂U0126预处理后再进行上述胁迫处理,与单独上述胁迫相比,GR1和GR2基因的转录以及GR活性水平明显下降,表明U0126对GR1、GR2基因表达以及GR酶活性有抑制作用.     

Zinc deficiency tolerance in maize is associated with the up‐regulation of Zn transporter genes and antioxidant activities

• Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for the growth and development of plants. However, Zn deficiency is a common abiotic stress causing yield loss in crop plants. This study elucidates the mechanisms of Zn deficiency tolerance in maize through physiological and molecular techniques.
• Maize lines tolerant (PAC) and sensitive (DAC) to Zn deficiency were examined physiologically and by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Proteins, H₂O₂, SOD, POD, membrane permeability and gene expression (using real‐time PCR) of roots and shoots of both maize lines were assessed.
• Zn deficiency had no significant effect on root parameters compared with control plants in PAC and DAC but showed a substantial reduction in shoot parameters in DAC. AAS showed a significant decrease in Zn concentrations in both roots and shoots of DAC but not PAC under Zn deficiency, implying that Zn deficiency tolerance mechanisms exist in PAC. Consistently, total protein and membrane permeability were significantly reduced in DAC but not PAC in both roots and shoots under Zn deficiency in comparison with Zn‐sufficient plants. Real‐time PCR showed that expression of ZmZIP1, ZmZIP4 and ZmIRT1 transporter genes significantly increased in roots of PAC, but not in DAC due to Zn deficiency compared with controls. The H₂O₂ concentration dramatically increased in roots of DAC but not PAC. Moreover, tolerant PAC showed a significant increase in POD and SOD activity due to Zn deficiency, suggesting that POD‐ and SOD‐mediated antioxidant defence might provide tolerance, at least in part, under Zn deficiency in PAC.
• This study provides an essential background for improving Zn biofortification of maize.

     

Active site alanine mutations convert deubiquitinases into high‐affinity ubiquitin‐binding proteins

A common strategy for exploring the biological roles of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) in different pathways is to study the effects of replacing the wild‐type DUB with a catalytically inactive mutant in cells. We report here that a commonly studied DUB mutation, in which the catalytic cysteine is replaced with alanine, can dramatically increase the affinity of some DUBs for ubiquitin. Overexpression of these tight‐binding mutants thus has the potential to sequester cellular pools of monoubiquitin and ubiquitin chains. As a result, cells expressing these mutants may display unpredictable dominant negative physiological effects that are not related to loss of DUB activity. The structure of the SAGA DUB module bound to free ubiquitin reveals the structural basis for the 30‐fold higher affinity of Ubp8^C146A for ubiquitin. We show that an alternative option, substituting the active site cysteine with arginine, can inactivate DUBs while also decreasing the affinity for ubiquitin.     

Apoptosis of Acanthamoeba castellanii Trophozoites Induced by Oleic Acid

Acanthamoeba spp. can be parasitic in certain situations and are responsible for serious human infections, including Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, and cutaneous acanthamoebiasis. We analyzed the fatty acid composition of Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites and tested the inhibitory activity of the main fatty acids, oleic acid and arachidonic acid, in vitro. Oleic acid markedly inhibited the growth of A. castellanii, with trophozoite viability of 57.4% at a concentration of 200 μM. Caspase‐3 staining and annexin V assays showed that apoptotic death occurred in A. castellanii trophozoites. Quantitative PCR and dot blot analysis showed increased levels of metacaspase and interleukin‐1β converting enzyme, which is also an indication of apoptosis. In contrast, arachidonic acid showed negligible inhibition of growth of A. castellanii trophozoites. Stimulated expression of Atg3, Atg8 and LC3A/B genes and monodansylcadaverine labeling suggested that oleic acid induces apoptosis by triggering autophagy of trophozoites.     

Evaluation of the alleviative role of Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis extract against ovarian dysfunctions induced by monosodium glutamate in mice

Microalgae provide a wealthy natural resource of bioactive compounds, which have many biological activities. Monosodium glutamate is a food additive that acts either as food preservatives or as tastiness enhancer. It was confirmed that monosodium glutamate poses a serious responsibility in the pathogenesis of anovulatory infertility. Therefore, the idea of this research was directed to reveal efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis extracts against the ovarian dysfunction resulted due to monosodium glutamate consumption. Adult female albino mice were gavages orally monosodium glutamate alone or with either Chlorella vulgaris or Spirulina platensis aqueous extracts for 28?days. Female mice were subjected to superovulation to study the oocytes nuclear maturation stages. Histological and quantitative investigation was carried on ovaries. Biochemical assessment to measure the sex hormones level and ovarian enzymatic antioxidants was done. In addition, ovarian antioxidant mRNA genes were determined using quantitative PCR and Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was used as an internal control. The result revealed that monosodium glutamate reduced the oocytes quality and maturation rate, while, both algae improve the oocyte quality and maturation rate than in monosodium glutamate group. Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis improved the monosodium glutamate ovarian tissue histological alteration, sex hormones content and raised the ovarian enzymatic antioxidants level. In addition, monosodium glutamate markedly diminished the Glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase mRNA expressions, However, Chlorella vulgaris or Spirulina platensis upregulated the expression of genes close to control. In conclusion, Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis showed potential alleviative role against the monosodium glutamate ovarian dysfunction.     

Salicylic acid changes morpho-physiological attributes of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) under salinity stress

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) (TP) is a valuable medicinal plant from Asteraceae family with various pharmaceutical and therapeutic properties. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) on the physiological and morphological responses of TP under salinity stress. Salinity was induced by NaCl and CaCl₂ (2:1) at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 mM levels. SA was applied as foliar application at 0, 200 and 300 ppm concentrations. Plant height, leaf and shoot number, fresh and dry weight and essential oil, starch, sugar, protein, proline, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbic peroxidase (APX) contents were as measured morpho-physiological traits. The results showed that SA significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved the measured traits and caused higher tolerance in TP plants under salinity stress. The essential oil content increased with increasing the salinity level up to 90 mM, which was more significant when combined with SA application. All of the measured traits except proline content, antioxidant enzymes, essential oil and sugar decreased at high salinity levels.     

Development of antler-type fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum and determination of its biochemical properties

Following the importance of antler-type fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum, in this study, the impact of main growth parameters such as ventilation and light on the development of antler-type fruiting bodies has been investigated together with the determination of physico-chemical properties of antler fruiting bodies. For this, the primordia bags of G. lucidum were kept under controlled ventilation to adjust the CO₂ produced by the mushrooms owing to its respiration under light and dark conditions. The bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, water-soluble polysaccharides and ganoderic acid showed a two-fold increase in the antler-type fruiting bodies as compared to normal kidney-shaped fruiting bodies. It is assumed from this study that the antler type fruiting bodies are developed due to restricted ventilation which causes an increase in the level of CO₂ gas in the air as a result of respiration of mushroom. The shape and colour of antler fruiting bodies again dependent on the light provided in the growth chamber. This study also proves that with the manipulation of light and ventilation antler-type fruiting bodies of G. lucidum could be developed with higher quantity of bioactive compounds and with higher antioxidant potential.     

双孢蘑菇酪氨酸酶基因在酿酒酵母中的异源表达及其酶学特性

【目的】在酿酒酵母中异源表达双孢蘑菇来源的酪氨酸酶基因PPO2,并研究酪氨酸酶在酿酒酵母胞内及胞外的酶学特性。【方法】提取双孢蘑菇总RNA,通过RT-PCR克隆酪氨酸酶基因PPO2,构建表达载体pSP-G1-PPO2,并转化至酿酒酵母进行表达,采用镍亲和层析纯化蛋白并研究其酶学性质。【结果】在酿酒酵母中正确表达了大小为65 kDa的酪氨酸酶蛋白。重组酶能催化底物酪氨酸产生黑色素。体外活性测定表明,酪氨酸酶催化最适温度为45°C,以酪氨酸和多巴为底物时最适pH分别为7.0和8.0。在酿酒酵母中测得底物酪氨酸浓度低于2.5 mg/mL时,黑色素的产量与底物浓度呈现正相关性。【结论】来源于双孢蘑菇的酪氨酸酶基因PPO2在酿酒酵母中成功表达,重组酶具有良好的酶学特性。利用酪氨酸酶产物黑色素的产量与底物浓度呈现正相关性这一特性,可将其作为细胞酪氨酸产量的传感器,为高通量筛选酪氨酸高产菌株提供了思路。