Efficient integrative transformation of the phytopathogenic fungus Alternaria alternata mediated by the repetitive rDNA sequences

An attempt was made to transform Alternaria alternata protoplasts using a plasmid vector, pDH25, bearing the Escherichia coli hygromycin B (Hy) phosphotransferase gene (hph) under the control of the Aspergillus nidulans trpC promoter. Transformants arose on a selective medium containing 100 μg Hy/ml. There were two types of transformants, forming large and small colonies on the selective medium. Transformation with one μg of the vector produced an average of 4.5 large colonies and 600 small ones. In large-colony transformants, the vector often integrated into the recipient chromosome in the form of highly rearranged tandem arrays. To increase transformation efficiency, fragments of the highly repetitive ribosomal RNA gene cluster (rDNA) of A. alternata were used to construct four new vectors for homologous recombination system. Use of these vectors gave higher transformation efficiency than the original plasmid. The best vector, pDH25r1a, gave rise to large-colony transformants at a frequency 20 times higher than pDH25. Transformation events in A. alternata with pDH25r1a occured by homologous recombination as a single crossover between the plasmid-borne rDNA segment and its homologue in the chromosome, often giving rise to tandemly repeated vector DNA.     

Characterization of a rice sucrose-phosphate synthase-encoding gene

A rice genomic clone (spsl) coding for sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) was isolated and sequenced. Rice spsl contains 13 exons and 12 introns, an unusually long 366-bp leader region with a highly organized primary structure and a promoter region with no obvious homology with eukaryotic promoter consensus sequences. Southern blot analysis showed that SPS is encoded by a single-copy gene in the rice genome. Comparison of the rice, maize, potato and spinach SPS deduced amino acid (aa) sequences showed that these enzymes have a well conserved region comprising their first 700 aa, and a variable C-terminal region. Analysis of rice spsl expression showed that mRNA levels change during leaf development. SPS activity and mRNA were undetectable in roots.     

白桦APETALA2基因启动子的克隆及其表达分析

APETALA2（AP2）转录因子亚家族普遍存在于植物中,参与植株的生长发育、胁迫应答和多种生理生化反应的信号传导。本研究从白桦（Betula platyphylla Suk.）基因组中克隆了AP2基因2 308 bp的启动子序列,生物信息学分析发现,该序列除具有TATA-box和CAAT box等高等植物普遍具有的保守元件外,还具有大量光响应元件和激素响应元件,如响应赤霉素、脱落酸、茉莉酸甲酯等的元件。将白桦AP2基因启动子克隆至pBI121-35S：：GUS植物表达载体中,命名为pBI121-proAP2：：GUS,用农杆菌介导法侵染白桦和拟南芥,并进行GUS染色分析,结果表明AP2基因启动子驱动下的GUS报告基因在整个拟南芥中都表达,在白桦的营养器官和雌花种翅及花柄中也有表达,说明其具有启动活性,可能参与该器官的发育。     

Identification and characterization of the gene for Drosophila S20 ribosomal protein

A cDNA clone that encodes a Drosophila homologue of ribosomal protein S20 was isolated from a Drosophila ovary cDNA library. The Drosophila S20 gene (RpS20) is highly conserved with S20 genes in other organisms. It is a single copy gene and maps to position 92F-93A on polytene chromosomes. No Minute mutation in this location has been reported; at least five essential genes are possible candidates to encode RpS20. RpS20 message is expressed ubiquitously in embryos, but is expressed at high levels in the midgut.     

Thermostable glutamate dehydrogenase from a commensal thermophile, Symbiobacterium toebii; overproduction, characterization, and application

A gene encoding glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) was found in the genome sequence of a commensal thermophile, Symbiobacterium toebii. The amino acid sequence deduced from the gdh I of S. toebii was well conserved with other thermostable GDHs. The gdh I which encodes GDH consisting of 409 amino acids was cloned and expressed in E. coli DH5 under the control of a highly constitutive expression (HCE) promoter in a pHCE system. The recombinant GDH was expressed without addition of any inducers in a soluble form. The molecular mass of the GDH was estimated to be 263 kDa by Superose 6 HR gel filtration chromatography and 44 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) indicating that the GDH was composed of hexameric form. The optimal temperature and pH of the purified enzyme were 60 °C and 9.0, respectively, and the purified GDH retained more than 75% of its original activity after an incubation at 70 °C for 30 min. Although NADP(H) was the preferred cofactor, S. toebii GDH was able to utilize either NADP(H) or NAD(H) as coenzyme.     

马铃薯StCRKs基因家族的鉴定分析及响应逆境信号的表达

为鉴定马铃薯（Solanum tuberosum）中富含半胱氨酸的类受体激酶（cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase,CRKs）,利用Pfam等工具对马铃薯蛋白质组和基因组序列进行分析,共鉴定到18个新的马铃薯StCRKs家族基因,这些基因分布在1、2、11和12号染色体上,均具有典型保守的CRK结构域。StCRKs基因的启动子区具有响应5种植物激素、昼夜节律、生物胁迫、非生物胁迫及种子特异性的响应元件。利用qRT-PCR方法对马铃薯盆栽苗开花期的根、茎、叶和花中的18个StCRKs基因进行组织特异性表达分析,结果显示不同基因的表达部位不同。分别用水杨酸类似物BTH和4 ℃低温处理马铃薯,有13个StCRKs基因能够响应低温信号,10个StCRKs基因能够被水杨酸类似物BTH诱导。为进一步深入研究StCRKs在生物胁迫及非生物胁迫中的功能提供了线索。     

调控巨噬细胞迁移抑制因子基因表达的影响因素

巨噬细胞迁移抑制因子(macrophage migration inhibitory factor, MIF)是一种广泛表达的多效性细胞因子,参与多种炎症和免疫疾病的过程并在其中发挥重要作用,是许多疾病的生物标志物或治疗靶点。MIF基因在系统发育中高度保守,在其启动子区有多种不同转录因子的特定结合位点,借此调节MIF的表达。MIF在细胞内外均发挥作用,且MIF是组成型表达。因此,研究调控MIF基因表达和刺激MIF分泌的相关因素具有重要意义。本文通过对MIF基因和MIF启动子上的结合位点的简述,对影响MIF基因表达的相关因素进行总结和归类。根据与MIF基因结合的方式,可分为：(1)与MIF基因启动子特定位点结合,改变转录活性;(2)与MIF CATT5-8微卫星重复序列结合,改变高表达MIF等位基因;(3)非编码RNA调控MIF表达;(4)影响MIF分泌的相关因素。通过对这4类调控MIF基因表达的相关因素的综述,进而认识MIF基因表达的调控机制和影响因素,以期对其治疗相关疾病提供理论基础。