Expression analysis of rice A20/AN1-type zinc finger genes and characterization of ZFP177 that contributes to temperature stress tolerance

The A20/AN1-type zinc finger protein family is conserved in animals and plants. Using human AWP1 protein as a query, we identified twelve A20/AN1-type zinc finger proteins in japonica rice. Most of these genes were constitutively expressed in leaves, roots, culms and spikes. Through microarray analysis, it was found that four genes (ZFP177, ZFP181, ZFP176, ZFP173), two genes (ZFP181 and ZFP176) and one gene (ZFP157) were significantly induced by cold, drought and H(2)O(2) treatments, respectively. Further expression analysis showed that ZFP177 was responsive to both cold and heat stresses, but down-regulated by salt. The subcellular localization assay indicated that ZFP177 was localized in cytoplasm in tobacco leaf and root cells. Yeast-one hybrid assay showed that ZFP177 lacked trans-activation potential in yeast cells. Overexpression of ZFP177 in tobacco conferred tolerance of transgenic plants to both low and high temperature stresses, but increased sensitivity to salt and drought stresses. Further we found expression levels of some stress-related genes were inhibited in ZFP177 transgenic plants. These results suggested that ZFP177 might play crucial but differential roles in plant responses to various abiotic stresses.     

Increased tolerance of rice to cold, drought and oxidative stresses mediated by the overexpression of a gene that encodes the zinc finger protein ZFP245

ZFP245 is a cold- and drought-responsive gene that encodes a zinc finger protein in rice. The ZFP245 protein localizes in the nucleus and exhibits trans-activation activity. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing ZFP245 were generated and found to display high tolerance to cold and drought stresses. The transgenic plants did not exhibit growth retardation, but showed growth sensitivity against exogenous abscisic acid, increased free proline levels and elevated expression of rice pyrroline-5-carboxylatesynthetase and proline transporter genes under stress conditions. Overproduction of ZFP245 enhanced the activities of reactive oxygen species-scavenging enzymes under stress conditions and increased the tolerance of rice seedlings to oxidative stress. Our data suggest that ZFP245 may contribute to the tolerance of rice plants to cold and drought stresses by regulating proline levels and reactive oxygen species-scavenging activities, and therefore may be useful for developing transgenic crops with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress.     

水稻TFⅢA型锌指蛋白基因ZFP207的克隆和表达分析

锌指蛋白是一类重要的转录因子, 广泛参与植物的生长发育和胁迫应答过程。文章使用生物信息学方法从水稻中预测并克隆了一个TFⅢA型锌指蛋白基因ZFP207(GenBank 登陆号: AK063147.1), 该基因包含一个567 bp的开放阅读框, 编码一条188个氨基酸组成的多肽,其编码产物的预测分子量为20.72 kDa, 等电点为9.67。锌指蛋白ZFP207含有一个典型的TFⅢA型锌指结构, 并且在C端含有一个可能具有转录抑制功能的EAR-motif, 但不具有任何已知的核定位信号。系统发生分析结果表明, ZFP207与植物中已经发现的单锌指蛋白亲缘关系较近。通过RT-PCR方法分析了ZFP207基因在成株期水稻不同组织中的表达, 发现ZFP207在茎和叶中表达量较高, 而在穗和根中表达量较低。在酵母中的转录激活实验结果显示, ZFP207在酵母中不具有转录激活功能。     

A novel rice C2H2-type zinc finger protein lacking DLN-box/EAR-motif plays a role in salt tolerance

A cDNA for the gene ZFP182, encoding a C2H2-type zinc finger protein, was cloned from rice by RT-PCR. ZFP182 codes an 18.2 kDa protein with two C2H2-type zinc finger motifs, one nuclear localization signal and one Leu-rich domain. The DLN-box/EAR-motif, which exists in most of plant C2H2-type zinc finger proteins, does not exist in ZFP182. The expression analysis showed that ZFP182 gene was constitutively expressed in leaves, culms, roots and spikes at the adult rice plants, and markedly induced in the seedlings by cold (4 degrees C), 150 mM NaCl and 0.1 mM ABA treatments. The approximate 1.4 kb promoter region of ZFP182 gene was fused into GUS reporter gene and transformed into tobacco. The histochemical analysis revealed that GUS expression could not be detected in transformed tobacco seedlings under normal conditions, but strongly observed in tobacco leaf discs and the vascular tissue of roots treated with NaCl or KCl. Expression of ZFP182 in transgenic tobacco and overexpression in rice increased plant tolerance to salt stress. These results demonstrated that ZFP182 might be involved in plant responses to salt stress.     

A novel rice C2H2-type zinc finger protein lacking DLN-box/EAR-motif plays a role in salt tolerance

A cDNA for the gene ZFP182, encoding a C2H2-type zinc finger protein, was cloned from rice by RT-PCR. ZFP182 codes an 18.2 kDa protein with two C2H2-type zinc finger motifs, one nuclear localization signal and one Leu-rich domain. The DLN-box/EAR-motif, which exists in most of plant C2H2-type zinc finger proteins, does not exist in ZFP182. The expression analysis showed that ZFP182 gene was constitutively expressed in leaves, culms, roots and spikes at the adult rice plants, and markedly induced in the seedlings by cold (4 °C), 150 mM NaCl and 0.1 mM ABA treatments. The approximate 1.4 kb promoter region of ZFP182 gene was fused into GUS reporter gene and transformed into tobacco. The histochemical analysis revealed that GUS expression could not be detected in transformed tobacco seedlings under normal conditions, but strongly observed in tobacco leaf discs and the vascular tissue of roots treated with NaCl or KCl. Expression of ZFP182 in transgenic tobacco and overexpression in rice increased plant tolerance to salt stress. These results demonstrated that ZFP182 might be involved in plant responses to salt stress.     

Overexpression of a TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 enhances drought and salt tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

We previously identified a salt and drought stress-responsive TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 from rice. Here we report the functional analysis of ZFP252 using gain- and loss-of-function strategies. We found that overexpression of ZFP252 in rice increased the amount of free proline and soluble sugars, elevated the expression of stress defense genes and enhanced rice tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as compared with ZFP252 antisense and non-transgenic plants. Our findings suggest that ZFP252 plays an important role in rice response to salt and drought stresses and is useful in engineering crop plants with enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses.     

逆境相关植物锌指蛋白的研究进展

锌是植物必需的营养元素,锌指蛋白因其具有指状结构特征且能结合Zn2 而得名,植物锌指蛋白包含特有的QALGGH保守结构,可能涉及调控植物特有的生物学功能。人们已经从拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)、矮牵牛(Petunia hybrida Vilm)、水稻(Oryza sativa)、大豆(Glycine max)、棉花(Gossypium hirsutum)等植物中克隆了许多编码锌指蛋白的基因,并对其结构及功能进行了研究。利用转基因技术,将一些与逆境胁迫相关的锌指蛋白基因在目标植物中过量表达后,能对植物起到增强抗逆性的作用,说明锌指蛋白在增强植物逆境抗性方面有着广阔的应用前景。     

水稻含有B-box锌指结构域的OsBBX25蛋白参与植物对非生物胁迫的响应

锌指蛋白在调控植物生长发育和应对逆境过程中发挥着重要作用.为进一步研究锌指类蛋白参与植物非生物胁迫响应的分子机制,对水稻(Oryza sativa)中一个编码含有B-box锌指结构域蛋白的OsBBX25基因进行了功能分析.OsBBX25受盐、干旱和ABA诱导表达.异源表达OsBBX25的转基因拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)与野生型相比对盐和干旱的耐受性增强,且盐胁迫条件下转基因植物中KIN1、RD29A和COR15的表达上调,干旱胁迫下KIN1、RD29A和RD22的表达上调.外源施加ABA时,转基因植物的萌发率与野生型之间没有明显差异.OsBBX25可能作为转录调控的辅助因子调节胁迫应答相关基因的表达,进而参与植物对非生物胁迫的响应.     

小拟南芥ApZFP基因异源超表达促进拟南芥开花并提高耐逆性

锌指蛋白(ZFP)是一类重要的转录因子, 广泛参与植物的生长发育和非生物胁迫应答。新疆小拟南芥(Arabidopsispumila)又名无苞芥, 是十字花科短命植物, 具有高光效、繁殖力强和适应干旱等生物学特征, 而且比模式植物拟南芥(A.thaliana)更耐高盐胁迫。将前期克隆的小拟南芥锌指蛋白基因ApZFP通过花滴法转化到哥伦比亚生态型拟南芥(Col-0)中,获得了独立表达的转基因株系。表型观察发现, 过量表达ApZFP基因可促使拟南芥在长短日照下均提前开花。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示, 转基因拟南芥株系中, 光周期途径中的CO基因和年龄途径中的SPL基因表达上调; 春化、环境温度和自主途径中的FLC基因表达下调; 编码成花素的基因FT及下游开花相关基因AP1和LFY的表达量均升高。进一步通过盐、干旱和ABA胁迫处理ApZFP转基因株系的种子和幼苗, 发现在胁迫处理下, 与对照相比, 转基因拟南芥种子萌发率较高, 幼苗主根较长。因此推测, ApZFP在植物发育过程中具有多种功能, 可能既参与植物的开花转变过程, 又同其它植物的锌指蛋白基因一样, 参与植物的耐逆过程。