Ectopic expression of a cold-inducible transcription factor, CBF1/DREB1b, in transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The gene encoding C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factor 1 (CBF1/DREB1b) of Arabidopsis was introduced into rice (Oryza sativa L.) under the control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. Its incorporation and expression in transgenic rice plants were confirmed by DNA and RNA gel-blot analyses. Cold tolerance in the transgenics was not significantly different from that of the wild-type plants, as determined by ion leakage, chlorophyll fluorescence, and survival rates. However, the cold-responsive genes lip5, lip9, and OsDhn1 were up-regulated in the transgenic plants, suggesting that the cold signal transduction pathway involving CBF1 is partially conserved in this cold-labile plant.     

茶树CsCBF1基因克隆和转录活性分析

采用RACE技术克隆了一个受冷诱导的茶树CBF基因全长cDNA,命名为CsCBF1(GenBank登录号为EU563238)。CsCBF1cDNA全长序列为1 211bp,开放阅读框编码259个氨基酸。氨基酸序列分析表明,CsCBF1具有CBF家族典型的保守结构域,与其他植物的CBF具有较高的相似性;与拟南芥、辣椒和橡胶树编码的CBF相似性分别为56%、63%和56%。亚细胞定位结果表明,CsCBF1位于细胞核内。分别将10个CsCBF1缺失突变体与GAL4DNA结合域融合的结果显示,CsCBF1的羧基末端酸性结构域(第137位氨基酸至259位氨基酸)在酵母中具有转录激活活性。实时定量RT-PCR分析表明,CsCBF1基因受低温的快速诱导表达。     

The role of CBF transcriptional activators in two Citrus species (Poncirus and Citrus) with contrasting levels of freezing tolerance

Citrus species are considered cold sensitive, yet Poncirus trifoliata , an interfertile Citrus relative, is extremely cold tolerant and can survive freezes at −20°C when fully cold acclimated. To better understand the molecular basis of this difference in freezing tolerance, C-repeat-binding factors (CBFs) from P. trifoliata and Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) were isolated and characterized. Based on our results, P. trifoliata and C. paradisi do contain a CBF pathway for cold-regulated gene expression, and similar to other species, they both appear to contain small CBF families. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of PtCBF1 and CpCBF1 are highly homologous. However, differences in cold-induced expression were observed. PtCBF1 accumulates both earlier and to higher levels than CpCBF1 . Furthermore, CORc115 , a cold-induced group II LEA gene, also accumulates earlier and to higher levels in P. trifoliata in response to cold temperatures. The regulatory region of CORc115 contains a putative C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element that is specifically recognized and bound by PtCBF, indicating that CORc115 is a target of PtCBF1. This study provides the first evidence of a correlation between CBF expression (timing and quantity) and the degree of cold tolerance in two closely related species with wide differences in cold tolerance. The importance of using Poncirus and Citrus , two non-model organisms, to address new questions about the CBF pathway is illustrated, as these results provide novel evidence that the CBF expression pattern may play an important role in the notable difference in cold tolerance between these two related species.     

高山离子芥CBF/DREB1转录因子基因的分离与表达

以冷胁迫和脱水处理的高山离子芥幼叶为材料,采用RT-PCR技术获得1条新的C重复/脱水应答元件结合因子(CBF/DREB1)基因(CbCBF,登录号AY994127).该基因含651 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码216个氨基酸的蛋白质,预测该蛋白具有一个AP2 DAN结合域,一个核定位信号和碳端酸性激活域.多序列比对结果表明,CbCBF蛋白与拟南芥及其他植物CBF具有较高的相似性.Northern杂交结果显示,CbCBF基因不能被冷处理诱导表达,但可被脱水和ABA处理快速诱导;同时发现CbCBF基因也能被紫外辐射和机械刺激诱导表达.表明高山离子芥CbCBF基因可能参与应答多种非生物胁迫过程.     

High-throughput miRNA sequencing and identification of a novel ICE1-targeting miRNA in response to low temperature stress in Eucalyptus camaldulensis

• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in the growth, development, morphogenesis, signal transduction, and stress response in plants. The ICE (Inducer of CBF expression)-CBF (C-repeat binding factor)-COR (Cold-regulated gene) regulatory cascade is an important signalling pathway in plant response to low temperature stress, and it remains unknown whether this pathway is regulated by miRNAs.
• In this study, high-throughput sequencing was employed for predicting and identifying the miRNAs that were likely to target the ICE-CBF-COR pathway in Eucalyptus camaldulensis. A novel ICE1-targeting miRNA, eca-novel-miR-259-5p (nov-miR259), was further analysed.
• A total of 392 conserved miRNAs and 97 novel miRNAs were predicted, including 80 differentially expressed miRNAs. Of these, 30 miRNAs were predicted to be associated with the ICE-CBF-COR pathway. The full-length of mature nov-miR259 was 22 bp and its precursor gene was 60 bp in length, with a typical hairpin structure. The RNA ligase-mediated 5′ amplification of cDNA ends (5′-RLM-RACE) and Agrobacterium-mediated tobacco transient expression assays demonstrated that nov-miR259 could cleave EcaICE1 in vivo. Moreover, qRT-PCR and Pearson's correlation analysis further revealed that the expression levels of nov-miR259 were almost significantly negatively correlated with those of its target gene, EcaICE1, and the other genes in the ICE-CBF-COR pathway.
• We first identified the nov-miR259 as a novel ICE1-targeting miRNA, and the nov-miR259-ICE1 module may be involved in regulating the cold stress response in E. camaldulensis.

     

植物冷驯化相关信号机制

植物经过非致死温度的处理可以获得更强的抗冷能力叫做冷驯化,主要包括寒驯化和冻驯化 .在冷驯化过程中,质膜首先感受冷信号,调节胞质中IP3的含量,诱导胞质Ca2+浓度的升高,从而激活CBF基因的表达.至今已经克隆了大量的冷调控基因,组成了复杂的信号传导网络,其中ICE1-CBF-COR通路在植物的冷驯化过程中起到重要的作用.ICE1基因编码一个MYB类型的碱性螺旋 环-螺旋（bHLH）转录因子,在上游调节CBF和 其它转录因子的表达,提高抗冷性. HOS1蛋白通过泛素化介导的蛋白降解负调控ICE1,另外,CBF还通过转录的自我调控保持恰当的表达水平.基因的分析研究证明,RNA修饰和核质转运在植物的抗冷过程中也具有重要作用.在不依赖于CBF的途径中,转录因子HOS9和HOS10在调节抗冷有关基因的表达和提高抗冷能力方面具有至关重要的作用.