Activity of a maize ubiquitin promoter in transgenic rice

We have used the maize ubiquitin 1 promoter, first exon and first intron (UBI) for rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Taipei 309) transformation experiments and studied its expression in transgenic calli and plants. UBI directed significantly higher levels of transient gene expression than other promoter/intron combinations used for rice transformation. We exploited these high levels of expression to identify stable transformants obtained from callus-derived protoplasts co-transfected with two chimeric genes. The genes consisted of UBI fused to the coding regions of the uidA and bar marker genes (UBI:GUS and UBI:BAR). UBI:GUS expression increased in response to thermal stress in both transfected protoplasts and transgenic rice calli. Histochemical localization of GUS activity revealed that UBI was most active in rapidly dividing cells. This promoter is expressed in many, but not all, rice tissues and undergoes important changes in activity during the development of transgenic rice plants.     

Transient expression in leaf mesophyll protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana

Conditions for maximising transient expression of GUS in leaf mesophyll protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype C24 were investigated. It was found that the factors most influencing expression levels, with optimum levels in parenthesis, were plasmid DNA quantity (100 g per 5 × 10⁵ protoplasts), inclusion of carrier DNA (50 g), PEG pH and amount (pH above 6, and total PEG concentration at least 9% w/w) and the topological form of the DNA. Linearised plasmid DNA with long flanking sequences 3 and 5 to the marker gene yielded the highest levels of GUS expression.Abbreviations 2,4-d 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - GUS -glucuronidase - MU methylumbelliferone - PEG polyethylene glycol - X-gluc 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl--glucuronic acid     

北美鹅掌楸LtAGO1基因的克隆、表达及其启动子分析

为深入探究叶原基分化成叶器官的形态建成机制,该研究以北美鹅掌楸为材料,采用RT-PCR和RACE克隆技术获得LtAGO1的cDNA全长和启动子序列并预测其功能,通过RT-qPCR分析LtAGO1在鹅掌楸属中的组织表达模式。同时,经抗性筛选和DNA鉴定获得ProAGO1 ∷ GUS的转基因拟南芥株系,并进一步对T2代阳性植株进行表型和GUS组织化学染色分析。结果表明:(1) LtAGO1基因包含3 300 bp的开放阅读框,编码1 100个氨基酸,分子量为122.14 kD,理论等电点(pI)为9.36。(2)氨基酸序列分析显示LtAGO1含Gly-rich-AGO1和Piwi两个典型的AGO基因结构域,同源性分析显示LtAGO1蛋白与沉水樟AGO1蛋白(RWR84608.1)亲缘关系最近。(3)组织表达特异性分析显示LtAGO1在北美鹅掌楸不同组织间的相对表达量为雄蕊>花芽>花瓣>花萼>叶片>雌蕊>叶芽>茎,LtAGO1在北美鹅掌楸叶片不同发育阶段的相对表达量为叶芽萌动期>幼叶期>衰老期>成熟期,AGO1在鹅掌楸属叶缘的表达量高于叶片的其他部位且北美鹅掌楸叶凹陷部位的表达量高于叶尖部位。(4)获得叶中-侧轴向和基-顶轴向的极性缺失、叶缘锯齿、重瓣花型的转化株系,GUS组织染色显示ProAGO1启动GUS基因在叶芽顶端稳定表达且在新分化的叶柄上表达较强,在成熟期的茎、叶、花和果的维管束中均特异表达。LtAGO1启动子的GUS活性强度为叶顶芽>花>维管束,这与实时定量PCR结果相一致。综上认为,LtAGO1基因在顶端分生组织特异表达且受到多种途径的调控而参与到叶和花器官的发育进程中。该研究结果为进一步了解北美鹅掌楸LtAGO1基因的基本功能及其调控叶形发育机制提供了理论基础。     

Localized transient expression of GUS in leaf discs following cocultivation with Agrobacterium

A chimaeric gene has been constructed that expresses -D-glucuronidase (GUS) in transformed plant tissues, but not in bacterial cells. This gene has proved extremely useful for monitoring transformation during the period immediately following gene transfer from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. GUS expression was detectable 2 days after inoculation, peaked at 3–4 days and then declined; if selection was imposed expression increased again after 10–14 days. The extent of transient expression after 4 days correlated well with stable integration as measured by kanamycin resistance, hormone independence, and gall formation. Histochemical staining of inoculated leaf discs confirmed the transient peak of GUS expression 3–4 days after inoculation. The most surprising result was that the blue staining was concentrated in localized zones on the circumference of the disc; within these zones, essentially all the cells appeared to be expressing GUS. We suggest that the frequency of gene transfer from Agrobacterium is extremely high within localized regions of leaf explants, but that the frequency of stable integration is several orders of magnitude lower.     

Anaerobic induction and tissue-specific expression of maize Adh1 promoter in transgenic rice plants and their progeny.

Summary In order to analyze expression of the maize alcohol dehydrogenase 1 gene (Adh1), its promoter was fused with the gusA reporter gene and introduced into rice by protoplast transformation. Histochemical analysis of transgenic plants and their progeny showed that the maize Adh1 promoter is constitutively expressed in root caps, anthers, anther filaments, pollen, scutellum, endosperm and shoot and root meristem of the embryo. Induction of expression by the Adh1 promoter was examined using seedlings derived from selfed progeny of the transgenic plants. The results showed that expression of the Adh1 promoter was strongly induced (up to 81-fold) in roots of seedlings after 24 h of anaerobic treatment, concomitant with an increase in the level of gusA mRNA. 2,4-D also induced Adh1 promoter-directed expression of gusA to a similar extent. In contrast, little induction by anaerobic treatment was detected in transformed calli, leaves or roots of primary transformants or shoots of seedlings. A detailed examination of seedling roots during anaerobic treatment revealed that the induction started first at the meristem and after 3 h there was strong induction in the elongation zone which is located 1–2 mm above the meristem; the induction then progressed upward from this region. Our results suggest that transgenic rice plants carring the gusA reporter gene fused with promoters are useful for the study of anaerobic regulation of genes derived from graminaceous species.     

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated expression ofgusA in maize tissues

To develop a system forAgrobacterium-mediated transformation of maize (Zea mays L.), we have investigated histochemically the transient expression of -glucuronidase (GUS) activity in maize seedling tissue segments using binary vectors that allow minimal (pKIWI105 and pCNL1) or undetectable (p35S-GUS-INT and pCNL56) levels of GUS activity inA. tumefaciens. Tissue segments from three- to five-day-old sterile seedlings of maize genotype A188 were inoculated withA. tumefaciens. Four days after inoculation, transient expression of GUS activity was found in mesocotyl segments originating from the intercalary meristem region. This GUS activity was specific to the vascular cylinder and was not found in the internal cortical or epidermal layers, nor was it found in mature mesocotyl tissue (segments 5 mm below the coleoptilar node). Transient GUS activity was also detected in leaf and coleoptile tissues of shoot segments, but not in the shoot apexper se or in leaves younger than the first leaf. Maize tissues inoculated withA. tumefaciens strains that harbourgusA-containing binary vectors but no Ti-plasmid did not show GUS activity, supporting evidence from previous work thatvir gene activity was essential for the observed GUS activity.A. tumefaciens strains containing different types of Ti-plasmids were also tested. A strain harbouring an agropine-type Ti-plasmid was the most effective for expressing GUS activity in mesocotyl segments, whereas a strain harboring a nopaline-type Ti-plasmid was most effective for expression of GUS activity in the apical meristem-containing segment. These results indicate that different interactions occurred between the differentA. tumefaciens strains and the susceptible plant tissues. Maize genotype specificity for GUS activity in mesocotyl tissues was observed; variations in the cocultivation medium had a profound effect on the frequency of expression of GUS activity.     

The integrative expression of GUS gene driven by FCP promoter in the seaweed Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta)

In this study, the background activity of β-glucuronidase (GUS) was analyzed histochemically and fluorometrically in the negative control of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta) thalli, showing low level of activity. GUS gene transformation without selectable gene in L. japonica was performed using four different promoters, i.e., Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (CaMV35S) from cauliflower mosaic virus, ubiquitin promoter (UBI) from maize, adenine-methyl transfer enzyme gene promoter (AMT) from virus in green alga Chlorella, and fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding protein gene promoter (FCP) from diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The GUS transient activity was determined fluorometrically after bombarding sliced parthenogenetic sporophytes explants, and it was found that the activity resulting from CaMV35S and FCP promoters (in 114.3 and 80.6 pmol MU min⁻¹ (mg protein)⁻¹, respectively) was higher than for the other two promoters. The female gametophytes were bombarded and regenerated parthenogenetic sporophytes. FCP was the only promoter that resulted in detectable GUS chimeric expression activity during histochemical staining and polymerase chain reaction. Results of Southern blot showed that GUS gene was integrated with the L. japonica genome.     

Tissue-specific expression of the rolC promoter of the Ri plasmid in transgenic rice plants

Summary Transgenic rice plants were obtained from protoplasts treated with two plasmids by electroporation. Primary transformants were selected on the basis of resistance to hygromycin, conferred by one of the co-transferred plasmids. Out of 26 hygromycin-resistant plants 2 showed the reporter gene activity due to another plasmid possessing a chimeric gene consisting of the promoter (about 900 by upstream non-coding region) of the ORF12 gene (roIC of the Ri plasmid and the coding region for -glucuronidase (GUS). Using a colorimetric reaction, the GUS enzyme was found to be localized in vascular tissues, demonstrating the similar expression of the roIC gene promoter in monocots and dicots (Sugaya et al. 1989; Schmülling et al. 1989).     

Intron-mediated enhancement of heterologous gene expression in maize

Chimeric genes containing the coding sequence for bacterial chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) have been introduced by electroporation into maize protoplasts (Black Mexican Sweet) and transient expression monitored by enzyme assays. Levels of CAT expression were enhanced 12-fold and 20-fold respectively by the inclusion of maize alcohol dehydrogenase-1 introns 2 and 6 in the chimeric construct. This enhancement was seen when the intron was placed within the 5 translated region but not when it was located upstream of the promoter or within the 3 untranslated region. Deletion of exon sequences adjacent to intron 2 abolished its ability to mediate enhancement of CAT gene expression. Northern analysis of protoplasts electroporated with intron constructs revealed elevated levels of CAT mRNA. However, this elevation was insufficient to account for the increased enzyme activity. One explanation of these results is that splicing affects both the quantity of mRNA.     

Investigation of the endosperm-specific sucrose synthase promoter from rice using transient expression of reporter genes in guar seed tissue

We report the investigation of an endosperm-specific promoter from the rsus3 gene from rice (Oryza sativa). The promoter was characterized by deletion analysis and transient expression in guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) seed-tissue. Transient expression was monitored by histochemical GUS assay, and quantitative dual reporter assays comprising firefly luciferase as a test reporter, and Renilla luciferase and GUS as reference reporters. These revealed high expression levels of the reporter genes directed by the rsus3 promoter in guar endosperm. Specificity for this tissue in seeds was apparent from a virtual absence of reporter activity in guar cotyledons. Removal of a putative intron region only slightly raised the expression level, whereas duplication of the minimal promoter region, in a tandem-repeat rsus3 promoter construct, retained endosperm specificity in guar, and displayed three times the reporter activity observed with the single copy construct.     

Lanthanide ions are agonists of transient gene expression in rice protoplasts and act in synergy with ABA to increase Em gene expression

Previous work has shown that in rice suspension cells, NaCl at 0.4 M can induce Em gene expression and act synergistically with ABA, possibly by potentiating the ABA response pathway through a rate-limiting intermediate (R.M. Bostock and R.S. Quatrano (1992) Plant Physiol., 98, 1356–1363). Since calcium is an intermediate in ABA regulation of stomatal closure, we tested the effect of calcium changes on ABA-inducible Em gene expression in transiently transformed rice protoplasts. We show that calcium is required for ABA-inducible Em-GUS expression and can act in synergy with ABA. The trivalent ions lanthanum, gadolinium, and aluminum, which are known to interact with calcium- and other signaling pathways, can act at sub-millimolar concentrations to increase GUS reporter gene expression driven by several promoters in transiently transformed rice protoplasts. This effect is not specific for the ABA-inducible Em promoter, but is synergistic with ABA. The lanthanum synergy with ABA does not require calcium. In rice suspension cells, lanthanum alone does not induce Em gene expression, in contrast to transiently transformed protoplasts, yet can act synergistically with ABA to effectively increase the sensitivity to ABA greater than tenfold. Trivalent ions may be a useful tool to study the regulation of gene expression. The possible effects of trivalent ions on ABA signal transduction and gene expression are discussed.     

Reporter gene introduction and transient expression in protoplasts of Porphyra yezoensis

The transient expression of foreign genes in the protoplasts of Porphyrayezoensis was examined using three recombinant vectors, pYez-Rub-GUS, pYez-Rub-GFP and pYez-Rub-LUC, which were constructed with the promoter sequence of the ribulose-bisphosphate-carboxylase / oxygenase (Rubisco) gene as a promoter and the bacterial β-glucuronidase (GUS), mutant of green fluorescent protein (S65T-GFP) and firefly luciferase (LUC) genes, respectively, as reporter genes. When the pYez-Rub-GUS was introduced into protoplasts by electroporation, cells stained dark blue by indigotin were observed after the histochemical GUS assay. GUS activity was also detected by quantitative enzyme assays with a chemiluminescent substrate. When the pYez-Rub-GFP was electroporated into protoplasts, the expression of GFP could be detected in vivo observations with fluorescence microscopy. However, the rates of gene expression cells to the total number of cells were different between the GUS and GFP genes. LUC activity was also detected by assay with a chemiluminescent substrate after the introduction of pYez-Rub-LUC into protoplasts, although the activity levels were considerably lower. Relatively high expression rates of introduced GUS genes were observed 3 to 5 days after electroporation. These results show that the promoter sequence of the chloroplast Rubisco gene functions as a promoter of foreign gene expression and that transient expression occurred in protoplasts of P. yezoensis after the introduction of foreign genes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multiple copies of virG enhance the transient transformation of celery,carrot and rice tissues by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

In an effort to improve the T-DNA-mediated transformation frequency of economically important crops, we investigated the possible enhancement effect of multiple copies of virG genes contained in Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains upon the transient transformation of celery, carrot and rice tissues. Four days after A. tumefaciens infection, we performed histochemical -glucuronidase (GUS) assays to determine the frequency of transient transformation of calli from celery and carrot, and explants from rice and celery. Additional copies of octopine- and agropine-type virG genes in A. tumefaciens strains containing an agropine-type Ti-plasmid enhanced the frequency of transient transformation of celery and rice. This enhancement ranged from 25% to five-fold, depending upon the source of the virG gene and the plant tissues inoculated. For both rice and celery, we observed a greater enhancement of transformation using A. tumefaciens strains containing additional copies of an octopine-type virG gene than with strains harboring additional copies of an agropine-type virG gene. Multiple copies of virG genes contained in A. tumefaciens strains harboring a nopaline-type Ti-plasmid had a smaller enhancing effect upon the transformation of celery tissues, and no enhancing effect upon the transformation of rice. In contrast, we obtained a three-fold increase in the transient transformation frequency of carrot calli using an A. tumefaciens strain harboring a nopaline-type Ti-plasmid and additional copies of an octopine-type virG gene. Our results show that multiple copies of virG in A. tumefaciens can greatly enhance the transient transformation frequency of celery, carrot and rice tissues, and that this enhancement is influenced by both the type of Ti-plasmid harbored by A. tumefaciens and by the infected plant species.Current address: Department of Agronomy, Purdue University     

糯性水稻中蜡质基因第1内含子的剪接活性

以前的研究结果表明 ,非糯性的稻米中直链淀粉的含量与各品种中蜡质基因 (Wx)第 1内含子被剪接的效率有关 ,即剪接效率高的品种直链淀粉含量也高。为弄清糯米中不含直链淀粉是否也与此内含子剪接效率有关系 ,构建了蜡质基因启动子 (来自籼稻品种2 32 )、蜡质基因第 1内含子 [来自籼稻品种 2 32 (高直链淀粉含量的品种 )或粳稻品种寒丰 6 36 6 (中、低直链淀粉含量的品种 ) ]与GUS报告基因组成的两种嵌合基因 ,将含有这两种嵌合基因的质粒分别转化进粳性糯稻品种奉糯 5 93中 ,同时还分别转化进非糯性的籼稻品种特青和粳稻品种中花 11中作为对照 ,测定它们的抗性愈伤组织与转基因植株未成熟种子胚乳中的GUS酶活性。结果表明与在非糯性的籼稻和粳稻中一样 ,这两种嵌合质粒在不合成直链淀粉的糯稻中也有相当水平的表达。从此结果可以推测 ,糯稻品种有从嵌合基因的转录本中剪接蜡质基因第 1内含子的正常能力 ,而在糯稻中缺乏直链淀粉可能是糯稻蜡质基因第1内含子中的其它突变所造成的     

水稻OsMBF1c基因的克隆及表达分析

多蛋白桥联因子1(multi protein bridging factor 1, MBF1)在植物应对逆境胁迫中起着重要的作用,而对于水稻中MBF1是否参与重金属胁迫响应机制目前尚未见相关报道。为了揭示水稻MBF1家族与重金属胁迫的相关性及其潜在作用机制,该研究利用PCR技术克隆水稻OsMBF1c基因的全长编码序列,通过生物信息学对基因功能进行分析和预测,并通过实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)分析其在镉(Cd)胁迫下的表达特征。结果表明:(1)OsMBF1c的全长编码序列为468 bp,共编码155个氨基酸,相对分子量为16.154 kDa。(2)OsMBF1c与大麦TdMBF1a.1亲缘关系最近,具有光、厌氧等环境因子诱导相关的顺式调节元件。(3)重金属Cd可诱导OsMBF1c表达且在时间上和组织中的表达水平具有特异性,100 μmol·L^-1 Cd 处理1 h 后,地上部分OsMBF1c表达量明显上调,为对照组的7倍; 100 μmol·L^-1 Cd 胁迫处理6 h后,根部OsMBF1c表达量上调为对照组的3倍。该研究结果进一步完善了非生物胁迫下MBF1家族的生物学功能研究。     

Stable transformation and long-term expression of the gusA reporter gene in callus lines of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

Stable transformation of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was achieved by biolistic bombardment of a non embryogenic cell suspension culture, using the hpt and gusA gene. The transformation yielded on the average 5 callus lines per bombardment (1.4×10⁶ cells). Stable integration of the genes into the plant genome was demonstrated by Southern analysis of DNA, isolated from hygromycin-resistant callus lines. The gusA reporter gene, which was regulated by the constitutive promoter of the rice gene GOS2, was expressed in both transient and stable transformation assays, indicating that this promoter is suitable for expression of a transferred gene in perennial ryegrass. Long-term GUS expression was observed in ca. 40% of the callus lines, whereas the other callus lines showed instability after 6 months and 1 year of culture.     

Tobacco matrix attachment region sequence increased transgene expression levels in rice plants

In this study, six plasmids were constructed to study the effects of the tobacco Rb7 matrix attachment region (MAR) sequence on rice transgene expression. Among them, each of four plasmids contained two identical copies of the MAR sequence flanking two different reporter genes, which encode the green fluorescent protein and -glucuronidase. Two control plasmids contained no MAR sequences. Microprojectile bombardment was used to separately introduce these six plasmids into rice calli. Transgenic rice plants were regenerated, and gene expression was measured in rice leaf extracts of two-month-old transgenic plants. By comparing transgenic plants with the corresponding control plants, transgenic plants harboring each of four plasmids that included the MAR sequence resulted in average gene expression levels enhanced by 3.3-fold, 18-fold, 376-fold and 650-fold. These results suggest that the same MAR sequence can affect the expression of different genes to different extents. One goal of plant scientists and breeders is to maximize expression levels of transgenes, especially in the production of transgene-encoded protein. Therefore, inclusion of the Rb7 MAR sequence would be beneficial.     

Dissection of a pollen-specific promoter from maize by transient transformation assays

We have previously reported the isolation and characterization of a gene (Zm 13) from Zea mays which shows a pollen-specific pattern of expression. Stably transformed tobacco plants containing a reporter gene linked to portions of the Zm 13 5 flanking region show correct temporal and spatial expression of the gene. Here we present a more detailed analysis of the 5 regions responsible for expression in pollen by utilizing a transient expression system. Constructs containing the -glucuronidase (GUS) gene under the control of various sized fragments of the Zm13 5 flanking region were introduced into Tradescantia and Zea mays pollen via high-velocity microprojectile bombardment, and monitored both visually and with a fluorescence assay. The results suggest that sequences necessary for expression in pollen are present in a region from –100 to –54, while other sequences which amplify that expression reside between –260 and –100. The replacement of the normal terminator with a portion of the Zm13 3 region containing the putative polyadenylation signal and site also increased GUS expression. While the –260 to –100 region contains sequences similar to other protein-binding domains reported for plants, the –100 to –54 region appears to contain no significant homology to other known promoter fragments which direct pollen-specific expression. The microprojectile bombardment of Tradescantia pollen appears to be a good test system for assaying maize and possibly other monocot promoter constructs for pollen expression.     

Sequence analysis of rice rubi3 promoter gene expression cassettes for improved transgene expression

In a construct containing a GUS reporter gene driven by the 5′ regulatory elements from rubi3, expression was enhanced 4-fold when a 20-nucleotide (nt) GUS 5′ untranslated sequence was replaced with 9 nt sequences derived from rubi3′s second exon. The roles of the sequences immediately upstream from the GUS translation initiation codon, and their significance in gene expression, were investigated. Sequence analysis suggests that complementarity between sequences immediately 5′ of a translation initiation codon and the rice 17S rRNA may be responsible for the reduction in protein levels from constructs containing the GUS leader sequence. The results demonstrate an affect sequences immediately upstream from transgenic coding sequences have on expression, and when using the rubi3 5′ regulatory sequence in particular.