Elicitins与植物的抗病性

Elicitins是一类分子量约为 10kD的小分子蛋白激发子 ,由Phytophthora和Pythium两个属的植物病原卵菌胞外分泌产生 ,在烟草上引起过敏性反应 (hypersensitiveresponse,HR)和系统获得抗病性 (systemicacquiredresistance ,SAR)。文中从Elicitins结构与功能、生物学意义、基因表达调控 ,Elicitins在植物上诱发的信号传导和转Elicitins基因的抗病基因工程5个方面概述了E     

茉莉酸信号受体COI蛋白家族的分子进化与基因表达分析

茉莉酸(Jasmonic acid,JA)存在于所有高等植物中,是植物对病原微生物和虫害防御反应的关键激素。在茉莉酸信号转导中,COI1(COR-insensitive 1)作为茉莉酸信号受体蛋白在其中发挥关键作用。本研究采用生物信息学方法,从藻类、苔藓类、蕨类、裸子及单、双子叶植物多谱系对COI蛋白家族进行比较基因组学研究,并取得以下结果:(1)同源基因鉴定结果发现,在所选的7种陆生植物中一共鉴定了55个COIs同源基因,然而,在低等的水生植物包括绿藻类(Chlorophytes)、红藻类(Rhodophytes)、硅藻类(Bacillariophytes)、灰胞藻类(Glaucophytes)及褐藻类(Phaeophytes)等基因组中均未发现其同源基因;(2)系统进化树分析表明,植物COI蛋白家族可以分为4个保守的亚家族,且在陆生植物扩增的同时可能已发生功能分化;(3)基因结构分析显示,植物COI家族基因结构表现多样性,主要体现在内含子的数目和长度上;(4)基因表达数据提示,COI基因家族成员参与植物生长发育的多个时期,且在不同组织器官以及不同的胁迫应答反应中发挥不同的作用。以上结果将为植物COI基因家族的深入研究提供参考。     

茶树CBF1基因密码子使用特性分析

转录因子CBF(C-repeat-binding factor)广泛存在于各种植物中, 是植物抗逆过程中一个重要的调节因子。文章运用CHIPS、CUSP和CodonW在线程序对茶树(Camellia sinensis)CBF1基因(CsCBF1)序列进行分析, 并与茶树基因、模式植物基因组和其他植物CBF基因进行比较, 对了解CsCBF1基因密码子使用特性, 并为其选择合适的表达系统具有重要意义。结果表明：CsCBF1基因与70个茶树基因对密码子的使用有明显的差异, CsCBF1基因偏好使用以G/C结尾的密码子, 而筛选的70个茶树基因偏好使用以A/T结尾的密码子。在密码子使用频率上, CsCBF1基因与拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)、烟草(Nicotiana tobacum)的差异小于与小麦(Triticum aestivum)、玉米(Zea mays)的差异; 因此, 拟南芥、烟草更适合作为CsCBF1基因的外源表达宿主。通过分析40种植物CBF基因编码特点可知大部分CBF基因偏好使用以G/C结尾的密码子, 这可能与基因的特殊功能有关。     

植物的抗病性研究显露曙光

表面上,似乎是九月在延长,但对于植物生物学家来说,却好象今年的圣诞节提早了三个月到来。美国加州大学伯克利分校的二个研究小组发现了二种不同的抗病性基因,有可能揭示作物抗病毒、细菌和真菌感染的秘密。 这二个基因是N基因和RPS2基因。前者是首次分离的,可使作物抵抗烟草花叶病病毒;后者发现于芥子植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana),它可使植物抵抗丁香假单[胞]菌(Pseudomonas syringae)。     

苔藓NAC基因家族的生物信息学分析

NAC (NAM, ATAF, CUC)转录因子家族仅存在于陆生植物中,在植物发育、响应胁迫以及生物合成过程中发挥重要作用。许多NAC家族成员的功能已被确定(主要在模式植物中),但在苔藓等早期陆生植物中NAC家族的进化过程尚不清楚。本研究从藓类的小立碗藓(Physcomitrella patens)和泥炭藓(Sphagnum fallax)、苔类的地钱(Marchantia polymorpha)和角苔类的角苔(Anthoceros angustus)中,共鉴定出97个NAC基因,并对其进行NAC转录因子家族进化分析。藓类有大约40个NAC基因,地钱和角苔中只有大约10个NAC基因。在苔藓植物中,NAC基因家族可分为5个亚家族。基因结构和保守结构域分析表明,在同一个亚家族中,大多数NAC基因具有相似的基因结构和编码相似的蛋白基序。共线性分析表明NAC-Ⅱ基因位于藓类植物保守共线性区,并随着藓类植物的整个基因重复事件而扩张。上述研究结果表明NAC基因的扩张不仅发生在维管植物中,也发生在苔藓植物中,这对NAC基因家族的功能扩展是至关重要的。进一步研究结果显示,NAC基因家族的扩增时间与藓类...     

蒺藜苜蓿全基因组中WRKY转录因子的鉴定与分析

WRKY基因家族是植物基因组内一类重要的转录因子, 参与植物许多生理生化过程, 如植物发育、代谢以及生物和非生物胁迫。目前, 已在多种植物中鉴定出WRKY基因家族, 但是关于蒺藜苜蓿(Medicago truncatula L.) WRKY基因家族的系统分析鲜有报道。文章利用生物信息学方法, 从蒺藜苜蓿全基因组中共鉴定出93个WRKY基因, 包括81个标准的WRKY基因(19个Ⅰ型基因, 49个Ⅱ型基因以及13个Ⅲ型基因)和12个非标准类型的WRKY基因。对这些WRKY基因进行了基因重复、染色体定位、基因结构、保守基序和系统进化等方面的分析。蒺藜苜蓿WRKY基因家族中最近共发生了11次基因重复事件, 共涉及24个基因, 占全部WRKY基因的26%。染色体物理定位分析表明, 蒺藜苜蓿WRKY基因在染色体上呈不均匀分布, 存在6个基因簇。对WRKY Ⅲ型基因的进化分析表明, 它们在长期的进化过程中受纯化选择压力。     

新标记和基因簇的正确表达能加速rDNA在植株中起作用

科学家打算应用 rDNA 对植物进行遗传操纵面临着许多技术上的不可靠性,包括转移的基因是否将适当作用和是否将在受体植物适当的部位(如根、叶、种子等)表达。现在,由于两个研究小组的努力,看来这两个问题很容易解决,从初步的结果看是非常令人鼓舞的。加利福尼亚大学的一个研究小组(加州圣迭戈)开发了一种新的标记,使研究者能真正看到转移的基因是否在植物上得到表达。借助于广泛使用的 Ti 质粒,科学家将虫萤元素酶的     

木薯及其他植物P5CS基因进化及表达分析

该研究采用生物信息学的方法,从木薯等31个已完成基因组测序的植物中,共鉴定出84个吡咯啉-5-羧酸合成酶(P5CS)基因,并对其进行系统发育分析。结果表明:(1)P5CS在内含子长度上差别较大,而在氨基酸长度、外显子数目、等电点和分子量上差别不大。(2)由于发生基因重复,在大多数单子叶和双子叶植物中都有2个P5CS,而且在单子叶和双子叶植物中均发现P5CS1基因聚类在一组,而P5CS2基因聚类在另一组,支持P5CS1和P5CS2基因是独立起源,且该重复事件发生在单子叶和双子叶植物分化之前。(3)在某些植物(如蒺藜苜蓿、大豆等)中存在3~7个P5CS基因,表明在单子叶和双子叶植物分化之后P5CS基因又发生了多次重复事件,并将它们归纳为4种进化模式。(4)木薯中有2个P5CS基因,表达分析显示,MeP5CS1和MeP5CS2在叶片、叶柄、茎、须根和储藏根中均可检测到,其中MeP5CS1在叶片中表达较高,而MeP5CS2在茎和储藏根中表达较高。(5)干旱胁迫下,MeP5CS1仅在第一片完全展开叶中被显著诱导,而MeP5CS2在第一片完全展开叶和老叶中均能被显著诱导;低温胁迫下,MeP5CS1和MeP5CS2在不同组织中均能被显著诱导,但具有不同的表达模式。研究表明,木薯的MeP5CS1和MeP5CS2基因在转录水平受到干旱、低温等非生物胁迫的调控。     

农杆菌与植物细胞的相互作用

近年来,植物遗传工程的研究进入了一个飞速发展的时期。T_i质粒和R_i质粒是应用最普遍的两个基因工程的载体。它们是分别存在于根癌农杆菌(Agrobaeterium tumofaciens)和发根农杆菌(A.rhizogenes)细胞核外的一种双链环状DNA。人们将控制优良性状(如高产、抗病虫害、抗旱等)的基因通过一定方法整合到T_i或R_i质粒上的T-DNA区,然后借助于农杆菌对植物的感染,将外源基因引入植物细胞并整合     

花同源异型MADS-box 基因在被子植物中的功能保守性和多样性

MADS-box基因家族成员作为转录调控因子在被子植物花发育调控中发挥关键作用。本文以模式植物拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana) 和水稻 (Oryza sativa)为例, 综述了近10年来对被子植物(又称有花植物)两大主要类群——核心真 双子叶植物和单子叶植物花同源异型MADS-box基因的研究成果, 分析MADS-box基因在被子植物中的功能保守性和多样性,同时探讨双子叶植物花发育的ABCDE模型在多大程度上适用于单子叶植物。     

Comparison of Binding Properties and Early Biological Effects of Elicitins in Tobacco Cells

Elicitins are a family of small proteins secreted by Phytophthora species that have a high degree of homology and elicit defense reactions in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). They display acidic or basic characteristics, the acidic elicitins being less efficient in inducing plant necrosis. In this study we compared the binding properties of four elicitins (two basic and two acidic) and early-induced signal transduction events (Ca²⁺ influx, extracellular medium alkalinization, and active oxygen species production). The affinity for tobacco plasma membrane-binding sites and the number of binding sites were similar for all four elicitins. Furthermore, elicitins compete with one another for binding sites, suggesting that they interact with the same receptor. The four elicitins induced Ca²⁺ influx, extracellular medium alkalinization, and the production of active oxygen species in tobacco cell suspensions, but the intensity and kinetics of these effects were different from one elicitin to another. As a general observation the concentrations that induce similar levels of biological activities were lower for basic elicitins (with the exception of cinnamomin-induced Ca²⁺ uptake). The qualitative similarity of early events induced by elicitins indicates a common transduction scheme, whereas fine signal transduction tuning is different in each elicitin.     

Molecular cloning and biological activity of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-megaspermin,three elicitins secreted by Phytophthora megasperma H20

We report on the molecular cloning of the Phytophthora megasperma H20 (PmH20) glycoprotein shown previously as an inducer of the hypersensitive response, of localized acquired resistance and of systemic acquired resistance in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and of the PmH20 alpha- and beta-megaspermin, two elicitins of class I-A and I-B, respectively. The structure of the glycoprotein shows a signal peptide of 20 amino acids followed by the typical elicitin 98-amino acid-long domain and a 77-amino acid-long C-terminal domain carrying an O-glycosylated moiety. The molecular mass deduced from the translated cDNA sequence is 14,920 and 18,676 D as determined by mass spectrometry. This structure together with multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analyses indicate that the glycoprotein belongs to class III elicitins. It is the first class III elicitin protein characterized, which we named gamma-megaspermin. We compared the biological activity of the three PmH20 elicitins when applied to tobacco cv Samsun NN plants. Although alpha- and gamma-megaspermin were similarly active, beta-megaspermin was the most active in inducing the hypersensitive response and localized acquired resistance, which was assessed by measuring the levels of acidic and basic pathogenesis-related proteins and of the antioxidant phytoalexin scopoletin. The three elicitins induced similar levels of systemic acquired resistance measured as the expression of acidic PR proteins and is increased resistance to challenge tobacco mosaic virus infection.     

Cloning, Expression and Characterization of Protein Elicitors from the Soyabean Pathogenic Fungus Phytophthora sojae

The oomycete Phytophthora sojae is a severe pathogen of soybean. Several resistance genes against races of P. sojae exist in soybean but the nature of corresponding avirulence genes is unknown. Clones encoding four different isoforms of a protein elicitor from P. sojae (sojein 1–4) belonging to the class of acidic α-elicitins have been isolated. These 98 amino acid proteins show high homology to elicitins from other Phytophthora species. The different sojein isoforms were expressed in Escherichia coli as His-tagged fusion proteins. Purified sojein as well as recombinant sojein isoforms induce hypersensitive reaction (HR)-like lesions in tobacco but are not active as race-specific elicitors in soybean. However all sojein isoforms induce defence-related genes like those encoding phenylalanine ammonia lyase, glutathione-S-transferase and chalcone synthase in tobacco and soybean plants and cell cultures. It is concluded that sojeins contribute to the induction of defence responses but that they are not involved in race specific recognition of the P. sojae races by soybean plants.     

Agroinfection-based high-throughput screening reveals specific recognition of INF elicitins in Solanum

We adapted and optimized the use of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary PVX expression system (PVX agroinfection) to screen Solanum plants for response to pathogen elicitors and applied the assay to identify a total of 11 clones of Solanum huancabambense and Solanum microdontum , out of 31 species tested, that respond to the elicitins INF1, INF2A and INF2B of Phytophthora infestans . Prior to this study, response to INF elicitins was only known in Nicotiana spp. within the Solanaceae. The identified S. huancabambense and S. microdontum clones also exhibited hypersensitivity-like cell death following infiltration with purified recombinant INF1, INF2A and INF2B, thereby validating the screening protocol. Comparison of INF elicitin activity revealed that Nicotiana plants responded to significantly lower concentrations than Solanum , suggesting variable levels of sensitivity to INF elicitins. We exploited natural variation in response to INF elicitins in the identified Solanum accessions to evaluate the relationship between INF recognition and late blight resistance. Interestingly, several INF-responsive Solanum plants were susceptible to P. infestans . Also, an S. microdontum  × Solanum tuberosum (potato) population that segregates for INF response was generated but failed to identify a measurable contribution of INF response to resistance. These results suggest that in Solanum , INF elicitins are recognized as general elicitors and do not have a measurable contribution to disease resistance.     

Brassinosteroid functions in a broad range of disease resistance in tobacco and rice

Brassinolide (BL), considered to be the most important brassinosteroid (BR) and playing pivotal roles in the hormonal regulation of plant growth and development, was found to induce disease resistance in plants. To study the potentialities of BL activity on stress responding systems, we analyzed its ability to induce disease resistance in tobacco and rice plants. Wild-type tobacco treated with BL exhibited enhanced resistance to the viral pathogen tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci (Pst), and the fungal pathogen Oidium sp. The measurement of salicylic acid (SA) in wild-type plants treated with BL and the pathogen infection assays using NahG transgenic plants indicate that BL-induced resistance does not require SA biosynthesis. BL treatment did not induce either acidic or basic pathogenesis-related (PR) gene expression, suggesting that BL-induced resistance is distinct from systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and wound-inducible disease resistance. Analysis using brassinazole 2001, a specific inhibitor for BR biosynthesis, and the measurement of BRs in TMV-infected tobacco leaves indicate that steroid hormone-mediated disease resistance (BDR) plays part in defense response in tobacco. Simultaneous activation of SAR and BDR by SAR inducers and BL, respectively, exhibited additive protective effects against TMV and Pst, indicating that there is no cross-talk between SAR- and BDR-signaling pathway downstream of BL. In addition to the enhanced resistance to a broad range of diseases in tobacco, BL induced resistance in rice to rice blast and bacterial blight diseases caused by Magnaporthe grisea and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, respectively. Our data suggest that BDR functions in the innate immunity system of higher plants including dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous species.     

Induction of systemic resistance in tomato by N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone-producing rhizosphere bacteria

N-acyl-L-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules are utilized by Gram-negative bacteria to monitor their population density (quorum sensing) and to regulate gene expression in a density-dependent manner. We show that Serratia liquefaciens MG1 and Pseudomonas putida IsoF colonize tomato roots, produce AHL in the rhizosphere and increase systemic resistance of tomato plants against the fungal leaf pathogen, Alternaria alternata. The AHL-negative mutant S. liquefaciens MG44 was less effective in reducing symptoms and A. alternata growth as compared to the wild type. Salicylic acid (SA) levels were increased in leaves when AHL-producing bacteria colonized the rhizosphere. No effects were observed when isogenic AHL-negative mutant derivatives were used in these experiments. Furthermore, macroarray and Northern blot analysis revealed that AHL molecules systemically induce SA- and ethylene-dependent defence genes (i.e. PR1a, 26 kDa acidic and 30 kDa basic chitinase). Together, these data support the view that AHL molecules play a role in the biocontrol activity of rhizobacteria through the induction of systemic resistance to pathogens.     

Tobacco genes encoding acidic and basic isoforms of pathogenesis-related proteins display different expression patterns

The induction by cytokinin stress and ethylene of nine different tobacco mosaic virus-inducible mRNA classes (termed A-I) encoding pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins was studied. The induced mRNA levels were compared to basal levels in healthy tobacco plants grown in tissue culture and in a greenhouse. Cytokinin stress and ethylene were found to induce different subsets of the mRNAs, indicating that ethylene is not the primary inducing signal in cytokinin-stressed shoots. mRNAs F, H and G encoding the basic hydrolytic enzymes chitinase, -1,3-glucanase and a basic equivalent of PR-1, respectively, were found to be expressed at high levels in roots of healthy plants. mRNAs D, I and B encoding the acidic equivalents of the proteins proved to be present at low levels in healthy plants. These results indicate that genes encoding basic and acidic isoforms of pathogenesis-related proteins are differentially regulated.