LEAFY Interacts with Floral Homeotic Genes to Regulate Arabidopsis Floral Development

In the leafy mutant of Arabidopsis, most of the lateral meristems that are fated to develop as flowers in a wild-type plant develop as inflorescence branches, whereas a few develop as abnormal flowers consisting of whorls of sepals and carpels. We have isolated several new alleles of leafy and constructed a series of double mutants with leafy and other homeotic mutants affecting floral development to determine how these genes interact to specify the developmental fate of lateral meristems. We found that leafy is completely epistatic to pistillata and interacts additively with agamous in early floral whorls, whereas in later whorls leafy is epistatic to agamous. Double mutants with leafy and either apetala1 or apetala2 showed a complete loss of the whorled phyllotaxy, shortened internodes, and suppression of axillary buds typical of flowers. Our results suggest that the products of LEAFY, APETALA1, and APETALA2 together control the differentiation of lateral meristems as flowers rather than as inflorescence branches.     

与植物铁素营养相关的蛋白和基因

介绍铁胁迫下植物铁素吸收的机制Ⅰ、机制Ⅱ系统中铁素吸收、转运的主要相关蛋白及基因(如Fro2,Irt1,Naat,Nas,Fdh,Adh),可能存在的新机制Ⅲ系统中的Nramp基因,铁素储存蛋白(ferritin)及其基因等的研究进展。     

植物基因光反应元件及其结合蛋白

本文介绍了植物基因的G-box、GT元件等光调控元件及其结合蛋白的类型、结构特点和相关研究进展。     

AP2功能基因在植物花发育中的重要作用

AP2基因作为调控植物花发育的功能基因,参与花分生特性建立、花器官的特性特化以及形成调控。所编码的AP2/EREBP转录因子的主要特征是都至少含有一个由60到70个左右的氨基酸组成高度保守的DNA结合区,称作AP2结合域。按其所含的AP2结构域的数目分为3个亚族,即AP2亚家族、EREBP亚家族和RAV亚家族,每个亚家族都有各自的作用。AP2基因不但自身调控着花、胚珠的发育,而且与其他因子相互协作,参与到复杂的花发育调控网络。将对AP2基因的特征和分类及其在花发育中的作用进行概述。     

MADS-box基因控制植物成花的分子机理

植物花器官的发育和开花是植物生殖发育中最重要的过程,植物在长期的进化过程中产生了春化(低温)途径、自主途径、光周期途径以及不依赖于光温环境条件的赤霉素信号途径来适应多变的环境和调控植物开花过程。本文综述了模式植物拟南芥中由LEAFY(LFY)、CONSTANS(CO)、FLOWERING LOCUSC(FLC)、FLOW ERING LOCUS T(FT)和SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO1(SOC1)等基因构成的双子叶植物响应光温条件变化的开花调控网络;以及大麦、小麦中由VERNALIZATION1(VRN1)、VRN2、ODD-SOC2(OS2)和拟南芥CO、FT同源基因构成的禾本科植物开花调控网络。其中最重要的是转录调控因子MADS-box基因FLC、SOC1、VRN1和OS2,并发现组蛋白的乙酰化/脱乙酰化,赖氨酸的甲基化/脱甲基化在调控FLC、VRN1染色质活性状态及基因表达,从而产生开花控制的机理。这些研究发现将有助于对具有重要经济价值的单双子叶植物,通过生物技术手段改良其品种特性以应对非生物逆境,特别是低温胁迫的指导。     

植物Mg2+转运蛋白与相关基因及其功能的研究进展

镁离子是植物细胞中最丰富的二价阳离子.在植物的生长发育中起着重要的作用.对Mg2+独特的几何和化学性质,Mg2对植物细胞体内中动态平衡的影响,植物中Mg2+转运相关蛋白与相关基因及其功能的研究进展进行了综述.     

Expression of Genes Encoding Multi-Transmembrane Proteins in Specific Primate Taste Cell Populations

Background

Using fungiform (FG) and circumvallate (CV) taste buds isolated by laser capture microdissection and analyzed using gene arrays, we previously constructed a comprehensive database of gene expression in primates, which revealed over 2,300 taste bud-associated genes. Bioinformatics analyses identified hundreds of genes predicted to encode multi-transmembrane domain proteins with no previous association with taste function. A first step in elucidating the roles these gene products play in gustation is to identify the specific taste cell types in which they are expressed.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Using double label in situ hybridization analyses, we identified seven new genes expressed in specific taste cell types, including sweet, bitter, and umami cells (TRPM5-positive), sour cells (PKD2L1-positive), as well as other taste cell populations. Transmembrane protein 44 (TMEM44), a protein with seven predicted transmembrane domains with no homology to GPCRs, is expressed in a TRPM5-negative and PKD2L1-negative population that is enriched in the bottom portion of taste buds and may represent developmentally immature taste cells. Calcium homeostasis modulator 1 (CALHM1), a component of a novel calcium channel, along with family members CALHM2 and CALHM3; multiple C2 domains; transmembrane 1 (MCTP1), a calcium-binding transmembrane protein; and anoctamin 7 (ANO7), a member of the recently identified calcium-gated chloride channel family, are all expressed in TRPM5 cells. These proteins may modulate and effect calcium signalling stemming from sweet, bitter, and umami receptor activation. Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2B (SV2B), a regulator of synaptic vesicle exocytosis, is expressed in PKD2L1 cells, suggesting that this taste cell population transmits tastant information to gustatory afferent nerve fibers via exocytic neurotransmitter release.

Conclusions/Significance

Identification of genes encoding multi-transmembrane domain proteins expressed in primate taste buds provides new insights into the processes of taste cell development, signal transduction, and information coding. Discrete taste cell populations exhibit highly specific gene expression patterns, supporting a model whereby each mature taste receptor cell is responsible for sensing, transmitting, and coding a specific taste quality.     

APETALA3/DEFICIENS和PISTILLATA/GLOBOSA基因与植物花发育

APETALA3(AP3)/DEFICIENS(DEF)和PISTILLATA(PI)/GLOBOSA(GLO)为植物花器官发育B类基因,控制双子叶植物花瓣和雄蕊的发育,它们属于MADS-box基因家族,编码转录因子,这些基因的突变能导致花瓣转变为萼片,雄蕊转变为心皮。近年来已经在多种植物中克隆到了AP3/DEF和PI/GLO基因,AP3/DEF和PI/GLO基因在拟南芥中只在花器官中表达,而在玉米等植物维管束、叶片等组织中也有表达。现对有关AP3/DEF和PI/GLO基因表达及其在植物系统发育学研究方面的进展进行综述。     

Arabidopsis thaliana Genes Encoding Defense Signaling and Recognition Proteins Exhibit Contrasting Evolutionary Dynamics

The interplay between pathogen effectors, their host targets, and cognate recognition proteins provides various opportunities for antagonistic cycles of selection acting on plant and pathogen to achieve or abrogate resistance, respectively. Selection has previously been shown to maintain diversity in plant proteins involved in pathogen recognition and some of their cognate pathogen effectors. We analyzed the signatures of selection on 10 Arabidopsis thaliana genes encoding defense signal transduction proteins in plants, which are potential targets of pathogen effectors. There was insufficient evidence to reject neutral evolution for 6 genes encoding signaling components consistent with these proteins not being targets of effectors and/or indicative of constraints on their ability to coevolve with pathogen effectors. Functional constraints on effector targets may have provided the driving selective force for the evolution of guard proteins. PBS1, a known target of an effector, showed little variation but is known to be monitored by a variable guard protein. Evidence of selection maintaining diversity was present at NPR1, PAD4, and EDS1. Differences in the signatures of selection observed may reflect the numbers of effectors that target a particular protein, the presence or absence of a cognate guard protein, as well as functional constraints imposed by biochemical activities or interactions with plant proteins.     

Possible Basic and Specific Functions of Plant Uncoupling Proteins (pUCP)

Evidence has been provided that the plant uncoupling proteins (pUCP) play basic physiological roles similar to the other uncoupling protein subfamily members (mammalian UCP1,2,3,4 and BMCP) and are effective in the situations of slight uncoupling that leads to: (1) accelerated respiration and metabolic rates that are beneficial to plant growth and development; (2) decreased formation of reactive oxygen species in mitochondria; and, (3) mild thermogenesis, inevitably accompanying the previous two phenomena. Hypothetically, specific physiological roles of pUCP such as cut off of ATP synthesis could be manifested in connection with climacteric respiratory rise during fruit ripening, seed dormancy, and plant senescence. pUCP might also facilitate growth under low temperatures, e.g., during seed germination or in roots. The existence of these specific roles is suggested by the immunochemical and functional localization of pUCP in mitochondria of fruits, seeds and roots of various plant species.     

Structure and Evolution of Genes Encoding Polyubiquitin and Ubiquitin-like Proteins in Arabidopsis Thaliana Ecotype Columbia

The Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia ubiquitin gene family consists of 14 members that can be divided into three types of ubiquitin genes; polyubiquitin genes, ubiquitin-like genes and ubiquitin extension genes. The isolation and characterization of eight ubiquitin sequences, consisting of four polyubiquitin genes and four ubiquitin-like genes, are described here, and their relationships to each other and to previously identified Arabidopsis ubiquitin genes were analyzed. The polyubiquitin genes, UBQ3, UBQ10, UBQ11 and UBQ14, contain tandem repeats of the 228-bp ubiquitin coding region. Together with a previously described polyubiquitin gene, UBQ4, they differ in synonymous substitutions, number of ubiquitin coding regions, number and nature of nonubiquitin C-terminal amino acid(s) and chromosomal location, dividing into two subtypes; the UBQ3/UBQ4 and UBQ10/UBQ11/UBQ14 subtypes. Ubiquitin-like genes, UBQ7, UBQ8, UBQ9 and UBQ12, also contain tandem repeats of the ubiquitin coding region, but at least one repeat per gene encodes a protein with amino acid substitutions. Nucleotide comparisons, K(s) value determinations and neighbor-joining analyses were employed to determine intra- and intergenic relationships. In general, the rate of synonymous substitution is too high to discern related repeats. Specific exceptions provide insight into gene relationships. The observed nucleotide relationships are consistent with previously described models involving gene duplications followed by both unequal crossing-over and gene conversion events.