Repeated sequences from theArabidopsis thaliana genome function as enhancers in transgenic tobacco

Sixteen segments ofArabidopsis thaliana DNA that function as enhancers in transgenic tobacco plants were isolated using the pROA97 enhancer cloning vehicle and library transformation ofNicotiana tabacum. The sequences were compared for AT content, homology, repeated motifs, and expression pattern in transgenicN. tabacum. The sequences were average with respect to the AT content ofA. thaliana DNA. They could be placed into seven homology groups. Five of the sequences are single-copy sequences. The remaining eleven sequences represent two homology groups. Homology Group I contains seven sequences with minor differences. Homology Group II contains four sequences with minor differences. Two repeated motifs were identified (5′-CCTCT-3′ and 5′-AAGGAT-3′). Both repeated motifs are found in other plant enhancers, and in the promoter region of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S gene. In the 35S gene TATA region, the motifs can form two alternative stem-loop structures. The TATATAA sequence is located in the loop region of both stem-loop structures.     

Characterization of the expression of a desiccation-responsive rd29 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and analysis of its promoter in transgenic plants

Summary We characterized the expression of genes that correspond to a cDNA clone, RD29, which is induced by desiccation, cold and high-salt conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana. Northern analysis of desiccation-induced expression revealed a two-step induction process. Early induction occurs within 20 min and secondary induction occurs 3 h after the start of desiccation. Exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) induces RD29 mRNA within 3 h. Two genes corresponding to RD29, rd29A and rd29B, are located in tandem in an 8 kb region of the Arabidopsis genome and encode hydrophilic proteins. Desiccation induces rd29A mRNA with two-step kinetics, while rd29B is induced only 3 h after the start of desiccation. The expression of both genes is stimulated about 3 h after application of ABA. It appears that rd29A has at least two cis-acting elements, one involved in the ABA-associated response to desiccation and the other induced by changes in osmotic potential. The -glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene driven by the rd29A promoter was induced at significant levels by desiccation, cold, high-salt conditions and ABA in both transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco. Histochemical analysis of GUS activity revealed that the rd29A promoter functions in almost all the organs and tissues of vegetative plants during water deficiency.     

Genotoxicity of 2,4-D and dicamba revealed by transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants harboring recombination and point mutation markers

The phenoxy herbicides 2,4-D and dicamba are released daily into the environment in large amount. The mechanisms of genotoxicity and mutagenicity of these herbicides are poorly understood, and the available genotoxicity data is controversial. There is a cogent need for a novel genotoxicity monitoring system that could provide both reliable information at the molecular level, and complement existing systems.We employed the transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana ‘point mutation’ and ‘recombination’ plants to monitor the genetic effects of the herbicides 2,4-D and dicamba. We found that both herbicides had a significant effect on the frequency of homologous recombination A→G mutation. Neither herbicides affected the T→G mutation frequency. Interestingly, these transgenic biomonitoring plants were able to detect the presence of phenoxy herbicides at concentrations that were lower than the guideline levels for Drinking Water Quality. The results of our studies suggest that our transgenic system may be ideal for the evaluation of the genotoxicity of herbicide-contaminated water. Moreover, the unique ability of the plants to detect both double-strand breaks (homologous recombination) and point mutations provides tremendous potential in the study of molecular mechanisms of genotoxicity and mutagenicity of phenoxy herbicides.     

In planta transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana

Transformants of Arabidopsis thaliana can be generated without using tissue culture techniques by cutting primary and secondary inflorescence shoots at their bases and inoculating the wound sites with Agrobacterium tumefaciens suspensions. After three successive inoculations, treated plants are grown to maturity, harvested and the progeny screened for transformants on a selective medium. We have investigated the reproducibility and the overall efficiency of this simple in planta transformation procedure. In addition, we determined the T-DNA copy number and inheritance in the transformants and examined whether transformed progeny recovered from the same Agrobacterium-treated plant represent one or several independent transformation events. Our results indicate that in planta transformation is very reproducible and yields stably transformed seeds in 7–8 weeks. Since it does not employ tissue culture, the in planta procedure may be particularly valuable for transformation of A. thaliana ecotypes and mutants recalcitrant to in vitro regeneration. The transformation frequency was variable and was not affected by lower growth temperature, shorter photoperiod or transformation vector. The majority of treated plants gave rise to only one transformant, but up to nine siblings were obtained from a single parental plant. Molecular analysis suggested that some of the siblings originated from a single transformed cell, while others were descended from multiple, independently transformed germ-line cells. More than 90% of the transformed progeny exhibited Mendelian segregation patterns of NPTII and GUS reporter genes. Of those, 60% contained one functional insert, 16% had two T-DNA inserts and 15% segregated for T-DNA inserts at more than two unlinked loci. The remaining transformants displayed non-Mendelian segregation ratios with a very high proportion of sensitive plants among the progeny. The small numbers of transformants recovered from individual T₁ plants and the fact that none of the T₂ progeny were homozygous for a specific T-DNA insert suggest that transformation occurs late in floral development.National Research Council of Canada Publication No. 38003     

The Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes at least four thioredoxins m and a new prokaryotic-like thioredoxin

Screening of cDNA libraries at low stringency and complete sequencing of EST clones with homology to thioredoxins allowed us to characterize five new prokaryotic type Arabidopsis thaliana thioredoxins. All present N-terminal extensions with characteristics of transit peptides. Four are clustered in a phylogenetic tree with the chloroplastic thioredoxin m from red and green algae and higher plants, and their transit peptides have typical characteristics of chloroplastic transit peptides. One is clearly divergent and defines a new prokaryotic thioredoxin type that we have named thioredoxin x. Its transit peptide sequence presents characteristics of both chloroplastic and mitochondrial transit peptides. The five corresponding genes are expressed at different levels, but mostly in green tissues and in in-vitro cultivated cells.     

GFP基因在新疆小拟南芥和拟南芥中的表达分析

以质粒pMCB30为模板,扩增GFP基因,连接到载体pCMBIA2300-35S-OCS上,构建过量表达载体p35S:GFP,将其转入农杆菌GV3101.通过农杆菌介导法将p35S:GFP载体分别转入新疆特色植物小拟南芥和拟南芥中.T0代经含有卡那霉素的1/2MS培养基筛选,获得了T1代转基因小拟南芥2株,T1代转基因拟南芥9株.通过激光共聚焦显微镜观察,在转基因小拟南芥和拟南芥的根尖细胞中均可检测到GFP绿色荧光蛋白;对转基因植株进行PCR扩增,均可检测到GFP基因,表明GFP基因已成功转入小拟南芥和拟南芥中.该研究建立了小拟南芥的遗传转化体系,为进一步利用GFP基因和进一步研究小拟南芥的功能基因奠定基础.     

拟南芥基因密码子偏爱性分析

密码子偏爱性对外源基因的表达强度有一定影响,特别是编码蛋白质N端7～8个氨基酸残基的密码子.通过对拟南芥染色体中26 827个蛋白质对应的基因密码子进行分析,得到了编码氨基酸的61种密码子在拟南芥中的使用频率,并与大肠杆菌和哺乳动物进行了比较,结果表明三者间的密码子偏爱性有较大差异.这一分析结果对于动物基因在植物中的表达,及植物基因在微生物中的表达具有一定指导意义.同时提供了一种直接以XML文档为数据源解析巨型XML格式染色体数据的方法.     

Regeneration of fertile plants from protoplasts of different Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes

Summary A protocol for obtaining regenerated fertile plants from mesophyll protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana is reported. Protoplasts were isolated from leaves of 21-to 28-day-old Arabidopsis plants grown in a controlled environment. Sustained divisions were achieved when protoplasts were embedded in beads formed by 1.4% sodium alginate in the presence of 50mM CaCl₂ in 0.4 mannitol, which was then exchanged againts modified B5 medium. About 0.4%–0.6% of the protoplasts developed into colonies of which 80%–90% formed shoots and subsequently regenerated to fertile plants. Seeds harvested from more than 200 independently regenerated plants were sown and germination frequencies of more than 95% were obtained. Furthermore, the F₁ plants did not show any evidence of somaclonal variation on visual inspection. This protocol was originally developed for Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia; however it was shown to be applicable also for the genotypes Wassilewskija, Landsberg erecta and Estland though with differing efficiencies.Abbreviations FDA fluorescein diacetate - CM culture medium - SRM shoot regeneration medium - SEM shoot elongation medium - RM rooting medium - PE plating effciency - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - Kin kinetin - 2-iP 2-isopentenyladenine - GA₃ gibberetic acid     

UV-B预处理诱导拟南芥耐旱性的提高

为了解UV-B提高拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)耐旱性的生理机制,将2周龄的野生型拟南芥(WT)和sto突变体幼苗用不同剂量UV-B预处理1周,再用30%PEG模拟干旱处理24 h,对植株的表型进行统计,并测定类黄酮、脯氨酸和MDA含量。结果表明,低剂量UV-B预处理能够提高拟南芥的耐旱性,植株的类黄酮与脯氨酸含量分别提高了20%～40%和50%～65%,细胞膜受损程度降低,从而提高了保水性。低剂量UV-B提高拟南芥耐旱性的效应在sto突变体中消失,证明这种效应在分子机制上可能与STO蛋白相关。     

Analysis of naturally occurring late flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary We have examined the late-flowering behavior of two ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana, Sf-2 and Le-0. The late-flowering trait segregates as a single dominant gene in crosses with the early-flowering Columbia ecotype. This gene, which we refer to as FLA, is located at one end of chromosome 4 between RFLP markers 506 and 3843 and is thus distinct from previously mapped genes that affect flowering time. The extreme delay in flowering time caused by the FLA gene can be overcome by vernalization in both the ecotypes in which it occurs naturally and in the Columbia ecotype into which this gene has been introgressed.     

拟南芥叶形态建成基因ABL1的图位克隆及鉴定

前期研究表明ABL1可能在植物叶发育过程中扮演重要的角色,其突变表现为叶片生长迟缓、成熟叶片叶缘缺刻明显等生长缺陷特征。该研究利用图位克隆及其精细定位技术,将ABL1基因锁定在2个SSLP标记T23K8和T8F5之间,该区间包含44个基因。通过生物信息学成功找到ABL1突变基因为拟南芥FAS1,该基因编码染色质组装因子CAF1的一个亚基,在植物顶端分生组织生长调控中扮演重要角色。RT-PCR结果显示,该基因表达受阻,功能互补实验证实abl1突变体的确是FAS1基因的一个新等位突变。研究结果暗示,ABL1/FAS1在植物叶形态建成中也起着重要作用。     

Myrosinases from root and leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana have different catalytic properties

Myrosinases (EC 3.2.1.147) are β-thioglucoside glucosidases present in Brassicaceae plants. These enzymes serve to protect plants against pathogens and insect pests by initiating breakdown of the secondary metabolites glucosinolates into toxic products. Several forms of myrosinases are present in plants but the properties and role of different isoenzymes are not well understood. The dicot plant model organism Arabidopsis thaliana seems to contain six myrosinase genes (TGG1–TGG6). In order to compare the different myrosinases, cDNAs corresponding to TGG1 from leaves and TGG4 and TGG5 from roots were cloned and overexpressed in Pichia pastoris. The His-tagged recombinant proteins were purified using affinity chromatography and the preparations were homogenous according to SDS–PAGE analysis. Myrosinase activity was confirmed for all forms and compared with respect to catalytic activity towards the allyl-glucosinolate sinigrin. There was a 22-fold difference in basal activity among the myrosinases. The enzymes were active in a broad pH range, are rather thermostable and active in a wide range of salt concentrations but sensitive to high salt concentrations. The myrosinases showed different activation–inhibition responses towards ascorbic acid with maximal activity around 0.7–1 mM. No activity was registered towards desulphosinigrin and this compound did not inhibit myrosinase activity towards sinigrin. All myrosinases also displayed O-β-glucosidase activity, although with lower efficiency compared to the myrosinase activity. The differences in catalytic properties among myrosinase isozymes for function in planta are discussed.     

拟南芥ERD15基因缺失突变体的分子鉴定和表型分析

为探究ERD15基因功能,利用反向遗传学,通过PCR及半定量PCR筛选鉴定出拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana) ERD15基因的T-DNA插入纯合突变体,并对其表型进行观察分析。结果表明,erd15突变体莲座叶数目显著增多,提前3～4 d开花,突变体比野生型更早从营养生长转向生殖生长。拟南芥野生型植株主茎为圆柱体,平均直径1.29 mm,而erd15突变体主茎扁平,平均直径达到2.27mm,具极显著差异。与野生型相比,erd15突变体果实心皮发育受到影响,隔膜上排列有多排种子,果荚顶端膨大,长度缩短37.67%,但角果平均结籽数升高。因此,ERD15基因参与了调控拟南芥植株的生殖生长过程。     

A two-element Enhancer-Inhibitor transposon system in Arabidopsis thaliana

The Enhancer-Inhibitor (En-I), also known as Suppressor-mutator (Spm-dSpm), transposable element system of maize was modified and introduced into Arabidopsis by Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation. A stable En/Spm transposase source under control of the CaMV 35S promoter mediated frequent transposition of I/dSpm elements. Transposition occurred continuously throughout plant development over at least seven consecutive plant generations after transformation. New insertions were found at both linked and unlinked positions relative to a transposon donor site. The independent transposition frequency was defined as a transposition parameter, which quantified the rate of unique insertion events and ranged from 7.8% to 29.2% in different populations. An increase as well as a decrease in I/dSpm element copy number was seen at the individual plant level, but not at the population level after several plant generations. The continuous, frequent transposition observed for this transposon system makes it an attractive tool for use in gene tagging in Arabidopsis.     

蔗糖合酶基因AtSUS3干涉后对拟南芥角果发育的影响

蔗糖合酶(SuSy)是植物蔗糖代谢关键酶之一,该研究利用反向遗传学手段,采用RNAi技术抑制拟南芥中AtSUS3基因的表达,测定纯系转基因植株的抽苔率,并对酶活性、糖含量等指标以及糖代谢相关基因的表达进行了检测,探讨SuSy在植物发育中的作用。结果显示:(1)转基因拟南芥的抽苔平均早于野生型植株2～3d,且优先3～4d完成抽苔。(2)开花后生长天数对角果蔗糖和葡萄糖含量有显著影响,而对果糖含量影响不显著;开花后5d时,野生型株系的葡萄糖含量显著高于转基因株系SUS3-2,至15d时,两种转基因株系葡萄糖含量均显著低于野生型株系。(3)开花后生长天数对SuSy、SPS、INV的活性均有显著影响,随开花时间延长,野生型株系SuSy活性显著低于转基因株系,而SPS和INV则相反。(4)AtSUS3基因沉默对其他糖代谢基因有不同程度的影响,开花后5d时,转基因植株的角果中AtCesA1、AtCesA7和AtCINV1的表达量较野生型都有所增加;开花后15d时,转基因植株的角果中AtCesA1、AtCesA7的表达量较野生型高,而AtCINV、AtCwINV的表达量比野生型低。研究表明,拟南芥AtSUS3基因沉默后,在正常生长条件下未造成植株发育异常,同时还可能通过同源家族中其他SuSy的表达水平增加,促进了该酶及糖代谢相关基因整体水平的增加,有助于角果成熟。     

Phenotypic instability of transgenic tobacco plants and their progenies expressing Arabidopsis thafiana small GTP-binding protein genes

Chimeric genes consisting of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, a CDNA encoding a small GTP-binding protein from Arabidopsis thaliana (ara-2 or ara-4) and the terminator of the nopaline synthase gene were cloned into a binary vector. Tobacco leaf tissues were transformed with this plasmid via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants possessing either ara-2 or ara-4 occasionally showed morphological abnormalities in leaves and other organs. However, such alterations were not always associated with co-transferred characters, such as kanamycin tolerance, and they arose in no more than 10% of the transgenic plants. Such phenomena were also observed in the progenies of the primary transgenic plants. Despite such unusual inheritance of the phenotypic abnormalities, GTP-binding activity of the inserted ara gene products was detected in all plants tested.     

Factors affecting the excision frequency of the maize transposable element Ds in Arabidopsis thaliana

A two-element transposon system based on the maize elements Ac and Ds is currently being used for insertional mutagenesis in Arabidopsis. With the aim of making this system as efficient as possible we have continued to analyse several parameters which affect Ds activity in Arabidopsis. The influence of genomic position on Ds excision has been analysed in five lines carrying Ds integrated in different genomic locations. Differences in both somatic and germinal excision were observed between the different lines. The relationship between somatic and germinal excision, the timing of excision events and environmental influences on transposition frequency have been investigated. The effect of varying dosage of the different elements was also analysed. A strong positive dosage effect was observed for the transposase source, but not for the Ds element. Analysis of germinal excision events showed that the majority of them occurred very late in the development of the plant, resulting in the majority of Ds transpositions being independent events.     

盐胁迫对拟南芥AtPUB18基因的诱导表达及其启动子分析

用300mmol/L NaCl处理拟南芥幼苗,分别于处理后0、1、2、4、8、16、24、48h通过Northern Blot检测其AtPUB18基因的表达量。结果显示:拟南芥AtPUB18基因的表达量受高盐胁迫的诱导而升高,于处理后4h表达量达到最高,处理后16h表达量最低。采用PCR技术克隆AtPUB18的启动子,序列为1 974bp;序列分析发现启动子内含有大量与非生物胁迫相关的顺式作用元件,如HSE、LTR、MBS及ABRE;将启动子克隆到表达载体pCambia1300-221-GUS中,驱动报告基因GUS表达。组织化学染色结果表明,未经过高盐处理的幼苗中GUS基因表达水平很低;300mmol/L NaCl处理后GUS基因表达量显著升高。研究表明,AtPUB18的表达受高盐胁迫诱导,且AtPUB18基因的启动子是一个盐胁迫诱导型启动子。     

拟南芥F-box蛋白家族的功能研究进展

F-box蛋白是一类含有F-box基序、在泛素介导的蛋白质水解过程中具有底物识别特性的蛋白质。该文对国内外近年来有关F-box家族在拟南芥中的数量、种类以及在生长发育、细胞信号转导、生物及非生物逆境胁迫等多种生理过程中的作用等方面的研究进展进行综述,以期促进该家族基因在拟南芥和其他重要农作物中的功能研究,尽快描绘出该家族在植物中的代谢网络图谱。