Characterization of Upstream Sequences of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">LOJ</Emphasis> Gene Leads to Identification of a Novel Enhancer Element Conferring Lateral Organ Junction-Specific Expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

Isolation and characterization of promoters are important in understanding gene regulation and genetic engineering of crop plants. Earlier, a pentatricopeptide repeat protein (PPR) encoding gene (At2g39230), designated as Lateral Organ Junction (LOJ) gene, was identified through T-DNA promoter trapping in Arabidopsis thaliana. The upstream sequence of the LOJ gene conferred on the reporter gene a novel LOJ-specific expression. The present study was aimed at identifying and characterizing the cis-regulatory motifs responsible for tissue-specific expression in the −673 and +90 bases upstream of the LOJ gene recognized as LOJ promoter. In silico analysis of the LOJ promoter revealed the presence of a few relevant regulatory motifs and a unique feature like AT-rich inverted repeat. Deletion analysis of the LOJ promoter confirmed the presence of an enhancer-like element in the distal region (−673/−214), which stimulates a minimal promoter-like sequence in the −424/−214 region in a position and orientation autonomous manner. The −136/+90 region of the LOJ promoter was efficient in driving reporter gene expression in tissues like developing anthers and seeds of Arabidopsis. A positive regulation for the seed- and anther-specific expression module was contemplated within the 5′ untranslated region of the LOJ gene. However, this function was repressed in the native context by the lateral organ junction-specific expression. The present study has led to the identification of a novel lateral organ junction-specific element and an enhancer sequence in Arabidopsis with potential applications in plant genetic engineering.     

New tool for metabolic pathway engineering in Escherichia coli: one-step method to modulate expression of chromosomal genes

A simple and highly efficient method was developed to produce a library of Escherichia coli clones that express a particular chromosomal gene at a wide range of expression levels. The basic strategy was to replace all or part of the upstream region of a coding sequence containing the elements involved in its expression (promoter, operator, gene coding for a regulator, ribosome binding site, and start codon) with a PCR-generated library of expression cassettes.     

New Tool for Metabolic Pathway Engineering in Escherichia coli: One-Step Method To Modulate Expression of Chromosomal Genes

A simple and highly efficient method was developed to produce a library of Escherichia coli clones that express a particular chromosomal gene at a wide range of expression levels. The basic strategy was to replace all or part of the upstream region of a coding sequence containing the elements involved in its expression (promoter, operator, gene coding for a regulator, ribosome binding site, and start codon) with a PCR-generated library of expression cassettes.     

陆地棉GhSDP1及其启动子的克隆与表达分析

三酰基甘油脂肪酶(SDP1)是催化三酰甘油降解的关键酶,在植物油脂代谢调控中起着重要作用。克隆棉花SDP1并研究其在3种胁迫下的表达分析,为解析棉花SDP1的生物学功能提供依据。以陆地棉品种冀丰1271为试材,克隆GhSDP1编码序列和上游启动子序列;利用PlantCARE分析GhSDP1启动子区顺式作用元件;qRT-PCR检测逆境胁迫下GhSDP1的表达谱;通过烟草瞬时表达pGhSDP1启动子+GUS载体检测启动子活性。结果表明,GhSDP1的编码序列为2 541 bp,其在盐、低温和干旱胁迫下呈差异表达模式。pGhSDP1除具有启动子所必需的TATA-box和CAAT-box等基本顺式作用元件外,还含有多个与光响应、激素响应及逆境应答等相关的顺式作用元件。棉花pGhSDP1启动子能驱动GUS蛋白高效表达,具有较强的启动子活性。研究揭示了棉花GhSDP1参与胁迫应答的新功能。     

Positive control of transcription initiation in Escherichia coli. A base substitution at the Pribnow box renders ompF expression independent of a positive regulator

Expression of the ompF gene coding for a major outer membrane protein of Escherichia coli is positively regulated by the product of the ompR gene, OmpR. Using an ompF-tet chimera gene, ompF promoter mutants that render the ompF expression independent of the OmpR protein were isolated. In all of the four mutants that were isolated separately, the first base of the Pribnow box was changed from A to T. The mutant promoter did not require the upstream domain of the -35 region that is required for the OmpR-dependent functioning of the wild-type promoter. It is concluded that the domain upstream from the -35 region plays a role in the positive regulation by the OmpR protein. A statistical survey of the E. coli promoter sequence revealed that almost all of the genes that do not require an activator protein for their expression possess T at the first position of the Pribnow box, while the position is occupied by other bases in almost all of the positively regulated genes. Based on these facts, the mechanism of positive regulation of the gene expression by an activator protein is discussed.