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.     

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。     

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.