Biolistic co-transformation of the nuclear and plastid genomes

Particle gun-mediated (so-called 'biolistic') transformation represents a universal genetic transformation technology that is widely applied in nearly all groups of organisms. The mechanism of how accelerated DNA-coated particles, after their entry into the cell, deliver the foreign DNA to the target compartment is not known. Here we have studied this process in plants by performing co-transformation experiments with vectors targeted to two different cellular compartments, the nucleus and the plastids (chloroplasts). We find that coating of particles with both plastid and nuclear transformation vectors can result in co-transformation of chloroplasts and the nucleus. In contrast, mixing of particles coated individually with the vectors does not produce co-transformed plants. Our data suggest that a single DNA-coated particle can transform more than one compartment of the plant cell, opening up the possibility to generate doubly transgenic plants in one step. Importantly, co-transformation can also be obtained in the absence of selection, thus providing a method to produce marker-free transgenic genomes. In addition, our findings raise the possibility of occasional inadvertent co-transformation of two genomes and, therefore, have important implications for the molecular characterization and regulation of transgenic plants.     

叶绿体基因工程简介

叶绿体是植物细胞中一种特殊的细胞器。自1988年开始,人们认识到叶绿体在植物基因工程中的特殊地位。叶绿体基因工程的特点,特别是其高效表达和安全性,使其受到越来越多的重视,本文对叶绿体转化作了较为全面的介绍,包括其优势、方法、用途及不足等内容。 Abstract:Chloroplast is a kind of special cell organin plant cells.Since 1988,Scientists have realized its advantages in plant gene enginearing.It′s high efficient expression and safety made it been attached more and more importance to.This paper introduces the chloroplast transfer mation,including its advantages,methods,uses and defects.     

小麦组织培养和基因枪轰击影响因素探讨

本研究就基因枪法转化小麦过程中的组织培养和轰击参数等影响因素进行了探讨。结果表明 ,小麦幼胚是比幼穗或成熟胚更理想的转化受体。因供试小麦品种基因型不同 ,幼胚愈伤组织再生频率差异明显 ,辽 - 1 0为 7.84% ,91 B5 6 9为 1 3 .6 8% ,东农 7742为 5 4 .90 %。小麦本身对选择剂卡那霉素有较高的天然抗性 ,采用 G41 8对小麦幼胚愈伤组织进行筛选效果明显。G41 8的毒性作用有滞后特点 ,3个小麦品种对 G41 8的敏感性依次为辽 - 1 0 >91 B5 6 9>东农 7742。用 G41 8做选择剂筛选辽 - 1 0、91 B5 6 9和东农 7742抗性愈伤的适合浓度分别为2 5 mg/L、3 0 mg/L和 3 5 mg/L。此外 ,不同轰击参数影响金粉分布的范围和密度。轰击距离为 6 cm或 9cm时 ,内部金粉密度大而外围金粉密度小 ,差异极大。轰击距离为 1 2 cm时 ,内部和外围金粉密度差异小 ,均匀度好     

衣藻叶绿体遗传转化的研究

叶绿体遗传转人是近几年发展起来的新领域。本文主要介绍了叶绿体遗传转化的特点、基本原理和衣藻叶绿体遗传转化的方法与技术;     

Origin and phylogeny of chloroplasts revealed by a simple correlation analysis of complete genomes

The complete sequenced genomes of chloroplast have provided much information on the origin and evolution of this organelle. In this paper we attempt to use these sequences to test a novel approach for phylogenetic analysis of complete genomes based on correlation analysis of compositional vectors. All protein sequences from 21 complete chloroplast genomes are analyzed in comparison with selected archaea, eubacteria, and eukaryotes. The distance-based analysis shows that the chloroplast genomes are most closely related to cyanobacteria, consistent with the endosymbiotic origin of chloroplasts. The chloroplast genomes are separated to two major clades corresponding to chlorophytes (green plants) s.l. and rhodophytes (red algae) s.l. The interrelationships among the chloroplasts are largely in agreement with the current understanding on chloroplast evolution. For instance, the analysis places the chloroplasts of two chromophytes (Guillardia and Odontella) within the rhodophyte lineage, supporting secondary endosymbiosis as the source of these chloroplasts. The relationships among the green algae and land plants in our tree also agree with results from traditional phylogenetic analyses. Thus, this study establishes the value of our simple correlation analysis in elucidating the evolutionary relationships among genomes. It is hoped that this approach will provide insights on comparative genome analysis.     

Transformation of the tropane alkaloid-producing medicinal plant Hyoscyamus muticus by particle bombardment

We report an efficient whole plant transformation system for Hyoscyamus muticus, an important medicinal plant of the Solanaceous family. We developed a system using a plasmid carrying the nptII and gusA genes, which was delivered into leaf explants by particle bombardment. Ten percent of bombarded leaf explants formed kanamycin-resistant callus, from which putative transgenic plants were recovered. The nptII gene conferring kanamycin resistance was found to be incorporated into the genome of all transgenic plants screened. Over 50% of the kanamycin resistant plants showed strong expression of the non-selected gusA gene. The majority of transgenic plants reached maturity, could be self pollinated, and produced fertile seed. A simple and efficient whole plant transformation system for this medicinal plant is an important step in furthering our understanding of tropane alkaloid production in plants.     

Genetic transformation of Linum by particle bombardment

Summary Linseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) was transformed by bombarding hypocotyl tissues with gold particles coated with plasmid DNA carrying the β-glucuronidase (GUS) (uid-A) and neomycin phosphotransferase II (npt-II) genes. Transient expression of the introduced β-glucuronidase gene was used to study factors influencing the DNA delivery, while progeny analyses confirmed stable transformation. The efficiency of DNA delivery, uptake and expression was significantly affected by the duration of hypocotyl preculture, bombardment distances, the level of chamber vacuum, the quantity of DNA, and the size of particles. Nineteen independent GUS-positive shoots were recovered and regenerated into whole plants, from which 10 plants successfully produced viable seeds. Analysis of T₁ and T₂ self pollinated progeny for histochemical and fluorometric GUS assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses for uid-A, plus npt-II PCR and germination assays in progeny plants demonstrated that the transgenes were expressed in selected plants and transmitted to progeny, usually via a single Mendelian locus. The results show that particle bombardment can be used to produce transgenic Linum plants. The system is rapid, simple and offers an alternative to Agrobacterium methods.     

Transfection of liver in vivo by biolistic particle delivery

We describe the delivery of reporter gene constructs to rat liver through the use of the Helios Gene Gun system. The effectiveness of this transfection method is illustrated by describing its use for determining in vivo the role of a DNA element that regulates cytochrome P450 2B1 (CYP2B1) gene expression in response to xenobiotics. DNA was delivered to the liver of an anesthetized animal via DNA-coated gold microcarriers. The highest level of reporter gene expression was obtained about six hours posttransfection; however, at this time endogenous CYP2B1 mRNA is transiently induced by the anesthetic treatment. The optimal time for investigating expression of a reporter gene under the control of CYP2B1 regulatory elements was 24 h after transfection, by which time the inductive effect of the anesthetic had ceased. Reporter gene expression subsequently declined rapidly to a low level by 48 h. In the transfected liver the heterologous SV40 promoter was about eight-fold stronger than the minimal CYP2B1 promoter. However, when attached to the phenobarbital response element both promoters give the same fold-induction of reporter activity in response to phenobarbital.     

The three genomes of Chlamydomonas

During the past 50 years, the green unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has played a key role as model system for the study of photosynthesis and chloroplast biogenesis. This is due to its well-established nuclear and chloroplast genetics, its dispensable photosynthetic function in the presence of acetate, and its highly efficient nuclear and chloroplast transformation systems. Considerable progress has been achieved in our understanding of the structure, function, inheritance, and expression of nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genes and of the molecular cross-talk between the nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genetic systems. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Stable transformation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) by particle bombardment

Summary Stable transformation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was obtained by particle bombardment of calli (derived from petiole and stem sections cultured for three weeks on SH medium), followed by delayed selection with 50 mg/l kanamycin on BOi2Y medium. Selection at a lower level of kanamycin (25 mg/l) in late stages of culture resulted only in escapes. Analysis of seven transgenic plants revealed that all were derived from one transformation event. Segregation of the neomycin phosphotransferase gene in test cross progeny followed a 11 Mendelian ratio for a single locus insertion in a heterozygous state.     

Functional analysis of the split Synechocystis DnaE intein in plant tissues by biolistic particle bombardment

The DnaE intein of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 (Ssp DnaE intein) is the first split intein identified in nature. Its N-terminal fragment (Int-n) is attached to the end of the N-terminal half of the DnaE protein (DnaE-n) to form the precursor DnaE-n/Int-n, while the C-terminal fragment (Int-c) precedes the C-terminal half of the DnaE protein (DnaE-c) to form the precursor Int-c/DnaE-c. Int-n and Int-c fragments in the separate precursors catalyze, in concert, a protein trans-splicing process to splice the flanking DnaE-n and DnaE-c into a functional catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase III. They then release themselves from the precursors. Previously, the Ssp DnaE intein has been used to reconstitute a protein trans-splicing mechanism in stably transformed Arabidopsis thaliana, resulting in successful reassembly of an intact and functional GUS from two halves of a split GUS protein. In this report, transient expression using a biolistic particle bombardment approach is described for functional analysis of Ssp DnaE intein. Analyses confirmed that the Ssp DnaE intein could catalyze protein trans-splicing not only in model plants but also in monocot and dicot crops. It also demonstrated that when up to 45 amino acid residues were removed from the C-terminus of the Int-n fragment, the Int-n fragment was still able to function in the protein trans-splicing process.     

Comparative studies on codon usage pattern of chloroplasts and their host nuclear genes in four plant species

A detailed comparison was made of codon usage of chloroplast genes with their host (nuclear) genes in the four angiosperm speciesOryza sativa, Zea mays, Triticum aestivum andArabidopsis thaliana. The average GC content of the entire genes, and at the three codon positions individually, was higher in nuclear than in chloroplast genes, suggesting different genomic organization and mutation pressures in nuclear and chloroplast genes. The results of Nc-plots and neutrality plots suggested that nucleotide compositional constraint had a large contribution to codon usage bias of nuclear genes inO. sativa, Z. mays, andT. aestivum, whereas natural selection was likely to be playing a large role in codon usage bias in chloroplast genomes. Correspondence analysis and chi-test showed that regardless of the genomic environment (species) of the host, the codon usage pattern of chloroplast genes differed from nuclear genes of their host species by their AU-richness. All the chloroplast genomes have predominantly A- and/or U-ending codons, whereas nuclear genomes have G-, C- or U-ending codons as their optimal codons. These findings suggest that the chloroplast genome might display particular characteristics of codon usage that are different from its host nuclear genome. However, one feature common to both chloroplast and nuclear genomes in this study was that pyrimidines were found more frequently than purines at the synonymous codon position of optimal codons.     

Improvement of rice transformation using bombardment of scutellum-derived calli

Although several reports on rice transformation have been published, producing transgenic plants ofIndica rice varieties is still problematic. We report an improved protocol for transformingIndica rice genotypes. An important agronomic MexicanIndica rice variety, Morelos A-92, was used. Calli derived from scutellum seeds were produced by using auxins and bombarded with 2 vectors, one harboring the reporteruidA gene and the other with thehptII gene conferring hygromycin resistance. The influence of the molar relation of these vectors (uidA-hptIII) in generating callus and plants expressing theuidA reporter gene was analyzed. Selection of bombarded calli was performed under 2 conditions: 50 mg/L of hygromycin with 3 subcultures and 80 mg/L of hygromycin with no subcultures. The best conditions were a 20∶1uidA-hptII molar vector relationship and selection at 80 mg/L of hygromycin, producing 14% of calli expressing GUS. The minimal callus size in regenerating plants was 3 mm. Transformed rice plants were generated with 4.6% efficiency, considering the initial number of bombarded calli. Heredity of theuidA gene behaved as a single locus in transformed rice plants. Homozygous plants were identified in the T₁ generation by means of pollen staining.     

利用花色素苷合成调节基因C1-R作为基因枪转化效果指示的研究

报道了玉米花色素苷合成调节基因Ｃ１－Ｒ在小麦幼胚、玉米愈伤组织、水稻愈伤组织、烟草叶片中的瞬时表达情况。由于调节基因Ｃ１－Ｒ激活了植物体细胞内花色素苷的合成,因此不需任何生色底物,即可活体观察到花色素苷的表达。结果表明,对于目前仍主要通过基因枪法转化的几类主要粮食作物──小麦、玉米、水稻、枪击４８ｈ后,放大２倍便清晰可见红色斑点,且其表达强度远高于ＧＵＳ的表达,证明Ｃ１－Ｒ可作为一个很好的衡量打枪效果的指示,同时还证明其在双子叶植物──烟草叶片的基因枪转化瞬时表达体系中也起同样的作用。     

基因枪转化小麦主要影响因素细述

基因枪转化是目前小麦遗传转化的主要技术之一,高效的基因枪转化系统对于转基因小麦新品种培育、候选基因功能鉴定和功能基因组学研究具有重要意义。本文综述了影响基因枪转化小麦效率的主要因素,包括基因型、外植体、植物生长调节剂、轰击参数、筛选体系等,以期为进一步改进小麦基因枪转化技术,提高基因枪转化小麦的效率提供参考。     

高等植物叶绿体基因组转化的应用

叶绿体基因组转化技术由于其独特的优越性,现已成为植物基因工程的研究热点。本文简单介绍了叶绿体基因组转化技术的原理和方法;并重点综述了该技术在基础研究和实践中的应用。这些应用主要包括利用叶绿体基因组转化技术进行Rubisco的组装,叶绿体基因结构、转录、翻译和RNA编辑等研究;利用叶绿体作为生物反应器生产人生长激素、霍乱毒素抗体、聚羟基丁酸脂和生物弹性蛋白等;获得抗虫、抗病、抗除草剂和耐旱的转基因植物;以及降低转基因植物的外源基因扩散等。     

Promiscuous DNA in the nuclear genomes of hemiascomycetous yeasts

Transfer of fragments of mtDNA to the nuclear genome is a general phenomenon that gives rise to NUMTs (NUclear sequences of MiTochondrial origin). We present here the first comparative analysis of the NUMT content of entirely sequenced species belonging to a monophyletic group, the hemiascomycetous yeasts ( Candida glabrata, Kluyveromyces lactis, Kluyveromyces thermotolerans, Debaryomyces hansenii and Yarrowia lipolytica , along with the updated NUMT content of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ). This study revealed a huge diversity in NUMT number and organization across the six species. Debaryomyces hansenii harbors the highest number of NUMTs (145), half of which are distributed in numerous large mosaics of up to eight NUMTs arising from multiple noncontiguous mtDNA fragments inserted at the same chromosomal locus. Most NUMTs, in all species, are found within intergenic regions including seven NUMTs in pseudogenes. However, five NUMTs overlap a gene, suggesting a positive impact of NUMTs on protein evolution. Contrary to the other species, K. lactis and K. thermotolerans harbor only a few diverged NUMTs, suggesting that mitochondrial transfer to the nuclear genome has decreased or ceased in these phylogenetic branches. The dynamics of NUMT acquisition and loss are illustrated here by their species-specific distribution.     

Unraveling the nuclear and chloroplast genomes of an agar producing red macroalga, Gracilaria changii (Rhodophyta,Gracilariales)

Agar and agarose have wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. Knowledge on the genome of red seaweeds that produce them is still lacking. To fill the gap in genome analyses of these red algae, we have sequenced the nuclear and organellar genomes of an agarophyte, Gracilaria changii. The partial nuclear genome sequence of G. changii has a total length of 35.8 Mb with 10,912 predicted protein coding sequences. Only 39.4% predicted proteins were found to have significant matches to protein sequences in SwissProt. The chloroplast genome of G. changii is 183,855 bp with a total of 201 open reading frames (ORFs), 29 tRNAs and 3 rRNAs predicted. Five genes: ssrA, leuC and leuD CP76_p173 (orf139) and pbsA were absent in the chloroplast genome of G. changii. The genome information is valuable in accelerating functional studies of individual genes and resolving evolutionary relationship of red seaweeds.     

用天花粉蛋白基因转化小麦获得转基因植株

取普通小麦品种京411未成熟胚诱导愈伤组织,10天左右,对820个胚性愈伤组织用含有35S启动子的天花粉蛋白（trichosanthin,TCS)基因轰击。2周后,将这些被轰击的愈伤组织转到含潮霉素50mg/L的筛选培养基上,经分化和生根,获得了33棵再生植株,经接饲毒蚜虫抗病性鉴定和PCR,Southern杂交分析,从中筛选出4株含有编码TCS的转基因小麦植株,转化频率为0．49％。