The DNA Replication,Repair, and Recombination Pathway Genes Modulating Yield and Stress Tolerance Traits in Chickpea

DNA replication, repair, and recombination (DRRR) are the fundamental processes required for faithful transmission of genetic information within and between generations. The DRRR genes protect the cells from potential mutations and damage during the developmental phases and stress conditions. Thus, these genes indirectly regulate diverse important agronomic traits in a crop plant. A genome-wide survey of six DRRR pathway genes, namely, DNA replication, Base Excision Repair, Nucleotide Excision Repair, Homologous Recombination, Mismatch Excision Repair, and Non-Homologous End-Joining, identified 157 DRRR genes in chickpea. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes within the legume clades and model plant Arabidopsis identified 42 conserved DRRR genes exhibiting clade-specific evolutionary patterns. Integrating the gene-based association mapping with differential expression profiling identified the natural alleles of the potential DRRR genes, primarily regulating flowering and maturation time and involved in drought tolerance of chickpea. Identifying and understanding DRRR genes’ roles in regulating yield and stress tolerance traits in a vital grain legume like chickpea is requisite for its future crop improvement endeavors. Manipulation of promising functionally relevant DRRR genes will pave the way for simultaneous improvement in multiple beneficial agronomic traits in chickpea.

     

Transcription Factor Genes from Rat Pneumocystis carinii

Genes encoding the TFIID TATA-box binding protein (TBP) from two probable species of rat Pneumocystis carinii (prototype and variant) were sequenced. The two P. carinii TBP gene sequences were 91% identical to each other, and 65-77% identical to TBP genes from other species. A cDNA from one of the two P. carinii TBP genes was sequenced, which showed that four small introns resided in identical positions within the TBP genes from the prototype and variant rat P. carinii. Conservation of the 180 amino acids that constitute the conserved core of TBP was 97% between the P. carinii TBP, which were 95% and 97% identical to conserved core sequences of TBP from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe respectively.     

转录因子靶基因的鉴定

文章介绍了鉴定转录因子靶基因研究中常用的生物学方法,尤其是在基因组范围内转录因子靶位点的筛选方法,如染色质免疫沉淀、甲基化酶鉴定、pull-down、蛋白结合芯片和生物信息学方法等。     

蒙古冰草MYB转录因子基因的序列分析

MYB转录因子是一类与植物抗逆相关的蛋白家族,通过激活植物抗逆应答基因的表达而提高其抗逆性。为挖掘蒙古冰草(Agropyron mongolicum)抗旱相关的MYB基因,本研究在已有转录组测序数据的基础上,用Plant TFDB数据库中的Prediction和Blast对MYB基因筛选及保守结构域分析,通过生物学方法对筛选出的MYB转录因子进行分析,预测其分子量和等电点等理化性质、基序、二级结构和三级结构;并用MEGA 7.0.21与已报道具有抗旱功能的29个MYB蛋白进行多序列比对分析并构建系统进化树。结果表明:蒙古冰草中筛选出9个MYB基因,蛋白大小在113~576 aa,分子量和等电点分别介于12.83~61.52 kD和4.68~9.80 kD之间,都为不稳定的亲水性蛋白;基序预测得到2个特征基序,最长的基序含50个氨基酸;α-螺旋和无规则卷曲是主要的二级结构,三级结构中都含有螺旋-转角-螺旋结构;进化树分析中,38个基因很好的聚为两类,其中Unigene 25843、Unigene 42380、Unigene 52355、Unigene 54016分别于AtMYB33、AtMYB61、Os MYB48-1、AtMYB20在同一分支上,高度同源,推测从蒙古冰草中筛选得到的MYB基因参与干旱胁迫应答,该研究为下一步蒙古冰草MYB基因功能的研究提供帮助。     

小麦3个NAC转录因子基因克隆与功能分析

NAC类转录因子参与植物基因在不同条件、不同发育期的表达调控,在植物的发育、生长及对外界的各种生物和非生物因子的胁迫应答中起关键的调控作用。本研究对非亲和条锈菌小种CYR32侵染诱导的抗条锈病基因Yr5近等基因系Taichung29*6/Yr5的cDNA文库进行筛选及同源克隆,获得了小麦3个NAC类转录因子的cDNA序列。序列分析结果表明,这3个转录因子都具有DNA结合结构域,即NAC结构域,且氨基酸序列在该结构域的A、B、C、D和E5个亚区高度保守;同时发现这3个NAC类转录因子都有核定位信号及相关的转录调控功能区域。通过系统进化树分析,发现其中之一的TaNAC1属于NAC转录因子家族第Ⅰ组的NAP亚组,TaNAC3属于ATAF1亚组,TaNAC5属于NAM亚组;根据系统进化树和相关基因的功能分析,我们推测小麦转录因子TaNAC1、TaNAC3和TaNAC5可能参与植物生长发育调控或对生物、非生物胁迫作出的应答反应。     

Bioinformatics-Based Identification of Candidate Genes from QTLs Associated with Cell Wall Traits in Populus

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies are an integral part of plant research and are used to characterize the genetic basis of phenotypic variation observed in structured populations and inform marker-assisted breeding efforts. These QTL intervals can span large physical regions on a chromosome comprising hundreds of genes, thereby hampering candidate gene identification. Genome history, evolution, and expression evidence can be used to narrow the genes in the interval to a smaller list that is manageable for detailed downstream functional genomics characterization. Our primary motivation for the present study was to address the need for a research methodology that identifies candidate genes within a broad QTL interval. Here we present a bioinformatics-based approach for subdividing candidate genes within QTL intervals into alternate groups of high probability candidates. Application of this approach in the context of studying cell wall traits, specifically lignin content and S/G ratios of stem and root in Populus plants, resulted in manageable sets of genes of both known and putative cell wall biosynthetic function. These results provide a roadmap for future experimental work leading to identification of new genes controlling cell wall recalcitrance and, ultimately, in the utility of plant biomass as an energy feedstock.     

利用染色质免疫共沉淀技术确定转录因子RIN调控的靶基因

以粉红期番茄果实为材料,用含不同浓度甲醛的缓冲液交联DNA和蛋白质,利用超声波将其染色质随机断裂成大小为200-1 000 bp的片段,用RIN蛋白的特异性抗体免疫沉淀与RIN蛋白结合的DNA片段,然后解交联和纯化DNA片段,最终用普通PCR试验和测序验证与转录因子RIN结合的DNA序列.结果表明,适用于番茄果实的最佳ChIP试验条件为:用1％甲醛溶液交联DNA和蛋白质的复合物;用20％功率,工作6s,间隔10s,脉冲3次超声破碎该复合物,可以得到适当大小的片段,用于后续的试验.普通PCR和测序验证结果证明转录因子RIN与LeACS2和LeACS4启动子区域的CArG box序列结合.     

植物WRKY转录因子家族基因抗病相关功能的研究进展

植物基因组中,数目众多的转录因子参与植物的生长发育、物质代谢、响应生物和/或非生物胁迫等多种生物进程.WRKY基因家族是植物重要的转录因子家族,在抗病信号转导途径中起重要调控作用,因而成为分子植物病理研究领域中的热点.本文综述了WRKY转录因子基因在植物抗病反应中的作用和调节机制的最新研究进展,以期为深入研究WRKY基因家族在植物抗病反应中的作用,阐明植物抗病信号转导途径提供帮助.