水稻中水杨酸和茉莉酸特异诱导蛋白激酶基因OsSJMK1的分离和鉴定

裂原激活蛋白激酶（MAPK）级联系统负责把接受自胞外或胞内的信号进一步传递和放大而最终作用于特异的转录因子,从而启动或调控基因的表达。MAPK信号级联系统在细胞分裂、分化、生物胁迫和非生物胁迫等多种信号传递途径中起着十分重要的作用。该文以一个茉莉酸（JA）诱导的表达序列为基础,在水稻中分离到了一个裂原激活蛋白激酶基因OsSJMK1的全长cDNA。序列比较分析表明该基因编码498个氨基酸,蛋白质等电点为8．43,包括完整的MAPK家族的蛋白激酶结构域。OsSJMK1与所有物种的MAPK一样包括蛋白激酶的全部11个次级结构域,在Ⅶ和Ⅷ次级结构域间一个双磷酸化位点;该位点苏氨酸（T）和酪氨酸（Y）残基之间为天冬氨酸（D）,而不是其他MAPK中常见的谷氨酸（E）、脯氨酸（P）或甘氨酸（G）。除了典型的MAPK激酶功能域外,在羧基端还有一段长约150个氨基酸残基的可能参与蛋白互作的结构域。以上这些结构特征表明OsSJMK1属于植物中第v类MAPK家族成员。蛋白激酶结构域序列比较表明OsSJMK1与报道的稻瘟病菌和机械伤害诱导的BWMK1的序列相似性高达81％,而且基因内含子和外显子的组成也非常相似,属于同一亚类,但在蛋白质序列的C端差异却很大。与BWMK1不同,OsSJMK1的表达不受伤害诱导,而受稻瘟病轻微诱导,但在JA和SA（水杨酸）处理早期表达量却迅速升高。在JA处理后1h,OsSJMK1转录水平升高到最大,而12h后回落到处理前的本底水平;在SA处理后30min转录水平就开始上升,2h达到最高值,而随后开始下降到处理前的本底水平。SA类似物BTH也能诱导OsSJMK1的表达。其他一些激素处理（如ABA）和非生物胁迫（如干旱、盐胁迫）都不对基因的表达产生任何影响,而且在植物大部分组织中的表达量都非常低。这些结果说明OsSJMK1可能特异性的参与JA和SA介导的防卫反应。     

Molecular and functional profiling of Arabidopsis pathogenesis-related genes: insights into their roles in salt response of seed germination

Pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins are a group of heterogeneous proteins encoded by genes that are rapidly induced by pathogenic infections and by salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET). They are widely used as molecular markers for resistance response to pathogens and systemic acquired response (SAR). However, recent studies have shown that the PR genes are also regulated by environmental factors, including light and abiotic stresses, and by developmental cues, suggesting that they also play a role in certain stress responses and developmental processes. In this work, we systematically examined the expression patterns of Arabidopsis PR genes. We also investigated the effects of environmental stresses and growth hormones on the expression of PR genes. We found that individual PR genes are temporally and spatially regulated in distinct patterns. In addition, they are differentially regulated by plant growth hormones, including SA, ABA, JA, ET and brassinosteroid (BR), and by diverse abiotic stresses, supporting the contention that the PR proteins play a role in plant developmental processes other than disease resistance response. Interestingly, PR-3 was induced significantly by high salt in an ABA-dependent manner. Consistent with this, a T-DNA insertional knockout plant with disruption of the PR-3 gene showed a significantly reduced rate of seed germination in the presence of high salt. It is thus proposed that PR-3 mediates ABA-dependent salt stress signals that affect seed germination in Arabidopsis. PR-4 and PR-5 also contributed to salt regulation of seed germination, although their effects were not as evident as those of PR-3.     

Role of plant hormones in plant defence responses

Plant hormones play important roles in regulating developmental processes and signaling networks involved in plant responses to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Significant progress has been made in identifying the key components and understanding the role of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonates (JA) and ethylene (ET) in plant responses to biotic stresses. Recent studies indicate that other hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), auxin, gibberellic acid (GA), cytokinin (CK), brassinosteroids (BR) and peptide hormones are also implicated in plant defence signaling pathways but their role in plant defence is less well studied. Here, we review recent advances made in understanding the role of these hormones in modulating plant defence responses against various diseases and pests.     

Jasmonic acid and salicylic acid activate a common defense system in rice

Jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) play important roles in plant defense systems. JA and SA signaling pathways interact antagonistically in dicotyledonous plants, but, the status of crosstalk between JA and SA signaling is unknown in monocots. Our rice microarray analysis showed that more than half of the genes upregulated by the SA analog BTH are also upregulated by JA, suggesting that a major portion of the SA-upregulated genes are regulated by JA-dependent signaling in rice. A common defense system that is activated by both JA and SA is thus proposed which plays an important role in pathogen defense responses in rice.     

Pathological hormone imbalances

Plant hormones play important roles in regulating developmental processes and signalling networks involved in plant responses to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Salicylic acid (SA), jasmonates (JA) and ethylene (ET) are well known to play crucial roles in plant disease and pest resistance. However, the roles of other hormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), auxin, gibberellin (GA), cytokinin (CK) and brassinosteroid (BL) in plant defence are less well known. Much progress has been made in understanding plant hormone signalling and plant disease resistance. However, these studies have mostly proceeded independently of each other, and there is limited knowledge regarding interactions between plant hormone-mediated signalling and responses to various pathogens. Here, we review the roles of hormones other than SA, JA and ET in plant defence and the interactions between hormone-mediated signalling, plant defence and pathogen virulence. We propose that these hormones may influence disease outcomes through their effect on SA or JA signalling.     

A 796?bp PsPR10 gene promoter fragment increased root-specific expression of the GUS reporter gene under the abiotic stresses and signal molecules in tobacco

A 1681 bp PsPR10 promoter was isolated from Pinus strobus and a series of 5′-deletions were fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and introduced into tobacco. GUS activity in P796 (−796 to +69) construct transgenic plant roots was similar with that of P1681 and higher than those of the P513 (−513 to +69) and P323 (−323 to +69) transgenic plants. Moreover, the abiotic stresses of NaCl, PEG 6000 and mannitol, and salicylic acid (SA), abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) induced higher GUS activity in the roots of P796 transgenic tobacco. This study provides a potential inducible root-specific promoter for transgenic plants.     

Simultaneous UPLC MS/MS analysis of endogenous jasmonic acid,salicylic acid,and their related compounds

Jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) are plant hormones involved in plant growth and development. Recent studies demonstrated that presence of a complex interplay between JA and SA signaling pathways to response to pathogenesis attack and biotic stresses. To our best knowledge, no method has existed for simultaneous analyses of JA, SA, and their related compounds. Especially, the glucosides are thought to be the storages or the inactivated compounds, but their contribution should be considered for elucidating the amount of the aglycons. It is also valuable for measuring the endogenous amount of phenylalanine, cinnamic acid, and benzoic acid that are the biosynthetic intermediates of SA due to the existence of isochorismate pathway to synthesize SA. We established this method using deuterium labeled compounds as internal standards. This is the first report of simultaneous analysis of endogenous JA, SA, and their related compounds. Measuring the endogenous JA, SA, and their related compounds that had been accumulated in tobacco plants proved the practicality of the newly developed method. It was demonstrated that accumulation of JA, SA and their related compounds were induced in both case of TMV infection and abiotic stresses.     

水稻病程相关基因OsPR1b启动子的表达特性研究

目的:分析水稻病程相关基因OsPR1b的表达特性,以进一步了解其表达和调控机制。方法:利用PCR技术从水稻日本晴基因组中扩增OsPR1b基因的启动子片段,命名为OsPR1bp,并构建相应的OsPR1bp::GUS融合表达载体,采用农杆菌介导的转基因技术获得转基因植株,进行GUS组织化学分析;利用Real-time PCR对OsPR1b基因在植物激素、非生物因子和水稻白叶枯菌(Xoo)毒性菌株P10(PXO124)处理下的表达水平进行分析。结果:GUS组织染色结果表明OsPR1b在水稻叶片中的表达量较高,而在茎、根、愈伤和花器中的表达量较低;植物激素水杨酸(SA)、茉莉酸甲酯(MeJA)、激动素(KT)、脱落酸(ABA)及NaCl、PEG均可不同程度地提高OsPR1b在叶片中的表达水平,Me-JA、KT和NaCl的处理能提高其在根部的表达水平,但这些激素在诱导OsPR1b在叶片和根部的表达程度上存在明显差异;单独接种Xoo毒性菌株P10 24 h对OsPR1b表达的影响不大,而MeJA与其共同处理后则可显著增强其在叶片中的表达。结论:作为一种防卫基因,OsPR1b在健康植株中的表达水平较低,容易受盐/干旱胁迫及Xoo病原菌的诱导,多种植物激素如JA、KT和ABA很可能作为信号分子参与激活和介导了这种系统性的反应。     

An Arabidopsis thaliana gene for methylsalicylate biosynthesis, identified by a biochemical genomics approach, has a role in defense

Emission of methylsalicylate (MeSA), and occasionally of methylbenzoate (MeBA), from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves was detected following the application of some forms of both biotic and abiotic stresses to the plant. Maximal emission of MeSA was observed following alamethicin treatment of leaves. A gene (AtBSMT1) encoding a protein with both benzoic acid (BA) and salicylic acid (SA) carboxyl methyltransferase activities was identified using a biochemical genomics approach. Its ortholog (AlBSMT1) in A. lyrata, a close relative of A. thaliana, was also isolated. The AtBSMT1 protein utilizes SA more efficiently than BA, whereas AlBSMT1 catalyzes the methylation of SA less effectively than that of BA. The AtBSMT1 and AlBSMT1 genes showed expression in leaves under normal growth conditions and were more highly expressed in the flowers. In A. thaliana leaves, the expression of AtBSMT1 was induced by alamethicin, Plutella xylostella herbivory, uprooting, physical wounding, and methyl jasmonate. SA was not an effective inducer. Using a beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter approach, the promoter activity of AtBSMT1 was localized to the sepals of flowers, and also to leaf trichomes and hydathodes. Upon thrip damage to leaves, AtBSMT1 promoter activity was induced specifically around the lesions.     

Functional characterization of a putative nitrate transporter gene promoter from rice

Drought is one of the most significant abiotic stresses that influence plant growth anddevelopment.Expression analysis revealed that OsNRT1.3,a putative nitrate transporter gene in rice,wasinduced by drought.To confirm if the OsNRT1.3 promoter can respond to drought stress,a 2019 bpupstream sequence of OsNRT1.3 was cloned.Three OsNRT1.3 promoter fragments were generated by5′-deletion,and fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene.The chimeric genes were introduced into riceplants.NRT2019::GUS,NRT1196::GUS and NRT719::GUS showed similar expression patterns in seeds,roots,leaves and flowers in all transgenic rice,and GUS activity conferred by different OsNRT1.3 promoterfragments was significantly upregulated by drought stress,indicating that OsNRT1.3 promoter responds todrought stress and the 719 bp upstream sequence of OsNRT1.3 contains the drought response elements.     

Multiple hormones act sequentially to mediate a susceptible tomato pathogen defense response

Phytohormones regulate plant responses to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. How a limited number of hormones differentially mediate individual stress responses is not understood. We have used one such response, the compatible interaction of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria (Xcv), to examine the interactions of jasmonic acid (JA), ethylene, and salicylic acid (SA). The role of JA was assessed using an antisense allene oxide cyclase transgenic line and the def1 mutant to suppress Xcv-induced biosynthesis of jasmonates. Xcv growth was limited in these lines as was subsequent disease symptom development. No increase in JA was detected before the onset of terminal necrosis. The lack of a detectable increase in JA may indicate that an oxylipin other than JA regulates basal resistance and symptom proliferation. Alternatively, there may be an increase in sensitivity to JA or related compounds following infection. Hormone measurements showed that the oxylipin signal must precede subsequent increases in ethylene and SA accumulation. Tomato thus actively regulates the Xcv-induced disease response via the sequential action of at least three hormones, promoting expansive cell death of its own tissue. This sequential action of jasmonate, ethylene, and SA in disease symptom development is different from the hormone interactions observed in many other plant-pathogen interactions.