拟南芥AtcpSecA基因表达的特异性

前期研究表明AtcpSecA基因的突变使叶绿体发育缺陷,内部缺少正常类囊体片层结构,叶片呈黄白色。在此基础上我们进一步研究AtcpSecA基因的表达特异性,并构建了AtcpSecA基因启动子与报告基因GUS的融合基因AtcpSecA：：GUS,以农杆菌介导方法转化获得转基因拟南芥。GUS组织化学染色结果表明,在AtcpSecA：：GUS转基因拟南芥的下胚轴、子叶、叶片、果柄等绿色组织中有很强的GUS活性,而在根、花序和种荚等非绿色组织中几乎没有GUS活性。降低培养基中琼脂浓度转基因拟南芥中AtcpSecA：：GUS基因的表达明显受抑制,暗中则显著受到促进。     

人工合成启动子SAR在拟南芥中的表达分析

利用植物防御基因中的病原诱导响应元件和最小35S启动子(-62～+1),人工合成了启动子SAP,并以GUS基因为报告基因,在转基因拟南芥中分析了合成启动子的表达特性.通过对转基因拟南芥GUS组织染色的分析表明:SAR启动子在子叶、毛刺、根茎交接处和根系中优势表达,在老叶中的表达量高于幼叶,说明SAR启动子具有组织和发育表达特异性.     

拟南芥醛还原酶编码基因At3g04000表达模式分析及过量表达转基因植株获得

植物体内的α,β-不饱和活性醛类化合物对植物细胞具有毒害作用,清除这些α,β-不饱和活性醛类化合物对于植物细胞维持正常的生命活动至关重要。前人研究报道通过体外酶活测定和异源瞬时表达鉴定拟南芥 At3g04000基因编码的蛋白为 NADPH 依赖的叶绿体醛还原酶(Arabidopsis NADPH-dependent chloroplastic aldehyde reductases, AtChlADRs),推测其在清除叶绿体中长链(≥5)α,β-不饱和醛类物质中具有重要的功能。该研究主要构建了拟南芥 At3g04000基因的表达模式分析载体 ProAt3g04000：GUS、亚细胞定位分析载体At3g04000-EGFP 和过量表达载体 At3g04000-OE,并获得了转基因拟南芥,并通过实时定量 PCR 分析了At3g04000基因在拟南芥不同组织中的转录水平。结果表明：拟南芥 At3g04000基因在幼苗中的转录水平最高,在莲座叶、茎生叶、花序和角果中均有较高的转录水平;而在根部和茎秆中的转录水平较低。通过对ProAt3g04000：GUS 转基因植株的 GUS 染色分析可知,At3g04000基因在子叶、莲座叶和萼片的维管组织和保卫细胞中均有较强的表达,在根的维管组织中有较弱的表达。通过共聚焦显微镜对 At3g04000-EGFP 转基因植株的观察和分析发现,At3g04000不是定位于叶绿体中,而是定位在细胞质和细胞核中。该研究结果为深入研究拟南芥醛还原酶编码基因 At3g04000的功能奠定了基础。     

定位于类囊体膜的PPF1在转基因拟南芥中的表达影响叶绿体的发育

PPF1是一个与植物营养生长相关的基因。它编码的产物可能是一个膜蛋白并与拟南芥叶绿体中的类囊体蛋白ALB3有很高的同源性。免疫电镜分析表明PPF1蛋白同样主要定位于类囊体膜 ,而且在短日照G2豌豆开花两周后仍发育良好的叶绿体中有很高的表达 ,在长日照豌豆同时期非正常叶绿体中丰度非常低。对转基因拟南芥和野生型植株的叶片衰老进程比较发现 ,PPF1在拟南芥中的过量表达可以延缓叶片的衰老 ,而用PPF1反义mRNA抑制拟南芥中的同源基因ALB3则明显加快叶片衰老速度。对转基因拟南芥的超微结构分析显示 ,PPF1在拟南芥中过量表达时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体大并含有更多的基粒和基质类囊体膜 ;相反 ,反义PPF1表达抑制其在拟南芥中的同源物时 ,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体小并含有较少的基粒和发育较差的类囊体膜系统。这些数据表明叶绿体的发育状况与PPF1或拟南芥同源物ALB3的表达水平呈正相关。我们的结果提示PPF1基因可能通过控制叶绿体的发育状况来调节植物的发育。     

定位于类囊体膜的PPF1在转基因拟南芥中的表达影响叶绿体的发育

PPF1是一个与植物营养生长相关的基因.它编码的产物可能是一个膜蛋白并与拟南芥叶绿体中的类囊体蛋白ALB3有很高的同源性.免疫电镜分析表明PPF1蛋白同样主要定位于类囊体膜,而且在短日照G2豌豆开花两周后仍发育良好的叶绿体中有很高的表达,在长日照豌豆同时期非正常叶绿体中丰度非常低.对转基因拟南芥和野生型植株的叶片衰老进程比较发现, PPF1在拟南芥中的过量表达可以延缓叶片的衰老,而用PPF1反义mRNA抑制拟南芥中的同源基因ALB3则明显加快叶片衰老速度.对转基因拟南芥的超微结构分析显示,PPF1在拟南芥中过量表达时,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体大并含有更多的基粒和基质类囊体膜;相反,反义PPF1表达抑制其在拟南芥中的同源物时,转基因植株的叶绿体比野生型植株的叶绿体小并含有较少的基粒和发育较差的类囊体膜系统.这些数据表明叶绿体的发育状况与PPF1或拟南芥同源物ALB3的表达水平呈正相关.我们的结果提示PPF1基因可能通过控制叶绿体的发育状况来调节植物的发育.     

油棕DGAT2基因启动子克隆及表达的组织特异性研究

以油棕(Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)叶片基因组DNA为模板,克隆获得长度为1035 bp的二酰甘油酰基转移酶基因(DGAT2)的启动子区序列。序列分析结果表明,DGAT2基因启动子含有大量光反应元件、激素响应元件及部分转录因子结合位点。本研究同时构建了DGAT2基因启动子和GUS基因植物融合表达载体,通过蘸花法侵染拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana L.),并对转基因拟南芥中GUS基因表达的特异性进行了分析。结果显示,GUS基因在拟南芥各组织中均有表达,但没有明显的组织特异性;荧光定量PCR分析结果表明DGAT2在油棕不同器官中的转录水平存在明显差异。     

拟南芥AtNCED2基因启动子区域序列克隆及其活性分析

目的:克隆拟南芥AtNCED2基因启动子区域序列,并分析其组织器官特异性及对外界刺激的响应.方法:通过PCR从拟南芥基因组中克隆AtNCED2基因5'侧翼2295bp启动子区域序列(AtNCED2p),并进行生物信息学分析.构建AtNCED2p驱动GUS的植物双元表达载体pAtNCED2p::GUS,通过根癌农杆菌介导法将其转化野生型拟南芥,检测转基因植侏中GUS表达的组织器官特异性.结果:该启动子序列中存在TATA-box、CAAT-box、根器官特异性元件、ABA响应元件、低温响应元件、昼夜节律响应元件等顺式作用元件.GUS活性主要集中在转基因拟南芥根尖及侧根发生部位.外源ABA处理的转基因植株根中GUS活性为174.8nmol 4-MU min-1 mg-1蛋白,明显高于对照值91.7nmol 4-MU min-1mg-1蛋白.结论:AtNCED2基因可能在根的生长和发育中起作用,且外源ABA处理增强其在根中的表达.     

拟南芥甲基结合蛋白基因AtMBP11启动子在种子形成和萌发中的功能鉴定

为研究拟南芥甲基结合蛋白基因AtMBP11在种子形成和萌发过程中的调控模式,克隆拟南芥AtMBP11启动子,将其替换植物表达载体pBI121的35S启动子序列,转入拟南芥基因组中.转基因拟南芥后代卡那霉素抗性发生分离,选取具有3∶1分离比的后代自交,产生纯合的具有单拷贝插入的后代.转基因后代GUS染色结果表明,新克隆的MBP启动子控制基因在种子、花药和花粉中高效表达.通过对AtMBP11核心启动子缺失分析表明,G-box元件是主要功能元件.     

拟南芥AHAl基因启动子的表达特性分析

从拟南芥中分离到编码质膜H^＋-ATPase的AHA1基因启动子序列813bp,并构建了此种启动子与GUS嵌合的重组载体,通过农杆菌介导转化拟南芥,得到转基因拟南芥。用组织化学方法分析AHA1基因启动子驱动GUS转基因拟南芥的结果表明,GUS基因在转基因的拟南芥根、茎、叶、花和荚的维管组织中均有表达,且不同发育时间内GUS基因表达也不同。以上研究表明拟南芥AHA1基因可能参与植物的生长发育与抗逆胁迫反应。     

苹果6-磷酸山梨醇脱氢酶基因启动子逆境诱导表达特性研究

为研究6-磷酸山梨醇脱氢酶(sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase,S6PDH)基因启动子(S6PDHp)的逆境诱导表达特性,利用Gateway技术构建了S6PDH基因启动子区5'端系列缺失体与GUS基因的融合表达载体,并通过农杆菌介导法转化拟南芥。对转基因拟南芥进行低温和外源ABA处理,通过GUS蛋白活性变化分析S6PDHp的逆境诱导表达特性。研究结果发现,通过Gateway技术构建了4个S6PDHp 5'端系列缺失体与β-葡萄糖苷酸酶(GUS)基因的融合表达载体(pGWB433-S6PDHp1、pGWB433-S6PDHp2、pGWB433-S6PDHp3和p GWB433-S6PDHp4)并获得了相应的转基因拟南芥。对转基因植株进行低温处理后发现,p GWB433-S6PDHp3转基因植株中的GUS活性增幅最大,达到显著水平,而其他转基因植株中的GUS活性基本保持不变。外源ABA处理后发现,除p GWB433-S6PDHp4外,其余启动子缺失体转基因拟南芥中GUS活性显著升高。以上结果表明,低温和外源ABA能够诱导S6PDHp的表达,但不同的缺失体响应程度不同,意味着在S6PDHp序列(-2 396bp至-236bp)中可能存在着响应逆境胁迫的正负调控顺式作用元件。     

Functional and mutational analysis of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein of thylakoid membranes

The precursor for a Lemna light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein (pLHCP) has been synthesized in vitro from a single member of the nuclear LHCP multigene family. We report the sequence of this gene. When incubated with Lemna chloroplasts, the pLHCP is imported and processed into several polypeptides, and the mature form is assembled into the light-harvesting complex of photosystem II (LHC II). The accumulation of the processed LHCP is enhanced by the addition to the chloroplasts of a precursor and a co-factor for chlorophyll biosynthesis. Using a model for the arrangement of the mature polypeptide in the thylakoid membrane as a guide, we have created mutations that lie within the mature coding region. We have studied the processing, the integration into thylakoid membranes, and the assembly into light-harvesting complexes of six of these deletions. Four different mutant LHCPs are found as processed proteins in the thylakoid membrane, but only one appears to have an orientation in the membrane that is similar to that of the wild type. No mutant LHCP appears in LHC II. The other two mutant LHCPs cannot be detected within the chloroplasts. We conclude that stable complex formation is not required for the processing and insertion of altered LHCPs into the thylakoid membrane. We discuss the results in light of our model.     

Vipp1 is required for basic thylakoid membrane formation but not for the assembly of thylakoid protein complexes.

Vipp1 (vesicle inducing protein in plastids 1) is found in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts where it is essential for thylakoid formation. Arabidopsis thaliana mutant plants with a reduction of Vipp1 to about 20% of wild type content become albinotic at an early stage. We propose that this drastic phenotype results from an inability of the remaining Vipp1 protein to assemble into a homo-oligomeric complex, indicating that oligomerization is a prerequisite for Vipp1 function. A Vipp1-ProteinA fusion protein, expressed in the Deltavipp1 mutant background, is able to reinstate oligomerization and restore photoautotrophic growth. Plants containing Vipp1-ProteinA in amounts comparable to Vipp1 in the wild type exhibit a wild type phenotype. However, plants with a reduced amount of Vipp1-ProteinA protein are growth-retarded and significantly paler than the wild type. This phenotype is caused by a decrease in thylakoid membrane content and a concomitant reduction in photosynthetic activity. To the extent that thylakoid membranes are made in these plants they are properly assembled with protein-pigment complexes and are photosynthetically active. This strongly supports a function of Vipp1 in basic thylakoid membrane formation and not in the functional assembly of thylakoid protein complexes. Intriguingly, electron microscopic analysis shows that chloroplasts in the mutant plants are not equally affected by the Vipp1 shortage. Indeed, a wide range of different stages of thylakoid development ranging from wild-type-like chloroplasts to plastids nearly devoid of thylakoids can be observed in organelles of one and the same cell.     

黄化油菜突变体Cr3529子叶类囊体膜光谱性质研究

以发育10d的黄化油菜突变体为材料,分析了突变体油菜子叶类囊体膜的色素含量、室温吸收光谱、叶绿素荧光发射和激发光谱以及蛋白内源荧光光谱的变化。数据显示：与野生型相比,突变体油菜子叶类囊体膜的光合色素Chl α和Chl b含量均减少．但Chl α／b比值升高;突变体油菜子叶类囊体膜叶绿素捕光能力和受激发能力均下降,且较依赖于Chl α捕光并将光能激发传递给PSⅡ反应中心;突变体油菜子叶类囊体膜的蛋白内源荧光也明显异于野生型。进一步表明突变体油菜子叶类囊体膜蛋白组成发生了改变。     

Isolation and Characterization of the Thylakoid Membranes from the NaCl-Resistant (NaClr) Mutant Strain of the Cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis

NaCl-induced changes in the thylakoid membrane of wild-type Anabaena variabilis and its NaCl^r mutant strain have been studied. Biochemical characterization of the thylakoid membrane was done by taking its absorption and fluorescence spectra at different wavelength. The thylakoid membranes of both strains were isolated by mechanical disruption of the freeze-dried and lysozyme-treated cells, followed by differential and density gradient centrifugation. The light absorption spectra of the thylakoid membrane showed three and two peaks in NaCl^r mutant strain and its wild-type counterpart respectively at wavelengths of 400–850 nm. These peaks revealed that the thylakoid membrane contains a large amount of carotenoid and chlorophyll a. Fluorescence emission spectra of thylakoid membrane of NaCl^r mutant and its wild-type strain at excitation wavelength of 335 nm showed two different peaks, one at 340 nm and the other at 663 nm respectively. The light absorption and fluorescence spectra of the thylakoid membrane also revealed that the membrane contained carotenoid pigment, chlorophyll (Chl) a, and a pigment with an emission peak at 335 nm. The HPLC analysis of the pigments of the thylakoid membrane indicates that the NaCl^r mutant strain under NaCl stress contained an additional peak for the carotenoid pigment, which was lacking in its wild-type counterpart. The major peak in thylakoid membrane was that of echinenone and β-carotene. Whereas the polypeptide composition of thylakoid membrane differed in the wild-type and its NaCl^r mutant strain, no difference in the cell wall protein pattern was observed in both strains. The thylakoid membrane of NaCl^r mutant strain contained two additional protein bands that were absent in its wild-type counterpart. The thylakoid membrane of the wild-type and its NaCl^r mutant strain also showed morphological variations under NaCl stress. Received: 14 April 2000 / Accepted: 23 May 2000     

Nuclear, Virescent Mutants of Zea mays L. with High Levels of Chlorophyll (a/b) Light-Harvesting Complex during Thylakoid Assembly

We have found nuclear, recessive mutants in Zea mays L. where assembly of the major chlorophyll (a/b) light-harvesting complex (LHC) was not delayed relative to most other thylakoid protein complexes during thylakoid biogenesis. This contrasts with the normal development of maize chloroplasts (NR Baker, R Leech 1977 Plant Physiol 60: 640-644). All four mutants examined were allelic and virescent, and displayed visibly higher yields of leaf Chl fluorescence during greening. Fully greened mutants had normal leaf Chl fluorescence yield and normal levels of LHC, and grew to maturity under field conditions. Therefore, delayed LHC assembly is not an obligate feature of thylakoid differentiation.

Assigning the molecular basis for the mutation should provide information concerning reguation of LHC assembly. Several possibilities are discussed. The pleiotropic mutant phenotype is not attributable to defects in thylakoid glycerolipid synthesis. Thylakoids isolated from greening mutant leaf sections had elevated glycerolipid/Chl ratios. In addition, both the molar distribution and acyl composition of four major glycerolipids were normal for developing mutant thylakoids.

     

Light acclimation involves dynamic re‐organization of the pigment–protein megacomplexes in non‐appressed thylakoid domains

Thylakoid energy metabolism is crucial for plant growth, development and acclimation. Non‐appressed thylakoids harbor several high molecular mass pigment–protein megacomplexes that have flexible compositions depending upon the environmental cues. This composition is important for dynamic energy balancing in photosystems (PS) I and II. We analysed the megacomplexes of Arabidopsis wild type (WT) plants and of several thylakoid regulatory mutants. The stn7 mutant, which is defective in phosphorylation of the light‐harvesting complex (LHC) II, possessed a megacomplex composition that was strikingly different from that of the WT. Of the nine megacomplexes in total for the non‐appressed thylakoids, the largest megacomplex in particular was less abundant in the stn7 mutant under standard growth conditions. This megacomplex contains both PSI and PSII and was recently shown to allow energy spillover between PSII and PSI (Nat. Commun., 6, 2015, 6675). The dynamics of the megacomplex composition was addressed by exposing plants to different light conditions prior to thylakoid isolation. The megacomplex pattern in the WT was highly dynamic. Under darkness or far red light it showed low levels of LHCII phosphorylation and resembled the stn7 pattern; under low light, which triggers LHCII phosphorylation, it resembled that of the tap38/pph1 phosphatase mutant. In contrast, solubilization of the entire thylakoid network with dodecyl maltoside, which efficiently solubilizes pigment–protein complexes from all thylakoid compartments, revealed that the pigment–protein composition remained stable despite the changing light conditions or mutations that affected LHCII (de)phosphorylation. We conclude that the composition of pigment–protein megacomplexes specifically in non‐appressed thylakoids undergoes redox‐dependent changes, thus facilitating maintenance of the excitation balance between the two photosystems upon changes in light conditions.     

A chromodomain protein encoded by the arabidopsis CAO gene is a plant-specific component of the chloroplast signal recognition particle pathway that is involved in LHCP targeting.

A recessive mutation in Arabidopsis, named chaos (for chlorophyll a/b binding protein harvesting-organelle specific; designated gene symbol CAO), was isolated by using transposon tagging. Characterization of the phenotype of the chaos mutant revealed a specific reduction of pigment binding antenna proteins in the thylakoid membrane. These nuclear-encoded proteins utilize a chloroplast signal recognition particle (cpSRP) system to reach the thylakoid membrane. Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes possess a cytoplasmic SRP containing a 54-kD protein (SRP54) and an RNA. In chloroplasts, the homolog of SRP54 was found to bind a 43-kD protein (cpSRP43) rather than to an RNA. We cloned the CAO gene, which encodes a protein identified as Arabidopsis cpSRP43. The product of the CAO gene does not resemble any protein in the databases, although it contains motifs that are known to mediate protein-protein interactions. These motifs include ankyrin repeats and chromodomains. Therefore, CAO encodes an SRP component that is unique to plants. Surprisingly, the phenotype of the cpSRP43 mutant (i.e., chaos) differs from that of the Arabidopsis cpSRP54 mutant, suggesting that the functions of the two proteins do not strictly overlap. This difference also suggests that the function of cpSRP43 is most likely restricted to protein targeting into the thylakoid membrane, whereas cpSRP54 may be involved in an additional process(es), such as chloroplast biogenesis, perhaps through chloroplast-ribosomal association with chloroplast ribosomes.     

Deletion of the chloroplast-localized AtTerC gene product in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to loss of the thylakoid membrane and to seedling lethality

Early seedling development in plants depends on the biogenesis of chloroplasts from proplastids, accompanied by the formation of thylakoid membranes. An Arabidopsis thaliana gene, AtTerC , whose gene product shares sequence similarity with bacterial tellurite resistance C (TerC), is shown to be involved in a critical step required for the normal organization of prothylakoids and transition into mature thylakoid stacks. The AtTerC gene encodes an integral membrane protein, which contains eight putative transmembrane helices, localized in the thylakoid of the chloroplast, as shown by localization of an AtTerC–GFP fusion product in protoplasts and by immunoblot analysis of subfractions of chloroplasts. T-DNA insertional mutation of AtTerC resulted in a pigment-deficient and seedling-lethal phenotype under normal light conditions. Transmission electron microscopic analysis revealed that mutant etioplasts had normal prolamellar bodies (PLBs), although the prothylakoids had ring-like shapes surrounding the PLBs. In addition, the ultrastructures of mutant chloroplasts lacked thylakoids, did not have grana stacks, and showed numerous globular structures of varying sizes. Also, the accumulation of thylakoid membrane proteins was severely defective in this mutant. These results suggest that the AtTerC protein plays a crucial role in prothylakoid membrane biogenesis and thylakoid formation in early chloroplast development.