Characterization of a Novel Pollen-Specific Promoter from Wheat (Triticum Aestivum L.)

PSG076 is a pollen-specific gene isolated from wheat. The 1.4-kb promoter upstream of the ATG start codon was isolated by inverse-PCR (IPCR). To determine its activity, the PSG076 promoter was fused with the ??-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and introduced into tobacco. Histochemical analysis in transgenic tobacco showed that GUS activity was detected in late bicellular pollen grains and increased rapidly in mature pollen. GUS activity was also detected in pollen tubes of transgenic tobacco. No GUS activity was found in other floral and vegetable tissues. These results indicate that the PSG076 promoter directs pollen-specific activity at late stages of pollen development and pollen tube growth. Deletion analysis showed that a 0.4?kb fragment of the promoter was enough to confer pollen-specific expression.     

Tapetum-specific expression of theOsg6B promoter-β-glucuronidase gene in transgenic rice

The promoter of an anther tapetum-specific gene,Osg6B, was fused to a-glucuronidase (GUS) gene and introduced into rice byAgrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. Fluorometric and histochemical GUS assay showed that GUS was expressed exclusively within the tapetum of anthers from the uninucleate microspore stage (7 days before anthesis) to the tricellular pollen stage (3 days before anthesis). This is the first demonstration of an anther-specific promoter directing tapetum-specific expression in rice.Abbreviations GUS ßGlucuronidase     

Novel mode of hormone induction of tandem tomato invertase genes in floral tissues

The genomic organization of two extracellular invertase genes from tomato (Lin5 and Lin7), which are linked in a direct tandem repeat, and their tissue-specific and hormone-inducible expression are shown. Transient expression analysis ofLin5 promoter sequences fused to the -glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene (uidA) demonstrates a specific expression of Lin5during tomato fruit development. A Lin5 promoter fragment was fused to the truncated nos promoter to analyse hormone induction via GUS reporter gene activity in transiently transformed tobacco leaves. A specific up-regulation of GUS activity conferred by this Lin5 promoter fragment in response to gibberellic acid (GA), auxin and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment was observed, indicating a critical role of the regulation of Lin5 by phytohormones in tomato flower and fruit development. In situ hybridization analysis of Lin7 shows a high tissue-specific expression in tapetum and pollen. These results support an important role for Lin5 and Lin7 extracellular invertases in the development of reproductive organs in tomato and contribute to unravel the underlying regulatory mechanisms.     

拟南芥AtNHX6基因启动子的克隆及表达分析

为了探明拟南芥内膜反向转运体AtNHX6基因的组织表达模式,从基因组中克隆了AtNHX6基因开放阅读框(ORF)上游侧翼调控区1 922bp序列,并成功构建AtNHX6基因启动子与GUS融合表达载体pCAM-BIA1381-proNHX6-GUS,通过农杆菌花序浸染法转化野生型拟南芥获得T3代纯合转基因拟南芥株系,经PCR检测扩增得到2 187bp目的条带。利用组织染色法鉴定转基因拟南芥的GUS表达模式发现,在子叶、下胚轴和花中GUS活性显著。在这些广泛表达的部位中,微管系统中的表达最为显著,真叶中只有局部检测到GUS表达;在根中GUS在根毛和侧根生长部位表达;在未成熟果荚中只有在果荚顶端和基部存在GUS活性,成熟果荚中只在果柄检测到GUS表达;在花中,雄蕊的花丝和花粉粒及雌蕊的柱头中检测到GUS表达。GUS染色分析结果表明,AtNHX6基因启动子与GUS的融合表达载体成功构建并正常启动GUS基因表达,且AtNHX6基因主要在拟南芥的子叶、下胚轴、根、花、果荚中的微管系统、根毛和侧根生长部位以及花丝、花粉、柱头中表达。     

From Arabidopsis thaliana to Brassica napus: development of amplified consensus genetic markers (ACGM) for construction of a gene map

The evolution of genomes can be studied by comparing maps of homologous genes which show changes in nucleic acid sequences and chromosome rearrangements. In this study, we developed a set of 32 amplified consensus gene markers (ACGMs) that amplified gene sequences from Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus. Our methodology, based on PCR, facilitated the rapid sequencing of homologous genes from various species of the same phylogenetic family and the detection of intragenic polymorphism. We found that such polymorphism principally concerned intron sequences and we used it to attribute a Brassica oleracea or Brassica rapa origin to the B. napus sequences and to map 43 rapeseed genes. We confirm that the genetic position of homologous genes varied between B. napus and A. thaliana. ACGMs are a useful tool for genome evolution studies and for the further development of single nucleotide polymorphism suitable for use in genetic mapping and genetic diversity analyses.     

Isolation and characterization of a Pinus radiata lignin biosynthesis-related O-methyltransferase promoter

A putative promoter fragment of a Pinus radiata gene encoding a multi-functional O-methyltransferase (AEOMT) was isolated from genomic DNA. Sequence analysis revealed a number of putative cis elements, including AC-rich motifs common in promoters of genes related to the phenylpropanoid pathway. The isolated promoter was fused to the GUS reporter gene and its expression profile analyzed in transgenic tobacco and in transient transformation experiments with P. radiata embryogenic and xylogenic tissue. The promoter conferred weak expression in embryogenic tissue but caused strong GUS activity in both ray parenchyma cells and developing tracheary elements of xylem strips. Histochemical analysis in transgenic tobacco plants revealed that the AEOMT promoter induced GUS expression in cell types associated with lignification, such as developing vessels, phloem and wood fibers and xylem parenchyma as well as in non-lignifying phloem parenchyma. The isolated promoter was activated by challenge of the tissue with a fungal pathogen. Our results also indicate that the control of lignin-related gene expression is conserved and can be compared in evolutionarily distant species such as tobacco and pine.     

洋葱花药发育中钙离子分布特征

采用焦锑酸钾沉淀钙离子技术,对洋葱（Alliumcepa）花药发育中Ca^2＋分布进行了研究。在小孢子母细胞时期,小孢子母细胞中的钙沉淀颗粒很少,但绒毡层细胞的内切向壁已出现明显的钙沉淀颗粒。在四分体时期,四分体小孢子的胼胝质壁中出现较多的钙沉淀颗粒;绒毡层细胞内切向壁的钙沉淀颗粒消失,而在外切向壁和径向壁部位的钙沉淀颗粒增加。在小孢子早期,小孢子中也出现了钙沉淀颗粒,而绒毡层细胞内切向壁表面出现了很多絮状物,其上附有细小钙沉淀颗粒。到小孢子晚期,小孢子中出现一些小液泡,细胞质中的钙沉淀颗粒有所下降。此时绒毡层细胞已明显退化,但在绒毡层膜上仍有一些乌氏体和钙沉淀颗粒。在二胞花粉早期,营养细胞中的液泡收缩、消失,细胞质中又出现了较多的钙沉淀颗粒,在质体和其内部的淀粉粒表面上附有较多的钙沉淀颗粒。到二胞花粉晚期,花粉中的钙沉淀颗粒已明显下降,仅在花粉外壁中还有一地钙沉淀颗粒．     

Promoters of nuclear‐encoded respiratory chain Complex I genes from Arabidopsis thaliana contain a region essential for anther/pollen‐specific expression

Regulatory promoter regions responsible for the enhanced expression in anthers and pollen are defined in detail for three nuclear encoded mitochondrial Complex I (nCI) genes from Arabidopsis thaliana. Specific regulatory elements were found conserved in the 5′ upstream regions between three different genes encoding the 22 kDa (PSST), 55 kDa NADH binding (55 kDa) and 28 kDa (TYKY) subunits, respectively. Northern blot analysis and transgenic Arabidopsis plants carrying progressive deletions of the promoters fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene by histochemical and fluorimetric methods showed that all three promoters drive enhanced expression of GUS specifically in anther tissues and in pollen grains. In at least two of these promoters the –200/–100 regions actively convey the pollen/anther-specific expression in gain of function experiments using CaMV 35S as a minimal promoter. These nCI promoters thus contain a specific regulatory region responding to the physiological demands on mitochondrial function during pollen maturation. Pollen-specific motifs located in these regions appear to consist of as little as seven nucleotides in the respective promoter context.     

Analysis of Dihydrodipicolinate Synthase Promoter Activity in Arabidopsis thaliana by In-Planta Transformation

The present study was carried out to analyze the dihydrodipicolinate synthase (dhdps) gene promoter activity by tracing the GUS expression in tissues and in organs of Arabidopsis thaliana by in planta transformation. The Agrobacterium construct pBI101 used in the studies consists of the reporter gene gus under the control of Arabidopsis thaliana dhdps promoter with 3’ nos controlling sequences and nptll gene under the control of nos promoter and nos terminator. GUS expression in transformed Arabidopsis thaliana was found to be cell type-specific and expressed mainly in the fast growing tissues, where the protein synthesis is high. The histochemical analysis results indicate that the GUS expression was mainly observed in root meristem (elongation zone), emerging lateral roots and in the leaf vascular tissues. In reproductive organs, the GUS expression was observed in anthers, pollen grains and young immature embryos. Southern blot analysis results of T₂, progeny showed the presence of a single integration locus for both the nptll and dhdps promoter.The segregation analysis results showed that the kanamycin resistance gene has not followed the normal Mendelian inheritance.This might be due to the methylation of the nptll gene in some of the transformants.     

High level of GUS gene expression driven by pollen-specific promoters in electroporated lily pollen protoplasts

Gene constructs that contained the -glucuronidase (GUS) gene under the control of a pollen-specific Zm13 promoter from maize and a LAT52 promoter from tomato were introduced by electroporation into pollen protoplasts isolated from bicellular pollen grains of Lilium longiflorum. After 20 h in culture, the pollen protoplasts exhibited the apparent expression of GUS in a fluorometric assay. The GUS activity induced under the control of the Zm13 promoter was over 10 000 times higher than activity in the control (with no DNA or without electroporation). By contrast, the GUS gene was nearly silent in the lily microspore protoplasts and generative cell protoplasts. The GUS activity driven by the Zm13 and LAT52 promoters was also detected by a cytochemical assay. The frequency of blue-staining pollen protoplasts was about 70% in the case of the Zm13 promoter. The efficiency of gene transfer by electroporation was much higher than by particle bombardment. This protoplast-specific electroporation system is suitable for rapid and reliable examination of pollen-specific promoters, being as good as the particle bombardment system.     

Analysis of the Tissue-SpecificS RNase gene promoter associated with self-incompatibility in tomato (Lycopersicon peruvianum L.)

To understand the expression pattern of theS RNase gene in the floral tissues associated with self-incompatibility (SI), promoter region of S₁₁ RNase gene was serially deleted and fused GUS. Five chimeric constructs containing a deleted promoter region of the S₁₁ RNase gene were constructed, and introduced intoNicotiana tabacum using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Northern blot analysis revealed that the GUS gene was expressed in the style, anther, and developing pollen of all stages in each transgenic tobacco plant The developing pollen expressed the same amount of GUS mRNA in all stages in transgenic tobacco plants. In addition, histochemical analysis showed GUS gene expression in vascular bundle, endothecium, stomium, and tapetum cells during pollen development in transgenic plants. From these results, it is speculated that SI ofLycopersicon peruvianum may occur through the interaction ofS RNase expressed in both style and pollen tissues.     

Isolation and Characterization of an Anther-Specific Polygalacturonase Gene, BcMF16, in Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis

Many genes in the genic male sterile A/B line (Bajh97-01A/B) of Chinese cabbage pak choi (Brassica campestris L. subsp. chinensis Makino) are expressed differentially, and some play critical roles in the formation of pollen walls. In this study, one of these genes, Brassica campestris Male Fertility 16 (BcMF16), has been isolated and characterized. The BcMF16 gene shares approximately 85% nucleotide sequence homology with two exopolygalacturonase (EC3.2.1.67) genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Cluster analysis of polygalacturonase peptides indicate that BcMF16 belongs to the pollen polygalacturonase clade. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis has revealed that BcMF16 is specifically expressed in reproductive tissues of the fertile line of genic male sterile A/B line of Chinese cabbage pak choi, and that expression levels dramatically increased during later stages of pollen development. In situ hybridization has demonstrated that BcMF16 is specifically and transiently expressed in both tapetum and pollen following microspore separation at the tetrad stage.