Mutational analysis of the gag-pol junction of Moloney murine leukemia virus: requirements for expression of the gag-pol fusion protein.

The gag-pol polyprotein of the murine and feline leukemia viruses is expressed by translational readthrough of a UAG terminator codon at the 3' end of the gag gene. To explore the cis-acting sequence requirements for the readthrough event in vivo, we generated a library of mutants of the Moloney murine leukemia virus with point mutations near the terminator codon and tested the mutant viral DNAs for the ability to direct synthesis of the gag-pol fusion protein and formation of infectious virus. The analysis showed that sequences 3' to the terminator are necessary and sufficient for the process. The results do not support a role for one proposed stem-loop structure that includes the terminator but are consistent with the involvement of another stem-loop 3' to the terminator. One mutant, containing two compensatory changes in this stem structure, was temperature sensitive for replication and for formation of the gag-pol protein. The results suggest that RNA sequence and structure are critical determinants of translational readthrough in vivo.     

Genome-wide analysis of T-DNA integration into the chromosomes of Magnaporthe oryzae

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) has become a prevalent tool for functional genomics of fungi, but our understanding of T-DNA integration into the fungal genome remains limited relative to that in plants. Using a model plant-pathogenic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, here we report the most comprehensive analysis of T-DNA integration events in fungi and the development of an informatics infrastructure, termed a T-DNA analysis platform (TAP). We identified a total of 1110 T-DNA-tagged locations (TTLs) and processed the resulting data via TAP. Analysis of the TTLs showed that T-DNA integration was biased among chromosomes and preferred the promoter region of genes. In addition, irregular patterns of T-DNA integration, such as chromosomal rearrangement and readthrough of plasmid vectors, were also observed, showing that T-DNA integration patterns into the fungal genome are as diverse as those of their plant counterparts. However, overall the observed junction structures between T-DNA borders and flanking genomic DNA sequences revealed that T-DNA integration into the fungal genome was more canonical than those observed in plants. Our results support the potential of ATMT as a tool for functional genomics of fungi and show that the TAP is an effective informatics platform for handling data from large-scale insertional mutagenesis.     

A plant scaffold attached region detected close to a T-DNA integration site is active in mammalian cells.

Integration of foreign genes into plant genomes by the Agrobacterium T-DNA transfer system has been considered to occur at random. It has been speculated that the chromosomal structure of the integration site might affect the expression pattern of the introduced genes. To gain insight into the molecular structure of T-DNA integration sites and its possible impact on gene expression, we have examined plant DNA sequences in the vicinity of T-DNA borders. Analysis of a transgenic petunia plant containing a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene regulated by the hemoglobin promoter (PAR) from Parasponia andersonii revealed a scaffold attachment region (SAR) close to one T-DNA end. In addition to having strong binding affinities for both animal and plant nuclear scaffolds this petunia SAR element is as active in mammalian cells as the authentic elements from mammalian sources.     

Integration of T-DNA binary vector 'backbone' sequences into the tobacco genome: evidence for multiple complex patterns of integration

During the process of crown gall tumorigenesis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens transfers part of the tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid, the T-DNA, to a plant cell where it eventually becomes stably integrated into the plant genome. Directly repeated DNA sequences, called T-DNA borders, define the left and the right ends of the T-DNA. The T-DNA can be physically separated from the remainder of the Ti-plasmid, creating a 'binary vector' system; this system is frequently used to generate transgenic plants. Scientists initially thought that only those sequences located between T-DNA left and right borders transferred to the plant. More recently, however, several reports have appeared describing the integration of the non-T-DNA binary vector 'backbone' sequences into the genome of transgenic plants. In order to investigate this phenomenon, we constructed T-DNA binary vectors containing a nos-nptll gene within the T-DNA and a mas2'-gusA (β-glucuronidase) gene outside the T-DNA borders. We regenerated kanamycin-resistant transgenic tobacco plants and analyzed these plants for the expression of the vector-localized gusA gene and for the presence of binary vector backbone sequences. Approximately one-fifth of the plants expressed detectable GUS activity. PCR analysis indicated that approximately 75% of the plants contained the gusA gene. Southern blot analysis indicated that the vector backbone sequences could integrate into the tobacco genome linked either to the left or to the right T-DNA border. The vector backbone sequences could also integrate into the plant genome independently of (unlinked to) the T-DNA. Although we could readily detect T-strands containing the T-DNA within the bacterium, we could not detect T-strands containing only the vector backbone sequences or these vector sequences linked to the T-DNA.     

烟草花叶病毒外壳蛋白嵌合基团的重组

普通烟草花叶病毒外壳蛋白基因已和花椰菜花叶病毒35S启动子及3′未端重组成嵌合基因。在连接了用于筛选在土壤杆菌中导入外源基因的新霉素磷酸转移酶Ⅰ(NPT Ⅰ)基因和用于筛选在植物细胞中导入外源基因的嵌合的新霉素磷酸转移酶Ⅱ(NPT Ⅱ)基因后,已导入一个去致瘤基因的Ti载体T-DNA区中。这种在Ti载体T-DNA区带嵌合的烟草花叶病毒外壳蛋白基因的土壤杆菌菌株,可以用来转化植物。观察在转化植物中表达的这种外壳蛋白能否延缓或减轻烟草花叶病毒对它们的危害。