Enhancement of secondary xylem cell proliferation by Arabidopsis cyclin D overexpression in tobacco plants

Secondary xylem is composed of daughter cells produced by the vascular cambium in the stem. Cell proliferation of the secondary xylem is the result of long-range cell division in the vascular cambium. Most xylem cells have a thickened secondary cell wall, representing a large amount of biomass storage. Therefore, regulation of cell division in the vascular cambium and differentiation into secondary xylem is important for biomass production. Cell division is regulated by cell cycle regulators. In this study, we confirm that cell cycle regulators influence cell division in the vascular cambium in tobacco. We produced transgenic tobacco that expresses Arabidopsis thaliana cyclin D2;1 (AtcycD2;1) and AtE2Fa-DPa under the control of the CaMV35S promoter. Each gene is a positive regulator of the cell cycle, and is known to influence the transition from G1 phase to S phase. AtcycD2;1-overexpressing tobacco had more secondary xylem cells when compared with control plants. In order to evaluate cell division activity in the vascular cambium, we prepared a Populus trichocarpa cycB1;1 (PtcycB1;1) promoter containing a destruction box motif for ubiquitination and a β-glucuronidase-encoding gene (PtcycB1;1pro:GUS). In transgenic tobacco containing PtcycB1;1pro:GUS, GUS staining was specifically observed in meristem tissues, such as the root apical meristem and vascular cambium. In addition, mitosis-monitoring plants containing AtcycD2;1 had stronger GUS staining in the cambium when compared with control plants. Our results indicated that overexpression of AtcycD enhances cell division in the vascular cambium and increases secondary xylem differentiation in tobacco. Key message We succeeded in inducing cell proliferation of cambium and enlargement of secondary xylem region by AtcycD overexpression. We also evaluated mitotic activity in cambium using cyclin-GUS fusion protein from poplar.     

乌拉尔甘草根与根状茎发育解剖学研究

应用常规石蜡切片方法,对乌拉尔甘草根和根状茎的结构及其发育进程进行研究.结果显示:(1)乌拉尔甘草根的发育包括原分生组织、初生分生组织、初生生长和次生生长4个发育阶段.原分生组织由3层原始细胞组成,具有典型分生组织细胞的特征;初生分生组织由根冠原、表皮原、皮层原和中柱原组成;初生结构包括表皮、皮层和中柱,初生木质部为4原型,偶见3原型,内皮层细胞具凯氏带;次生生长依靠维管形成层和木栓形成层活动完成,维管形成层源于初生木质部和初生韧皮部之间的薄壁细胞,而木栓形成层由中柱鞘细胞脱分化产生;次生结构由次生维管组织和周皮共同组成,根中央不具髓.(2)根状茎发育过程与地上茎类似,包括原分生组织、初生分生组织、初生生长和次生生长4个发育阶段.原生分生组织由原套和原体组成,其衍生细胞分化成由原表皮、基本分生组织和原形成层组成的初生分生组织;初生结构包括表皮、皮层、外韧维管束、髓和髓射线,维管束呈环形排列;位于维管束中的原形成层细胞恢复活动产生次生木质部和次生韧皮部,束间形成层产生射线细胞;靠近维管束内侧的皮层薄壁组织细胞脱分化产生木栓形成层,以后形成周皮.周皮、次生维管束、射线和髓共同构成根状茎的次生结构.     

植物次生细胞壁生物合成的转录调控网络

植物次生细胞壁包含纤维素、半纤维素和木质素, 赋予细胞壁机械强度及疏水性, 这种特性对植物直立生长、水分和营养物质运输以及抵御生物和非生物胁迫十分重要。该文总结了调控次生细胞壁生物合成的转录因子及其调控机制, 包括NAC转录因子调控次生壁合成的一级开关作用, AtMYB46/AtMYB83及其下游调控因子的二级开关作用, 以及其它转录因子对次生壁生物合成的调控作用, 并对未来研究内容和方法进行了展望, 以期为深入系统理解次生细胞壁生物合成的转录调控网络提供参考。