CUL4 associates with DDB1 and DET1 and its downregulation affects diverse aspects of development in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cullins are central scaffolding subunits in eukaryotic E3 ligases that facilitate the ubiquitination of target proteins. Arabidopsis contains at least 11 cullin proteins but only a few of them have been assigned biological roles. In this work Arabidopsis cullin 4 is shown to assemble with DDB1, RBX1, DET1 and DDB2 in vitro and in planta. In addition, by using T-DNA insertion and CUL4 antisense lines we demonstrate that corresponding mutants are severely affected in different aspects of development. Reduced CUL4 expression leads to a reduced number of lateral roots, and to abnormal vascular tissue and stomatal development. Furthermore, cul4 mutants display a weak constitutive photomorphogenic phenotype. These results therefore assign an important function to CUL4 during plant development and provide strong evidence that CUL4 assembles together with RBX1 and DDB1 proteins to form a functional E3 ligase in Arabidopsis.     

Rtt101 and Mms1 in budding yeast form a CUL4(DDB1)-like ubiquitin ligase that promotes replication through damaged DNA

In budding yeast the cullin Rtt101 promotes replication fork progression through natural pause sites and areas of DNA damage, but its relevant subunits and molecular mechanism remain poorly understood. Here, we show that in budding yeast Mms1 and Mms22 are functional subunits of an Rtt101-based ubiquitin ligase that associates with the conjugating-enzyme Cdc34. Replication forks in mms1Delta, mms22Delta and rtt101Delta cells are sensitive to collisions with drug-induced DNA lesions, but not to transient pausing induced by nucleotide depletion. Interaction studies and sequence analysis have shown that Mms1 resembles human DDB1, suggesting that Rtt101(Mms1) is the budding yeast counterpart of the mammalian CUL4(DDB1) ubiquitin ligase family. Rtt101 interacts in an Mms1-dependent manner with the putative substrate-specific adaptors Mms22 and Crt10, the latter being a regulator of expression of ribonucleotide reductase. Taken together, our data suggest that the Rtt101(Mms1) ubiquitin ligase complex might be required to reorganize replication forks that encounter DNA lesions.     

重组马铃薯X病毒注射番茄果实高效表达胸腺素a1

植物病毒载体表达外源蛋白表达水平高、表达速度快、宿主范围广。本研究用马铃薯X病毒(PVX)载体在番茄果实中表达胸腺素α1(Tα1),是一种快速高效生产医用蛋白的新方法。将pGEM-T-Easy-Tα1质粒酶切,获得大约100bp大小的Tα1基因片段,并将该片段与PVX载体(pGR-107)连接,用SalI和ClaI酶切鉴定,筛选出阳性重组体。进一步将重组质粒转化根癌农杆菌GV3101,用农杆菌注射法(Agroinjection)侵染不同生长阶段的番茄果实,用ELISA检测外源蛋白Tα1的表达水平。结果表明已成功构建了pGR107-Tα1表达载体,在农杆菌的菌液密度(OD600值)为1.0、番茄植株开花后2周半到3周时侵染番茄果实,Tα1的表达量最大。     

果袋颜色对番茄果实微环境及产量和品质的影响

为确定果袋颜色的生态学和生物学效应,以JYK番茄为试材,采用不同颜色果袋进行套袋处理,以不套袋为对照,研究了不同颜色果袋内微环境的变化及其对果实生长发育、产量和品质的影响.结果表明：不同颜色果袋均具有降低光强、提高温度、增加湿度的作用,并均可促进番茄果实膨大,增加单果质量,促进果实提早成熟.其中,以黑色果袋增温促长效果最好,其果实成熟期较对照提早10 d,单果质量增加27.2%;无色、蓝色及红色果袋处理的果实成熟期分别较对照提早8、3和2 d,单果质量分别增加11.8%、6.4%和4.8%.此外,套袋还可促进果实着色,显著提高番茄红素含量,但所有处理的果实硬度及可溶性固形物、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白含量均低于对照.表明番茄套袋虽增加了产量,但降低了其营养品质.     

REDD1, an inhibitor of mTOR signalling,is regulated by the CUL4A–DDB1 ubiquitin ligase

The cellular response to hypoxia involves several signalling pathways that mediate adaptation and survival. REDD1 (regulated in development and DNA damage responses 1), a hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 target gene, has a crucial role in inhibiting mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signalling during hypoxic stress. However, little is known about the signalling pathways and post‐translational modifications that regulate REDD1 function. Here, we show that REDD1 is subject to ubiquitin‐mediated degradation mediated by the CUL4A–DDB1–ROC1–β‐TRCP E3 ligase complex and through the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β. Furthermore, REDD1 degradation is crucially required for the restoration of mTOR signalling as cells recover from hypoxic stress. Our findings define a mechanism underlying REDD1 degradation and its importance for regulating mTOR signalling.     

Ubiquitin Ligase Components Cullin4 and DDB1 Are Essential for DNA Methylation in Neurospora crassa

DNA methylation and H3K9 trimethylation are involved in gene silencing and heterochromatin assembly in mammals and fungi. In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, it has been demonstrated that H3K9 trimethylation catalyzed by histone methyltransferase DIM-5 is essential for DNA methylation. Trimethylated H3K9 is recognized by HP1, which then recruits the DNA methyltransferase DIM-2 to methylate the DNA. Here, we show that in Neurospora, ubiquitin ligase components Cullin4 and DDB1 are essential for DNA methylation. These proteins regulate DNA methylation through their effects on the trimethylation of histone H3K9. In addition, we showed that the E3 ligase activity of the Cul4-based ubiquitin ligase is required for its function in histone H3K9 trimethylation in Neurospora. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Cul4 and DDB1 are associated with the histone methyltransferase DIM-5 protein in vivo. Together, these results suggest a mechanism for DNA methylation control that may be applicable in other eukaryotic organisms.     

A model for an early stage of tomato fruit development: cell multiplication and cessation of the cell proliferative activity

Changes in cell number during the early period of tomato fruit development were analysed by means of a deterministic model of cell multiplication. The period commenced at the seed stage with one theoretical cell undergoing intensive cell division, and ended when the cell number became nearly constant. The model takes into consideration the proliferative activity of the fruit cell population which, a few days before flower anthesis, begins to decrease progressively after each mitotic cycle. Model parameters, namely the time at which proliferative activity diminishes, its rate of decrease and the length of the cell cycle, were estimated by fitting the model to observed cell population dynamics in tomato fruits growing in three different positions on the truss. It is hypothesized that the molecular mechanism responsible for the cessation of mitosis in growing fruits is associated with shortening of telomeric ends of nuclear DNA, as suggested previously for other growing cell populations.     

Chromoplast development in ripening tomato fruit: identification of cDNAs for chromoplast-targeted proteins and characterization of a cDNA encoding a plastid-localized low-molecular-weight heat shock protein

During tomato fruit ripening, photosynthetically competent thylakoid membranes are broken down and replaced by membranous deposits of carotenoids. Few of the proteins involved in this transition have been identified. We have used chloroplast protein import assays as a means to identify two cDNAs that encode proteins destined for the developing chromoplast. One of the cDNAs had unexpected properties and its biological function has not been determined. However, the other cDNA encodes a plastid-localized low-MW heat shock protein (hsp). The steady-state level of RNA corresponding to this cDNA increased several-fold during tomato ripening, and the amount of RNA induced by heat stress increased dramatically during this process. These observations suggest a new role for this stress protein in protecting the plastid during the dismantling of the thylakoid membranes or during the buildup of carotenoids.     

DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 11 (DCAF11) mediates degradation of Stem-loop binding protein at the end of S phase

In eukaryotes, bulk histone expression occurs in the S phase of the cell cycle. This highly conserved system is crucial for genomic stability and proper gene expression. In metazoans, Stem-loop binding protein (SLBP), which binds to 3′ ends of canonical histone mRNAs, is a key factor in histone biosynthesis. SLBP is mainly expressed in S phase and this is a major mechanism to limit bulk histone production to the S phase. At the end of S phase, SLBP is rapidly degraded by proteasome, depending on two phosphorylations on Thr 60 and Thr 61. Previously, we showed that SLBP fragment (aa 51–108) fused to GST, is sufficient to mimic the late S phase (S/G2) degradation of SLBP. Here, using this fusion protein as bait, we performed pull-down experiments and found that DCAF11, which is a substrate receptor of CRL4 complexes, binds to the phosphorylated SLBP fragment. We further confirmed the interaction of full-length SLBP with DCAF11 and Cul4A by co-immunoprecipitation experiments. We also showed that DCAF11 cannot bind to the Thr61/Ala mutant SLBP, which is not degraded at the end of S phase. Using ectopic expression and siRNA experiments, we demonstrated that SLBP expression is inversely correlated with DCAF11 levels, consistent with the model that DCAF11 mediates SLBP degradation. Finally, we found that ectopic expression of the S/G2 stable mutant SLBP (Thr61/Ala) is significantly more toxic to the cells, in comparison to wild type SLBP. Overall, we concluded that CRL4-DCAF11 mediates the degradation of SLBP at the end of S phase and this degradation is essential for the viability of cells.     

控制性分根交替灌溉下氮形态对番茄生长、果实产量及品质的影响

以高产大果型西红柿品种中研988为材料,采用分根培养的方法,研究了控制性分根交替灌溉(APRI)条件下,不同氮素形态(硝态氮、铵态氮)对番茄生长、产量及果实品质的影响.结果表明: 同一灌溉方式或下限处理下,铵态氮对番茄植株前期生长有利,而硝态氮促进番茄植株后期生长,并促进果实产量增加.在APRI同一灌水下限下,硝态氮处理可提高果实维生素C含量及糖酸比,提高营养品质.同一氮素形态供应下,APRI番茄的株高和叶面积均小于正常灌溉(CK),但灌水下限为60%田间持水量(θ_f)的APRI处理番茄茎粗在生长后期有所增加.在同一氮素形态下,与CK相比,APRI各处理的产量均下降,其中灌水下限在40%θ_f的APRI处理产量下降了22.4%～26.3%;而灌水下限在60% θ_f的APRI处理仅下降了5.3%～5.4%,下降幅度相对较小,而品质显著提高,并具有明显的节水效果.因此,控制灌水下限在60%θ_f、供应硝态氮的APRI处理为番茄高产、优质、节水的最佳处理.
     

Dual control of ROS1‐mediated active DNA demethylation by DNA damage‐binding protein 2 (DDB2)

By controlling gene expression, DNA methylation contributes to key regulatory processes during plant development. Genomic methylation patterns are dynamic and must be properly maintained and/or re‐established upon DNA replication and active removal, and therefore require sophisticated control mechanisms. Here we identify direct interplay between the DNA repair factor DNA damage‐binding protein 2 (DDB2) and the ROS1‐mediated active DNA demethylation pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana. We show that DDB2 forms a complex with ROS1 and AGO4 and that they act at the ROS1 locus to modulate levels of DNA methylation and therefore ROS1 expression. We found that DDB2 represses enzymatic activity of ROS1. DNA demethylation intermediates generated by ROS1 are processed by the DNA 3′‐phosphatase ZDP and the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease APE1L, and we also show that DDB2 interacts with both enzymes and stimulates their activities. Taken together, our results indicate that DDB2 acts as a critical regulator of ROS1‐mediated active DNA demethylation.     

The codA transgene for glycinebetaine synthesis increases the size of flowers and fruits in tomato

The tolerance of various species of plant to abiotic stress has been enhanced by genetic engineering with certain genes. However, the use of such transgenes is often associated with negative effects on growth and productivity under non-stress conditions. The codA gene from Arthrobacter globiformis is of particular interest with respect to the engineering of desirable productive traits in crop plants. The expression of this gene in tomato plants resulted in significantly enlarged flowers and fruits under non-stress conditions. The enlargement of flowers and fruits was associated with high levels of glycinebetaine that accumulated in reproductive organs, such as flower buds and fruits. The enlargement of flowers was related to an increase in the size and number of cells, and reflected the pleiotropic effect of the codA transgene on the expression of genes involved in the regulation of cell division.