Identification and functional characterisation of the promoter of the calcium sensor gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">CBL1</Emphasis> from the xerophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ammopiptanthus mongolicus</Emphasis>

Background  

CBL1 is a calcium sensor that regulates drought, cold and salt signals in Arabidopsis. Overexpression of CBL1 gene in Arabidopsis and in Ammopiptanthus mongolicus showed different tolerant activities. We are interested in understanding the molecular mechanism of the upstream region of the CBL1 gene of A. mongolicus (AmCBL1). We investigated and characterized the promoter of the AmCBL1 gene, for promoters play a very important role in regulating gene expression in eukaryotes.     

Histone gene expression and histone mRNA 3' end structure in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Caenorhabditis elegans</Emphasis>

Background  

Histone protein synthesis is essential for cell proliferation and required for the packaging of DNA into chromatin. In animals, histone proteins are provided by the expression of multicopy replication-dependent histone genes. Histone mRNAs that are processed by a histone-specific mechanism to end after a highly conserved RNA hairpin element, and lack a poly(A) tail. In vertebrates and Drosophila, their expression is dependent on HBP/SLBP that binds to the RNA hairpin element. We showed previously that these cis and trans acting regulators of histone gene expression are conserved in C. elegans. Here we report the results of an investigation of the histone mRNA 3' end structure and of histone gene expression during C. elegans development.     

Physiological responses to folate overproduction in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> WCFS1

Background  

Using a functional genomics approach we addressed the impact of folate overproduction on metabolite formation and gene expression in Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1. We focused specifically on the mechanism that reduces growth rates in folate-overproducing cells.     

Eukaryotic signaling pathways targeted by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> effector protein AvrA in intestinal infection <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis>

Background  

The Salmonella AvrA gene is present in 80% of Salmonella enterica serovar strains. AvrA protein mimics the activities of some eukaryotic proteins and uses these activities to the pathogen's advantage by debilitating the target cells, such as intestinal epithelial cells. Therefore, it is important to understand how AvrA works in targeting eukaryotic signaling pathways in intestinal infection in vivo. In this study, we hypothesized that AvrA interacts with multiple stress pathways in eukaryotic cells to manipulate the host defense system. A whole genome approach combined with bioinformatics assays was used to investigate the in vivo genetic responses of the mouse colon to Salmonella with or without AvrA protein expression in the early stage (8 hours) and late stage (4 days). Specifically, we examined the gene expression profiles in mouse colon as it responded to pathogenic Salmonella stain SL1344 (with AvrA expression) or SB1117 (without AvrA expression).