Developmental and environmental regulation of soybean <Emphasis Type="Italic">SE60</Emphasis> gene expression during embryogenesis and germination

Soybean SE60 belongs to the γ-thionin family of proteins. We recently demonstrated that SE60 plays a role in defense during soybean development. Here, we show that SE60 is expressed in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated manner. The expression of SE60 is distinct from that of the glycinin (Gy2) and extensin (SbHRGP3) genes of soybean during embryogenesis and germination. A SE60::GUS(−809) transgene, comprising −809 bp of the 5′-flanking region of SE60 fused to the GUS reporter gene, was expressed specifically in developing embryos, but not in the endosperms, from the globular stage of transgenic tobacco and Arabidopsis seeds. Furthermore, light affected the SE60::GUS(−809) expression pattern in germinating seedlings. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) revealed that soybean nuclear proteins as well as E. coli-expressed SB16, a high mobility group protein (HMG), were bound sequence-specifically to the fragment containing AT-rich motifs identified in the SE60 promoter. Interestingly, the soybean nuclear proteins binding to the two G-boxes and RY repeat were prevalent in seeds of 2–4 mm in size. In contrast, the nuclear proteins binding to the AT-rich motif and SE60 RNA expression were more prominent in seeds of 4–6 mm in size. Therefore, we propose that factors binding to the G-boxes or RY repeat initiate SE60 expression during embryogenesis.     

Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">VvPAL-like</Emphasis> promoter from grapevine using transgenic tobacco plants

A 2000-bp 5′-flanking region of VvPAL-like was isolated from ‘Summer Black’ grapevine by PCR amplification, named pVvPAL-like. To gain a better understanding of the expression and regulatory mechanism of VvPAL-like, a chimeric expression unit consisting of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene under the control of a 2000-bp fragment of the VvPAL-like promoter was transformed into tobacco via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Histochemical staining showed that the full-length promoter directs efficient expression of the reporter gene in cotyledons and hypocotyls, stigma, style, anthers, pollen, ovary, trichomes, and vascular bundles of transgenic plants. A series of 5′ progressive deletions of the promoter revealed the presence of a negative regulatory region (?424 to ?292) in the VvPAL-like promoter. Exposure of the transgenic tobacco plants to various abiotic stresses demonstrated that the full-length construct could be induced by light, copper (Cu), abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic (IAA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid), ethylene, and drought. Furthermore, the ethylene-responsive region was found to be located in the ?1461/?930 fragment, while the element(s) for the MeJA-responsive expression may be present in the ?424/?292 region in the VvPAL-like promoter. These findings will help us to better understand the molecular mechanisms by which VvPAL-like participates in biosynthesis of flavonoids and stress responses.     

棉纤维蔗糖合酶基因SS3上游调控序列的克隆及其表达分析

棉纤维蔗糖合酶基因SS3在棉纤维发育过程中起着重要作用.采用YADE技术克隆了该基因5′上游1717bp的调控区,该调控区含有典型的启动子核心元件TATA box ,以及TATC box、G box、GCN4 -motif、Prolamin box、Skn 1 likemotif、TCA element、HSE和O2 site等各种顺式调控元件和其他一些反应元件.将此序列和报告基因GUS融合在烟草、棉花中表达.组织化学分析结果显示棉花SuSyR序列启动GUS基因在烟草的子房、胎座、种子以及在棉花花蕾与棉铃中表达.在棉花花蕾蕾长为3mm、6mm、9mm和15mm花蕾中表达主要存在于雄蕊及雄蕊管、胎座等器官;在棉铃中,1DPA棉铃的花柱、花药、子房及胚珠中出现了蓝色,6DPA棉铃的子房及胚珠被染成蓝色,在2 0DPA的棉铃中蓝色只出现在胚珠及其纤维中、在胚珠中只有珠心被染成蓝色,在4 0DPA胚珠中只有纤维呈蓝色.研究结果揭示,棉花的SuSyR调控序列启动GUS基因主要在子房、胚珠和纤维等器官和主叶脉、茎微管束等输导组织中表达,在棉花中尤为明显,表明棉纤维蔗糖合酶基因SS3除参与棉花蕾铃发育、纤维素的合成外,还参与了光合产物的运输与分配过程.     

A pistil-specific thaumatin/PR5-like protein gene of Japanese pear (Pyrus serotina): sequence and promoter activity of the 5′ region in transgenic tobacco

The genomic clone encoding the pistil-specific thaumatin/PR5-like protein (PsTL1) was isolated from Japanese pear (Pyrus serotina). Sequence analysis showed that the genomic clone contained the 5-flanking sequence of 2.4 kb, the 3-flanking sequence of 648 bp and the coding region interrupted by a intron of 351 bp. A sequence motif conserved in some pistil self-incompatibility gene promoters of solanaceous and brassicaceous species was located in the 5-flanking region of the PsTL1 gene. The 2.4 kb 5-flanking region was fused to the GUS coding sequence and transferred to tobacco. Transgenic tobacco showed GUS activity in pistil and, at low level, in anther, but not in other floral organs and leaf. Histochemical analysis localized GUS activity to stigma, transmitting tissue, anther and pollen of transgenic tobacco.     

Differential in vitro DNA binding activity to a promoter element of the gn1β-1,3-glucanase gene in hypersensitively reacting tobacco plants

In a hypersensitive reaction to pathogen infection, expression of the β-1,3-glucanase gn1 gene is induced in cells surrounding the necrotic lesions. The 5′-flanking sequence of gn1 was examined to investigate the molecular basis controlling activation of gene expression during this plant defense response. Studies on transgenic tobacco plants containing gn1 promoter deletions fused to the β-glucuronidase reporter gene revealed the presence of negative and positive regulatory sequences mediating both the level and the spatial distribution of gn1 expression. Promoter sequences to ?138 bp were sufficient to confer increased gene expression around the necrotic lesions produced in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae inoculation. It is demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assays that nuclear proteins in both healthy and hypersensitively reacting tobacco leaves interact with DNA sequences within the regulatory elements identified. Among the binding sequences characterized, the promoter region extending from ?250 to ?217 bp contained the DNA motif -GGCGGC- found to be conserved in most if not all promoters of genes encoding pathogenesis-related basic proteins. The activity bound by this promoter sequence was stronger in hypersensitively responding tissues than in healthy untreated tobacco leaves.     

Tissue-specific and ABA-regulated Maize GIN gene expression in transgenic tobacco

Summary To study the regulatory functions of the ON promoter region, a ppG1b1GUS construct, consisting of 1402 bp 5 flanking sequence ofGlbl, 1919 by GUS coding sequence, and 283 by 3 NOS terminator, was cloned into a binary vector and introduced into tobacco plants byAgrobacterium-mediated transformation. Histochemical GUS assays of T_o tobacco mature seeds indicate that theGlbl promoter drives GUS expression in ABA treated seeds. Further GUS assays of the T, seeds at different developmental stages revealed that without ABA treatment, theGibl promoter drives GUS expression in immature seeds. The results from both T_o and T₁ tobacco plants indicated thatGlbl-driven GUS expression in tobacco is embryo specific.