过表达TaLEA1和TaLEA2基因提高转基因拟南芥的耐盐性

我国土壤盐碱化日益严重,对我国的粮食安全造成了严重威胁。耐盐基因挖掘对作物耐盐育种非常重要。LEA蛋白家族是一个多基因家族,在植物应对非生物胁迫中发挥重要作用。本课题组前期研究阐明小麦TaLEA1基因在拟南芥中过表达可以提高转基因植物的耐盐性和抗旱性。本研究系统分析了小麦TaLEA2基因表达蛋白的理化性质、基因表达模式及启动子功能区域,并在拟南芥中过表达TaLEA2基因及共表达TaLEA1和TaLEA2基因,分析TaLEA2基因的抗逆功能及2个LEA基因的抗逆效果。结果表明,TaLEA2基因的表达产物属于第3组LEA蛋白,是稳定的亲水蛋白,富含α-螺旋、β-转角等结构。TaLEA2基因在小麦根、茎、叶、花、种子等不同组织中均有表达,盐胁迫条件诱导其高表达。在拟南芥中过表达TaLEA2基因,或过表达TaLEA1和TaLEA2基因都能够提高转基因拟南芥的耐盐性和抗旱性,转基因株系的种子萌发率、根长及叶绿素含量显著高于野生型,且双基因过表达的转基因植物的抗逆能力高于单个基因过表达株系。本研究结果为LEA基因抗逆机理的研究和多基因共转提高植物抗逆性提供了重要信息。     

Two New Group 3 LEA Genes of Wheat and Their Functional Analysis in Yeast

The group 3 late embryogenesis abundant （LEA） proteins are thought to protect cells from stresses associated with dehydration during periods of water deficit. To investigate the functions of different members of the group 3 LEA genes, we isolated and characterized two new group 3 LEA genes, namely TaLEA2 and TaLEA3, from wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） and introduced TaLEA2 and TaLEA3 into Saccharmyces cerevisiae to examine the effect of these genes on yeast cell tolerance to osmotic, salt, and cold stresses. The TaLEA2 gene encoded a protein of 211 amino acids and possessed five repeats of 11-mer amino acid motifs. The TaLEA3 gene encoded a polypeptide of 211 amino acids with nine repeated units. Overexpression of TaLEA2 and TaLEA3 improved stress tolerance in transgenic yeast cells when cultured in medium containing sorbitol, salt and-20℃ freezing treatments respectively. However, the yeast transformants with TaLEA2 seemed to be more tolerant to hyperosmotic and freezing stress than transformants with TaLEA3. This implies that a close relationship exists between function and the number of repeats of the 11- mer amino acid motif in the group 3 LEA protein.     

小麦TaLEA1基因的表达特征及抗逆功能验证

我国土壤盐碱化日益严重,对我国的粮食安全造成了严重威胁,因此耐盐基因挖掘对作物耐盐育种非常重要。许多研究表明胚胎发育晚期丰富蛋白(LEA)在植物应对非生物胁迫中发挥积极作用。本研究以小麦TaLEA1基因为研究对象,分析了其表达蛋白的理化性质及基因表达模式,并通过在拟南芥中过表达,分析Ta LEA1基因的抗逆功能。结果表明,TaLEA1基因的表达蛋白属于第3组LEA蛋白,是稳定的亲水蛋白,富含α-螺旋、β-转角等结构。Ta LEA1基因在小麦根、茎、叶、花、种子等不同组织中均有表达,盐胁迫条件诱导其高表达。在拟南芥中过表达TaLEA1基因,显著提高了盐胁迫下转基因拟南芥的种子萌发率、根长及盐和旱胁迫下的叶绿素含量。本研究结果为LEA基因抗逆机理的研究和耐盐基因的挖掘提供了重要信息。     

Identification and expression analysis of group 3 LEA family genes in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Sorghum with its remarkable adaptability to drought and high temperature provides a model system for grass genomics and resource for gene discovery especially for abiotic stress tolerance. Group 3 LEA genes from barley and rice have been shown to play crucial role in abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we present a genome-wide analysis of LEA3 genes in sorghum. We identified four genes encoding LEA3 proteins in the sorghum genome and further classified them into LEA3A and LEA3B subgroups based on the conservation of LEA3 specific motifs. Further, expression pattern of these genes were analyzed in seeds during development and vegetative tissues under abiotic stresses. SbLEA3A group genes showed expression at early stage of seed development and increased significantly at maturity, while SbLEA3B group genes expressed only in matured seeds. Expression of SbLEA3 genes in response to abiotic stresses such as soil moisture deficit (drought), osmotic, salt, and temperature stresses, and exogenous ABA treatments was also studied in the leaves of 2-weeks-old seedlings. ABA and drought induced the expression of all LEA3 genes, while cold and heat stress induced none of them. Promoter analysis revealed the presence of multiple ABRE core cis-elements and a few low temperature response (LTRE)/drought responsive (DRE) cis-elements. This study suggests non-redundant function of LEA3 genes in seed development and stress tolerance in sorghum.     

Identification of candidate SNPs for drug induced toxicity from differentially expressed genes in associated tissues

The full-length cDNA sequence (1158 bp) encoding a ribosomal L5 protein, designated as TaL5, was firstly isolated from common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends method (RACE). The open reading frame (ORF) of TaL5 gene was 906 bp, and its deduced amino acid sequence (301 residues) shared high similarity to those of other higher plant L5 proteins. TaL5 protein contained a putative 5S binding region (74 amino acids). TaL5 DNA sequence was further cloned, and sequence analysis showed that it contained 7 introns and 8 exons. Predicated using TargetP software, TaL5 protein was putatively located in mitochondria and contains a transit peptide of 12 amino acids. During grain filling period, temporal expression pattern of TaL5 gene was approximately consistent with the rates of starch accumulation in grains. Additionally, TaL5 gene was dramatically induced by salt, drought and freezing stresses, exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and salicylic acid (SA) in wheat seedlings. These implied that TaL5 gene could function in growth, development and abiotic stresses in wheat plants.     

JcLEA,a Novel LEA-Like Protein from Jatropha curcas,Confers a High Level of Tolerance to Dehydration and Salinity in Arabidopsis thaliana

Jatropha curcas L. is a highly drought and salt tolerant plant species that is typically used as a traditional folk medicine and biofuel crop in many countries. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie the response to various abiotic environmental stimuli, especially to drought and salt stresses, in J. curcas could be important to crop improvement efforts. In this study, we cloned and characterized the gene for a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein from J. curcas that we designated JcLEA. Sequence analyses showed that the JcLEA protein belongs to group 5, a subgroup of the LEA protein family. In young seedlings, expression of JcLEA is significantly induced by abscisic acid (ABA), dehydration, and salt stress. Subcellular localization analysis shows that that JcLEA protein is distributed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Moreover, based on growth status and physiological indices, the overexpression of JcLEA in transgenic Arabidopsis plants conferred increased resistance to both drought and salt stresses compared to the WT. Our data suggests that the group 5 JcLEA protein contributes to drought and salt stress tolerance in plants. Thus, JcLEA is a potential candidate gene for plant genetic modification.     

棉花抗逆基因GhAREB4的克隆及功能分析

AREBs转录因子家族基因主要参与干旱、高盐、低温等胁迫应答反应,在植物抵御各种逆境胁迫中起着非常重要的作用。该研究经序列电子拼接克隆了陆地棉GhAREB4基因,该基因全长1 784bp,其开放阅读框为1 227bp,编码408个氨基酸,预测分子量为44.3kD,等电点为8.88。蛋白结构预测发现,该蛋白二级结构中含有bZIP基因家族的保守结构域。系统进化树分析表明,GhAREB4与可可的AREB转录因子同源性最高。绿色荧光蛋白亚细胞定位分析表明,GhAREB4蛋白分布在细胞核内。qRT-PCR分析表明,GhAREB4基因在花中的表达量最高;且GhAREB4基因表达受到干旱、高盐、低温、脱落酸(ABA)等处理的诱导,其可能调控棉花对非生物逆境的耐性响应。研究结果为进一步研究该基因对棉花耐逆调控机制奠定了基础。     

Molecular cloning and characterization of the glutathione reductase gene from Stipa purpurea

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a key factor in abiotic stresses; excess ROS is harmful to plants. Glutathione reductase (GR) plays an important role in scavenging ROS in plants. Here, a GR gene, named SpGR, was cloned from Stipa purpurea and characterized. The full-length open reading frame was 1497 bp, encoding 498 amino acids. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that SpGR was localized to both the plasma membrane and nucleus. The expression of SpGR was induced by cold, salt, and drought stresses. Functional analysis indicated that ectopic expression of SpGR in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in greater tolerance to salt stress than that of wild-type plants, but no difference under cold or drought treatments. The results of GR activity and GSSG and GSH content analyses suggested that, under salt stress, transgenic plants produced more GR to reduce GSSG to GSH for scavenging ROS than wild-type plants. Therefore, SpGR may be a candidate gene for plants to resist abiotic stress.     

Characterization and Expression Analysis of a Glutathione Reductase Gene from Antarctic Moss Pohlia nutans

Glutathione reductase (GR) is a flavoprotein oxidoreductase and plays an important role in response to oxidative stresses in plants. A cDNA-encoding cytosolic GR [GenBank accession number GACA01029426, designated as Pohlia nutans glutathione reductase gene (PnGR)] was successfully cloned from Antarctic moss P. nutans. The full-length PnGR cDNA has 1,654 bp nucleotides with an open reading frame of 1,494 bp, encoding 497 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of PnGR had 87.0 % identity with GR in Physcomitrella patens subsp. patens. The phylogenetic analysis showed that PnGR is clustered together with known cytosolic GR in other plants. In addition, the subcellular localization analysis by observing the transient expression of PnGR–green fluorescent protein fusion protein in Arabidopsis thaliana mesophyll protoplasts also revealed PnGR targeting to cytosol in plant cells. The expression patterns of PnGR under different abiotic stresses were determined by real-time PCR. Compared to the normal condition, the maximal mRNA accumulation of PnGR increased 3.82-fold at 4 °C, 2.92-fold at 10 °C, 4.14-fold with 200 mM NaCl, and 3.17-fold with drought stress, respectively. Together, our results suggested that the inducible PnGR might play an important role in Antarctic moss P. nutans acclimatizing to polar environment.     

沙冬青AmLEA5基因的生物信息学分析及非生物胁迫下的表达模式

本文对用固相扣除杂交方法从低温驯化沙冬青克隆得到的AmLEA5基因进行分子特性和表达模式分析,生物信息学分析表明该基因编码一种第5族胚胎晚期发生丰富蛋白（LEA）。AmLEA5基因全长693 bp,含有1个297 bp的开放阅读框,编码98个氨基酸,预测AmLEA5的分子量为10.6 kDa,是一种亲水性蛋白,有多个磷酸化位点。密码子偏好性分析表明该基因略偏好于用A或T结尾的密码子。系统发生分析表明,AmLEA5蛋白与蒺藜苜蓿LEA（ACJ84182.1）亲缘关系最近。qRT-PCR结果显示AmLEA5的表达量在低温、干旱、盐和热胁迫条件下均有上调,尤其在低温胁迫后期富集量最高。亚细胞定位表明,用YFP标记的AmLEA5位于细胞质和细胞核内。一系列实验结果说明AmLEA5基因在沙冬青抵御非生物胁迫,尤其是在抵御低温胁迫机制中发挥重要作用。     

RhEXPA4, a rose expansin gene, modulates leaf growth and confers drought and salt tolerance to Arabidopsis

Drought and high salinity are major environmental conditions limiting plant growth and development. Expansin is a cell-wall-loosening protein known to disrupt hydrogen bonds between xyloglucan and cellulose microfibrils. The expression of expansin increases in plants under various abiotic stresses, and plays an important role in adaptation to these stresses. We aimed to investigate the role of the RhEXPA4, a rose expansin gene, in response to abiotic stresses through its overexpression analysis in Arabidopsis. In transgenic Arabidopsis harboring the Pro _RhEXPA4 ::GUS construct, RhEXPA4 promoter activity was induced by abscisic acid (ABA), drought and salt, particularly in zones of active growth. Transgenic lines with higher RhEXPA4 level developed compact phenotypes with shorter stems, curly leaves and compact inflorescences, while the lines with relatively lower RhEXPA4 expression showed normal phenotypes, similar to the wild type (WT). The germination percentage of transgenic Arabidopsis seeds was higher than that of WT seeds under salt stress and ABA treatments. Transgenic plants showed enhanced tolerance to drought and salt stresses: they displayed higher survival rates after drought, and exhibited more lateral roots and higher content of leaf chlorophyll a under salt stress. Moreover, high-level RhEXPA4 overexpressors have multiple modifications in leaf blade epidermal structure, such as smaller, compact cells, fewer stomata and midvein vascular patterning in leaves, which provides them with more tolerance to abiotic stresses compared to mild overexpressors and the WT. Collectively, our results suggest that RhEXPA4, a cell-wall-loosening protein, confers tolerance to abiotic stresses through modifying cell expansion and plant development in Arabidopsis.