油菜素内酯生物合成与功能的研究进展

植物激素油菜素内酯广泛调节植物的生长发育及对外界环境因子变化的反应, 在作物上的应用也已引起人们的广泛兴趣。通过遗传学等手段对相关突变体及功能基因的研究为其生物合成与功能研究提供了基础。本文总结了油菜素内酯在植物各组织内的分布、生物合成、相关合成突变体及其编码基因的性质、生理功能以及与其它激素间的相互作用等。     

甾醇在调节植物生长发育中的研究进展

甾醇是一种异戊二烯类化合物,在生物的生长发育中起着重要作用。甾醇不仅是真核细胞膜的结构成分,而且也是甾醇激素生物合成的前体,在植物细胞分裂、胚胎发生和发育、参与逆境胁迫中起着关键作用。在植物中,甾醇衍生的油菜素内酯(brassinosteroids,BRs)在生长发育中的多种功能已被广泛研究,BRs作为一类植物激素,协同其他激素在植物生长发育中发挥多种功能,从细胞分裂、细胞扩张、气孔导度和根系发育,BRs在植物生命周期的各个方面都发挥着重要的作用。除了这些功能外,BRs作为植物甾醇合成途径的重要产物,作为一种重要的信号分子响应逆境胁迫及调控植物的形态建成。本文对BRs合成途径中的相关基因的研究进展进行了概述,并且综述了油菜素内酯的生物合成及其在调节植物生长发育中的研究进展,最后对油菜素内酯的研究前景进行了讨论和展望。     

油菜素内酯生物合成途径的研究进展

油菜素内酯(BRs)在植物的生长发育过程中具有重要作用。该文首先综述了油菜素甾醇的结构及其生物合成途径的研究方法。之后, 介绍了其化学及生物活性的检测方法。最后, 详细介绍了BR生物合成的早期和晚期C-6氧化途径及早期C-22和C-23羟化与合成途径的调控, 并阐述了近年来植物油菜素内酯生物合成缺失突变体及其合成酶等方面的研究进 展。     

用cDNA阵列鉴定拟南芥油菜素内酯的应答基因

采用cDNA阵列方法, 以拟南芥油菜素内酯合成缺陷突变体det2的悬浮细胞培养系为材料, 对油菜素内酯的应答基因进行了系统鉴定. 在13000个cDNA克隆中, 初步鉴定出53个油菜素内酯的应答克隆. 对这些克隆的序列分析表明: 19个克隆为新基因, 3个为涉及细胞分裂调控的基因, 4个是与逆境反应有关的基因, 4个是参与植物细胞信号转导分子或转录因子基因, 3个是涉及RNA拼接及结构有关的基因. 还发现植物其他一些生理过程基因的表达受到了油菜素内酯的影响, 包括光反应、离子运输及一些合成酶基因等. 这些结果从基因表达水平说明, 油菜素内酯影响了植物生长发育及代谢的多个过程.     

油菜素内酯的生理和分子生物学研究进展

着重介绍油菜素内酯对光形态建成的调节及与其它激素的相互作用,并介绍油菜素内酯不敏感型突变体、油菜素内酯调节基因研究的最新进展。     

油采素内酯的生理和分子生物学研究进展

着重介绍油菜素内酯对光形态建成的调节及与其它激素的相互作用并介绍油菜互内酯不敏感型突变体、油菜素内酯调节基因研究的最新进展。     

高等植物油菜素内酯的生物合成及信号转导研究进展

综述了近年来发现的植物油菜素内酯生物合成缺陷型及反应不敏感型突变体,BR生物合成的早期C 6氧化和晚期C 6氧化途径,参与合成的酶以及BR信号转导等方面的研究进展,并提出了这一问题今后研究的前景.     

植物体中油菜素内酯的信号转导

介绍了油菜素甾醇类突变体的代谢分析和相应突变基因及其产物的分子生物学 ,油菜素内酯的合成及其调节 ,相继发现的一些假设的油菜素内酯的受体和受油菜素甾醇类调节的基因等方面的研究进展 ,并提出一些油菜素内酯信号转导和调节相应基因表达的模式     

油菜素内酯对水稻根系发育的调控作用

在油菜素甾醇(brassinosteroids,BRs)化合物中,油菜素内酯(brassinolide,BL)具有活性最高、广谱和无毒等显著特点,而且具有改良植物株型、提高抗逆性等功效。根系是植物吸收水分和矿质元素的主要器官,因此阐明油菜素内酯调控根系发育的遗传、生理和生化机制,有利于更有效地利用BRs激素,实现株型的定向设计。该研究利用叶面喷施的方法分析油菜素内酯对根系侧根、根毛发育的影响;利用植物显微技术分析油菜素内酯对根系侧根结构及发育的作用;利用高压液相色谱法检测油菜素内酯对根系内其他植物激素含量的影响;利用蛋白质组学技术鉴定受油菜素内酯调控的蛋白质,分析油菜素内酯调控根系发育的生化机制。研究表明,一定浓度的油菜素内酯促进种子根、侧根、根毛的发生;提高根系细胞分裂素和赤霉素含量;可能通过调控逆境相关蛋白质来提高植物的抗逆性。     

油菜素内酯（BR）促进植物生长机理研究进展

介绍了油菜素内酯促进植物生长、提高作物产量的作用,并简述了促进生长的生理代谢基础。通过比较油菜素内酯与生长素、赤霉素促进生长作用方式的异同,提出油菜素内酯促进生长的信号传导路径不同于其它植物激素。另外从细胞的形态发生、细胞壁扩展的机制和细胞骨架在细胞伸长中的作用等几个方面对油菜素内酯促进植物生长的细胞及分子生物学机制进行了详尽的论述。     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel azole derivatives as selective potent inhibitors of brassinosteroid biosynthesis

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are phytohormones that control several important agronomic traits, such as flowering, plant architecture, seed yield, and stress tolerance. To manipulate the BR levels in plant tissues using specific inhibitors of BR biosynthesis, a series of novel azole derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory activity on BR biosynthesis was investigated. Structure–activity relationship studies revealed that 2RS, 4RS-1-[4-(2-allyloxyphenoxymethyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-[1,3]dioxolan-2-ylmethyl]-1H-[1,2,4]triazole (G₂) is a highly selective inhibitor of BR biosynthesis, with an IC₅₀ value of approximately 46 ± 2 nM, which is the most potent BR biosynthesis inhibitor observed to date. Use of gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis mutants and BR signaling mutants to analyze the mechanism of action of this synthetic series indicated that the primary site of action is BR biosynthesis. Experiments feeding BR biosynthesis intermediates to chemically treated Arabidopsis seedlings suggested that the target sites of this synthetic series are CYP90s, which are responsible for the C-22 and/or C-23 hydroxylation of campesterol.     

Brassinosteroid signaling positively regulates abscisic acid biosynthesis in response to chilling stress in tomato

Brassinosteroids (BRs) and abscisic acid (ABA) are essential regulators of plant growth and stress tolerance. Although the antagonistic interaction of BRs and ABA is proposed to ensure the balance between growth and defense in model plants, the crosstalk between BRs and ABA in response to chilling in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), a warm-climate horticultural crop, is unclear. Here, we determined that overexpression of the BR biosynthesis gene DWARF (DWF) or the key BR signaling gene BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT1 (BZR1) increases ABA levels in response to chilling stress via positively regulating the expression of the ABA biosynthesis gene 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE1 (NCED1). BR-induced chilling tolerance was mostly dependent on ABA biosynthesis. Chilling stress or high BR levels decreased the abundance of BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a negative regulator of BR signaling. Moreover, we observed that chilling stress increases BR levels and results in the accumulation of BZR1. BIN2 negatively regulated both the accumulation of BZR1 protein and chilling tolerance by suppressing ABA biosynthesis. Our results demonstrate that BR signaling positively regulates chilling tolerance via ABA biosynthesis in tomato. The study has implications in production of warm-climate crops in horticulture.     

Brassinosteroid homeostasis in Arabidopsis is ensured by feedback expressions of multiple genes involved in its metabolism

Homeostasis of brassinosteroids (BRs) is essential for normal growth and development in higher plants. We examined responsiveness of 11 BR metabolic gene expressions to the decrease or increase of endogenous BR contents in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to expand our knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying BR homeostasis. Five BR-specific biosynthesis genes (DET2, DWF4, CPD, BR6ox1, and ROT3) and two sterol biosynthesis genes (FK and DWF5) were up-regulated in BR-depleted wild-type plants grown under brassinazole, a BR biosynthesis inhibitor. On the other hand, in BR-excessive wild-type plants that were fed with brassinolide, four BR-specific synthesis genes (DWF4, CPD, BR6ox1, and ROT3) and a sterol synthesis gene (DWF7) were down-regulated and a BR inactivation gene (BAS1) was up-regulated. However, their response to fluctuation of BR levels was highly reduced (DWF4) or nullified (the other eight genes) in a bri1 mutant. Taken together, our results imply that BR homeostasis is maintained through feedback expressions of multiple genes, each of which is involved not only in BR-specific biosynthesis and inactivation, but also in sterol biosynthesis. Our results also indicate that their feedback expressions are under the control of a BRI1-mediated signaling pathway. Moreover, a weak response in the mutant suggests that DWF4 alone is likely to be regulated in other way(s) in addition to BRI1 mediation.     

The Influence of Chemical Genetics on Plant Science: Shedding Light on Functions and Mechanism of Action of Brassinosteroids Using Biosynthesis Inhibitors

When exogenous chemicals allow rapid, conditional, reversible, selective, and dose-dependent control of biological functions, they act like conditional mutations, either inducing or suppressing the formation of a specific phenotype of interest. Exploration of the small molecules that induce the brassinosteroid (BR) deficient-like phenotype in Arabidopsis led us to identify brassinazole as the first candidate for a BR biosynthesis inhibitor. Brassinazole treatment reduced BR content in plant cells. Investigation of target site(s) of brassinazole revealed that the compound directly binds to the DWF4 protein, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase that catalyzes 22-hydroxylation of the side chain of BRs. These results suggest that brassinazole is a BR biosynthesis inhibitor. There are currently at least two BR biosynthesis inhibitors that act like conditional mutations in BR biosynthesis. They allow the investigation of the functions of BRs in a variety of plant species. Application of BR biosynthesis inhibitors to a standard genetic screen to identify mutants that confer resistance to these inhibitors allowed the identification of new components working in BR signal transduction. This method has advantages over mutant screens using BR-deficient mutants as a background. Development of chemicals that induce phenotypes of interest is now emerging as a useful way to study biological systems in plants and this would be a complement to classical biochemical and genetic methods.