Cotton LIM domain‐containing protein GhPLIM1 is specifically expressed in anthers and participates in modulating F‐actin

As one form of actin binding protein (ABP), LIM domain protein can trigger the formation of actin bundles during plant growth and development. In this study, a cDNA (designated GhPLIM1) encoding a LIM domain protein with 216 amino acid residues was identified from a cotton flower cDNA library. Quantitative RT‐PCR indicated that GhPLIM1 is specifically expressed in cotton anthers, and its expression levels are regulated during anther development of cotton. GhPLIM1:eGFP transformed cotton cells display a distributed network of eGFP fluorescence, suggesting that GhPLIM1 protein is mainly localised to the cell cytoskeleton. In vitro high‐speed co‐sedimentation and low co‐sedimentation assays indicate that GhPLIM1 protein not only directly binds actin filaments but also bundles F‐actin. Further biochemical experiments verified that GhPLIM1 protein can protect F‐actin against depolymerisation by Lat B. Thus, our data demonstrate that GhPLIM1 functions as an actin binding protein (ABP) in modulating actin filaments in vitro, suggesting that GhPLIM1 may be involved in regulating the actin cytoskeleton required for pollen development in cotton.     

Cloning and DNA-binding properties of ethylene response factor,LeERF1 and LeERF2, in tomato

Two new genes, LeERF1 andLeERF2, were isolated from a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Lichun) cDNA library. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that they encoded Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Proteins (EREBPs), characterized by a conserved ERF (ethylene response factor) domain of specific binding plant cis-acting elements GCC box. Both LeERF1 and LeERF2 proteins were obtained via prokaryotic expression and purification. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that LeERF1 and LeERF2 protein could bind to the promoter of the NP24 gene coding for pathogenesis-related protein osmotin precursor but not the mutant promoter where its GCC box was deleted. Polyclonal antibodies of LeERF1 and LeERF2 blocked their binding in vitro.Revisions requested 4 January 2005; Revisions received 28 January 2005     

棉花脱水应答元件(DRE)结合蛋白GhDBP1的原核表达、纯化及其DNA结合活性

棉花是一种重要的经济作物,其生产和产量要受到干旱、低温和高盐等环境胁迫的影响,因此提高棉花对这些胁迫的抗性非常重要.脱水应答元件(DRE-dehydrationresponsiveelement)结合蛋白(DBP)在调节植物对环境胁迫的抗性中起到非常重要的作用.而且过量表达DBP类基因的转基因植株能够很好抵抗这些环境胁迫,所以研究棉花中此类DRE元件结合蛋白对棉花生产有非常重要的意义.在以前的工作中,从棉花中分离一个DBP基因,命名为GhDBP1并在转录水平上分析它在棉花植株中的表达特征.在研究中,报道了GhDBP1的原核表达、纯化和它的DNA结合特性.GhDBP1基因的编码区用PCR技术扩增出来插入到原核表达载体pET28a中,并转化到大肠杆菌菌株BL21(DE3)中.经过IPTG诱导,GhDBP1融合蛋白在BL21(DE3)菌株中成功进行表达.利用Ni-NTA亲和层析技术得到了纯化的融合蛋白.在非同位素的凝胶滞留实验中,纯化的GhDBP1融合蛋白能够结合到含有DRE元件的DNA片段上.另外,用SWISS-MODEL软件对GhDBP1蛋白的DNA结合区的三维结构进行了计算机模拟.模拟的结果显示,GhDBP1蛋白的DNA结合区的主链结构和折叠模式与已知的拟南芥GCC盒结合蛋白AtERF1的DNA结合区结构很相似.这些结果显示了GhDBP1是一个脱水应答元件(DRE)结合的转录因子,并可能运用与AtERF1的DNA结合区相似的结构和它的目标序列脱水应答元件(DRE)相结合.     

棉花微管结合蛋白基因GhCLASP1的克隆与表达分析

CLASP蛋白(CLASPs)是一种能够特异地与微管结合,参与调节微管结构与功能的微管结合蛋白(MAPs),在植物细胞形成、细胞伸长等方面起着关键作用。该研究利用电子克隆结合RT-PCR技术从陆地棉(Gossypium hirsutum L.)中克隆获得1个CLASP基因,命名为GhCLASP1(NCBI登录号为KP742966)。序列分析显示,GhCLASP1属于CLASP基因家族,开放阅读框长度为4 188bp,编码含1 395个氨基酸残基的蛋白;GhCLASP1蛋白含有1个HEAT重复结构域和2个CLASP-N端结构域。进化分析表明,GhCLASP1与可可树(Theobroma cacao)CLASP蛋白的亲缘关系最近。qRT-PCR分析表明,GhCLASP1在棉花的根、茎、叶、花及纤维发育的不同时期均有表达,且GhCLASP1基因表达量最大值出现在纤维发育次生壁加厚期(开花后27d),推测GhCLASP1基因可能对棉花纤维次生壁的形成起着重要的作用。利用本氏烟草(Nicotiana benthamiana)叶片瞬时表达系统对GhCLASP1基因编码的蛋白进行亚细胞定位结果显示,GhCLASP1蛋白定位在细胞膜上。上述结果为进一步研究CLASP基因在棉花中的功能奠定了基础。     

鉴定水稻中一个新的专一结合GCC元件的AP2/EREBP族转录因子

TSH1,是通过搜寻GenBank的EST库而获得的一个来源于水稻的含AP2/EREBP保守结构域的蛋白质.为了详细分析TSH1蛋白与其DNA顺式元件的结合特性,首先采用传统的凝胶阻滞实验和酵母单杂交技术,证实TSH1在体内和体外均专一性地结合于GCC元件,然后利用原子力显微镜技术精确测量了TSH1蛋白与GCC元件在单分子水平的相互作用力.结果表明,GST-TSH1与DRE元件没有特异性的结合,而GST-TSH1与GCC元件结合力的大小为(83.9±2.2)pN,这种特异性的结合可以被加入的游离TSH1蛋白明显降低.GST蛋白和突变GCC元件作为负对照显示出与GCC元件无特异性作用力.以上结果充分证明,TSH1是专一性地与GCC元件相作用的转录因子,而且原子力显微镜对于检测转录因子与DNA相互作用时单碱基的突变十分灵敏.通过比较几种评估转录因子与DNA顺式元件结合特异性的方法,阐述了原子力显微镜技术的特点及优越性.     

过表达或沉默棉花GhPCBER基因株系的获得及其茎叶木质素和木脂素含量研究

编码苯基香豆满苄基醚还原酶(phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase,PCBER)的基因PCBER属于PIP亚家族,是苯丙烷代谢途径中参与木脂素合成的关键基因。该研究构建了棉花GhPCBER基因的植物过表达载体并转化拟南芥,同时构建了VIGS(virus induced gene silencing,病毒诱导的基因沉默)载体转化棉花,采用实时荧光定量PCR技术对GhPCBER基因在不同组织中的表达进行分析;对野生型和转基因植株茎叶组织中的木质素和木脂素含量进行测定分析。结果表明:(1)成功构建了GhPCBER植物过表达载体pGWB17-GhPCBRE以及基因沉默重组载体pTRV2-GhPCBER;经遗传转化获得6株转棉花GhPCBER基因抗性拟南芥植株,同时获得15株GhPCBER基因沉默棉花植株(5株为一组)。(2)PCR检测表明,6株转基因拟南芥均为过表达株系,其中株系1、2、3相对表达量更高,且在茎、叶组织中的表达量分别较野生型提高了7～14倍和6～16倍,表明GhPCBER基因成功在拟南芥中过表达;GhPCBER基因沉默棉花植株的茎、叶组织中的表达量分别比野生型棉株约下降12%和26%,表明烟草脆裂病毒(TRV)体系(pTRV2-GhPCBER)成功抑制了GhPCBER基因的表达。(3)转GhPCBER基因拟南芥茎、叶中木质素和木脂素含量较野生型均显著降低;GhPCBER基因沉默棉花植株茎、叶中木质素和木脂素含量较野生型均极显著降低;组织化学染色观察发现GhPCBER基因沉默棉花植株茎秆颜色明显比野生型染色浅,也证明沉默基因棉花植株茎秆中的木质素含量减少。(4)苯丙烷代谢通路中8个相关基因的实时荧光定量PCR分析发现,过表达或抑制GhPCBRE基因均会导致苯丙烷代谢途径发生重新定向。     

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) 14‐3‐3 proteins participate in regulation of fibre initiation and elongation by modulating brassinosteroid signalling

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fibre is an important natural raw material for textile industry in the world. Understanding the molecular mechanism of fibre development is important for the development of future cotton varieties with superior fibre quality. In this study, overexpression of Gh14‐3‐3L in cotton promoted fibre elongation, leading to an increase in mature fibre length. In contrast, suppression of expression of Gh14‐3‐3L, Gh14‐3‐3e and Gh14‐3‐3h in cotton slowed down fibre initiation and elongation. As a result, the mature fibres of the Gh14‐3‐3 RNAi transgenic plants were significantly shorter than those of wild type. This ‘short fibre’ phenotype of the 14‐3‐3 RNAi cotton could be partially rescued by application of 2,4‐epibrassinolide (BL). Expression levels of the BR‐related and fibre‐related genes were altered in the Gh14‐3‐3 transgenic fibres. Furthermore, we identified Gh14‐3‐3 interacting proteins (including GhBZR1) in cotton. Site mutation assay revealed that Ser163 in GhBZR1 and Lys51/56/53 in Gh14‐3‐3L/e/h were required for Gh14‐3‐3‐GhBZR1 interaction. Nuclear localization of GhBZR1 protein was induced by BR, and phosphorylation of GhBZR1 by GhBIN2 kinase was helpful for its binding to Gh14‐3‐3 proteins. Additionally, 14‐3‐3‐regulated GhBZR1 protein may directly bind to GhXTH1 and GhEXP promoters to regulate gene expression for responding rapid fibre elongation. These results suggested that Gh14‐3‐3 proteins may be involved in regulating fibre initiation and elongation through their interacting with GhBZR1 to modulate BR signalling. Thus, our study provides the candidate intrinsic genes for improving fibre yield and quality by genetic manipulation.     

Guanylyl Cyclase C Receptor: Regulation of Catalytic Activity by ATP

Guanylyl cyclase C (GCC), a member of the family of membrane bound guanylyl cyclases is the receptor for the heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) peptides and the guanylin family of endogenous peptides. GCC is activated upon ligand binding to increase intracellular cGMP levels, which in turn activates other downstream signalling events in the cell. GCC is also activated in vitro by nonionic detergents. We have used the T84 cell line as a model system to investigate the regulation of GCC activity by ATP. Ligand-stimulated GCC activity is potentiated in the presence of ATP, whereas detergent-stimulated activity is inhibited. The potentiation of GCC activity by ATP is dependent on the presence of Mg²⁺ ions, and is probably brought about by a direct binding of Mg-ATP to GCC. The protein kinase-like domain of GCC, which has earlier been shown to play a critical role in the regulation of GCC activity, may be a possible site for the binding of Mg-ATP to GCC.     

GbEXPATR,a species‐specific expansin,enhances cotton fibre elongation through cell wall restructuring

Cotton provides us the most important natural fibre. High fibre quality is the major goal of cotton breeding, and introducing genes conferring longer, finer and stronger fibre from Gossypium barbadense to Gossypium hirsutum is an important breeding strategy. We previously analysed the G. barbadense fibre development mechanism by gene expression profiling and found two homoeologous fibre‐specific α‐expansins from G. barbadense, GbEXPA2 and GbEXPATR. GbEXPA2 (from the D_T genome) is a classical α‐expansin, while its homoeolog, GbEXPATR (A_T genome), encodes a truncated protein lacking the normal C‐terminal polysaccharide‐binding domain of other α‐expansins and is specifically expressed in G. barbadense. Silencing EXPA in G. hirsutum induced shorter fibres with thicker cell walls. GbEXPA2 overexpression in G. hirsutum had no effect on mature fibre length, but produced fibres with a slightly thicker wall and increased crystalline cellulose content. Interestingly, GbEXPATR overexpression resulted in longer, finer and stronger fibres coupled with significantly thinner cell walls. The longer and thinner fibre was associated with lower expression of a number of secondary wall‐associated genes, especially chitinase‐like genes, and walls with lower cellulose levels but higher noncellulosic polysaccharides which advocated that a delay in the transition to secondary wall synthesis might be responsible for better fibre. In conclusion, we propose that α‐expansins play a critical role in fibre development by loosening the cell wall; furthermore, a truncated form, GbEXPATR, has a more dramatic effect through reorganizing secondary wall synthesis and metabolism and should be a candidate gene for developing G. hirsutum cultivars with superior fibre quality.     

Amino Acid Regions of Family 45 Endoglucanases Involved in Cotton Defibrillation and in Resistance to Anionic Surfactants and Oxidizing Agents

In the detergent industry, fungal endoglucanases are used to release microfibrils from the surfaces of dyed cellulosic fabrics to enhance color brightness. Family 45 endoglucanase (glycoside hydrolase family 45, GH45) EGL3 from Humicola grisea is more resistant to anionic surfactants and oxidizing agents than family 45 endoglucanase RCE1 from Rhizopus oryzae, while in the present study, a catalytic domain of RCE1 had higher defibrillation activity on dyed cotton fabrics than did that of EGL3. To identify the amino acid regions involved in these properties, we compared the characteristics of RCE1, EGL3, and three chimeric endoglucanases, in which each of the three regions of the catalytic domain of EGL3 was replaced by the corresponding region of the catalytic domain of RCE1. Amino acids in the N-terminal region were involved in resistance to anionic surfactants and oxidizing agents. Furthermore, amino acids in the region adjacent to the N-terminal region were involved in releasing microfibrils and in binding to dyed cotton fabrics, indicating that the binding of the amino acids in this region might be important in the release of microfibrils from dyed cotton fabrics.     

An Arabidopsis E3 ligase HUB2 increases histone H2B monoubiquitination and enhances drought tolerance in transgenic cotton

The HUB2 gene encoding histone H2B monoubiquitination E3 ligase is involved in seed dormancy, flowering timing, defence response and salt stress regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, we used the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter to drive AtHUB2 overexpression in cotton and found that it can significantly improve the agricultural traits of transgenic cotton plants under drought stress conditions, including increasing the fruit branch number, boll number, and boll‐setting rate and decreasing the boll abscission rate. In addition, survival and soluble sugar, proline and leaf relative water contents were increased in transgenic cotton plants after drought stress treatment. In contrast, RNAi knockdown of GhHUB2 genes reduced the drought resistance of transgenic cotton plants. AtHUB2 overexpression increased the global H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1) level through a direct interaction with GhH2B1 and up‐regulated the expression of drought‐related genes in transgenic cotton plants. Furthermore, we found a significant increase in H3K4me3 at the DREB locus in transgenic cotton, although no change in H3K4me3 was identified at the global level. These results demonstrated that AtHUB2 overexpression changed H2Bub1 and H3K4me3 levels at the GhDREB chromatin locus, leading the GhDREB gene to respond quickly to drought stress to improve transgenic cotton drought resistance, but had no influence on transgenic cotton development under normal growth conditions. Our findings also provide a useful route for breeding drought‐resistant transgenic plants.