植物光信号途径重要新调控因子TZP的研究进展

TZP(TANDEM ZINC-FINGER/PLUS3)是近年来鉴定到的一个光信号转导途径新组分,在光介导的植物生长发育过程中发挥重要调控作用。TZP不仅负调控蓝光信号途径,参与光敏色素B(phyB)介导的开花调控过程,还参与调控phyA在体内的蛋白质磷酸化。对TZP生化活性和作用机制的深入研究,不仅有助于进一步完善光信号调控网络,也可为设计和培育具有耐密理想株型及高光效作物新品种提供理论依据。该文系统总结了TZP在植物光信号途径中发挥的重要调控作用,并提出未来TZP功能研究的重要问题。     

拟南芥PRRs基因在红光和蓝光信号转导中的作用初探

以拟南芥为材料,在红光和蓝光下对PRRs(pseudo-response regulators)突变体prr5p、rr7、prr9和toc1及其野生型的下胚轴表型进行比较观察,并采用实时定量PCR方法对突变体中光信号通路相关基因ZTL(zeitlupe)和CO(constans)的节律表达进行分析.结果表明:在红光下,prr5和toc1的下胚轴长度比野生型显著增长,在蓝光下,prr7p、rr9和toc1较野生型短,表明突变体降低了拟南芥对红光的敏感性,却增强了对蓝光的敏感性.红光和蓝光下,PRRs突变体中ZTL和CO的mRNA节律表达与野生型明显不同,其中红光下prr5和prr7、蓝光下prr5和toc1中的ZTLmRNA的表达显著下降且节律消失;红光下prr7和prr9以及蓝光下prr5突变体中的COmRNA表现基本无节律.因此推测,PRRs与ZTL的相互作用很可能在红光和蓝光信号转导途径中发挥作用,且PRRs基因极有可能参与了红光和蓝光对CO的调控.     

Spatial-specific regulation of root development by phytochromes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Distinct tissues and organs of plants exhibit dissimilar responses to light exposure – cotyledon growth is promoted by light, whereas hypocotyl growth is inhibited by light. Light can have different impacts on root development, including impacting root elongation, morphology, lateral root proliferation and root tropisms. In many cases, light inhibits root elongation. There has been much attention given to whether roots themselves are the sites of photoperception for light that impacts light-dependent growth and development of roots. A number of approaches including photoreceptor localization in planta, localized irradiation and exposure of dissected roots to light have been used to explore the site(s) of light perception for the photoregulation of root development. Such approaches have led to the observation that photoreceptors are localized to roots in many plant species, and that roots are capable of light absorption that can alter morphology and/or gene expression. Our recent results show that localized depletion of phytochrome photoreceptors in Arabidopsis thaliana disrupts root development and root responsiveness to the plant hormone jasmonic acid. Thus, root-localized light perception appears central to organ-specific, photoregulation of growth and development in roots.     

植物UV-B受体及其介导的光信号转导

拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）蛋白UVR8（UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8）是UV-B特异的光受体,介导UV-B诱导的光形态建成。无UV-B照射时,UVR8以二聚体的形式存在于细胞质和细胞核中。接收到UV-B光信号后,细胞质中的UVR8转移到细胞核中并解聚,之后与E3泛素连接酶COP1（CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1）相互作用,调节一系列重要的UV防御基因的表达。UVR8除了作为UV-B特异的光受体,在细胞中也具有重要作用,协调整个植物体对UV-B的应答。该文重点综述了UVR8蛋白的结构、生理功能及其介导的UV-B光信号转导分子机制等方面的研究进展。     

ATHKl基因调节拟南芥渗透胁迫信号转导过程

以拟南芥ATHKl基因T-DNA插入所产生的缺失突变体和野生型ws(wassilewskija)生态型为材料,分析了它们在生理和基因表达方面的差异.结果表明突变体的离体叶片失水率明显大于野生型;在30%PEG-6000胁迫后,野生型和ATHKJ突变体的细胞膜离子外渗率比胁迫前分别增加了50%和80%.PEG胁迫48 h时突变体的萎蔫程度明显大于野生型ws.以上结果说明ATHKl突变体的抗渗透胁迫能力低于野生型,即ATHKl基因参与了拟南芥适应逆境的调节反应.利用DDRT-PCR技术研究二者在PEG胁迫36h后的基因表达差异,分离到9个在野生型中被PEG诱导表达而在突变体中未被诱导的参与逆境应答的基因片段,其中包括MAPKKKl8和丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白激酶基因,即ATHKJ基因失活引起下游基因响应渗透胁迫的能力减弱,进一步说明ATHKJ基因参与拟南芥适应逆境的调节反应,并且ATHKl可能在逆境信号转导组分MAPK的上游起作用,很可能是植物体中的渗透感受器.     

Cellular metabolites modulate in vivo signaling of Arabidopsis cryptochrome-1

Cryptochromes are blue-light absorbing flavoproteins with multiple signaling roles. In plants, cryptochrome (cry1, cry2) biological activity has been linked to flavin photoreduction via an electron transport chain to the protein surface comprising 3 evolutionarily conserved tryptophan residues known as the ‘Trp triad.’ Mutation of any of the Trp triad residues abolishes photoreduction in isolated cryptochrome protein in vitro and therefore had been suggested as essential for electron transfer to the flavin. However, photoreduction of the flavin in Arabidopsis cry2 proteins occurs in vivo even with mutations in the Trp triad, indicating the existence of alternative electron transfer pathways to the flavin. These pathways are potentiated by metabolites in the intracellular environment including ATP, ADP, AMP, and NADH. In the present work we extend these observations to Arabidopsis cryptochrome 1 and demonstrate that Trp triad substitution mutants at W400F and W324F positions which are not photoreduced in vitro can be photoreduced in whole cell extracts, albeit with reduced efficiency. We further show that the flavin signaling state (FADH°) is stabilized in an in vivo context. These data illustrate that in vivo modulation by metabolites in the cellular environment may play an important role in cryptochrome signaling, and are discussed with respect to possible effects on the conformation of the C-terminal domain to generate the biologically active conformational state.     

TT8 controls its own expression in a feedback regulation involving TTG1 and homologous MYB and bHLH factors, allowing a strong and cell-specific accumulation of flavonoids in Arabidopsis thaliana

The control of TT8 expression was investigated in this study, and it was demonstrated that it constitutes a major regulatory step in the specific activation of the expression of flavonoid structural genes. First, the GUS activity generated in planta from a TT8::uidA construct revealed cell-specific activation of the TT8 promoter consistent with the known involvement of the TT8 bHLH factor in proanthocyanidin, anthocyanin and mucilage biosynthesis. Moreover, the activity of this reporter construct was strongly affected in ttg1, TT2 overexpressers (OE), and PAP1-OE, suggesting interplay between TT2, PAP1, TTG1 and the activation of the TT8 promoter in planta. To further investigate the mechanisms involved, we used 35S::TT2-GR and 35S::TTG1-GR transgenic plants (expressing fusion proteins with the glucocorticoid receptor), as well as one-hybrid experiments, to determine the direct effect of these factors on TT8 expression. Interestingly, in vivo binding of TT2 and PAP1 to the TT8 promoter was dependent on the simultaneous expression of TT8 or the homologous bHLH factors GL3 and EGL3. Consistent with these results, the activity of the TT8::uidA reporter was strongly affected in the seed endothelium of a tt8 mutant. Similarly, a strong decrease in the level of TT8 mRNA was detected in the siliques of a gl3 x egl3 mutant and in plants that express a dominant negative form of the PAP1 protein, suggesting that TT8 expression is controlled by different combinations of MYB and bHLH factors in planta. The importance of this positive feedback mechanism in the strong and specific induction of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in the seed coat of Arabidopsis thaliana is discussed.     

Phytochromes and cryptochromes regulate the differential growth of Arabidopsis hypocotyls in both a PGP19-dependent and a PGP19-independent manner

Photoreceptors, phytochromes and cryptochromes regulate hypocotyl growth under specific conditions, by suppressing negative gravitropism, modulating phototropism and inhibiting elongation. Although these effects seem to be partially caused via the regulation of the phytohormone auxin, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still poorly understood. In our present study, we demonstrate that the flabby mutation enhances both phytochrome- and cryptochrome-inducible hypocotyl bending in Arabidopsis. The FLABBY gene encodes the ABC-type auxin transporter, PGP19, and its expression is suppressed by the activation of phytochromes and cryptochromes. Our current results therefore indicate that the phytochromes and cryptochromes have at least two effects upon the tropic responses of the hypocotyls in Arabidopsis: the enhancement of hypocotyl bending through the suppression of PGP19, and a PGP19-independent mechanism that induces hypocotyl bending. By the using an auxin polar transport assay and DR5:GUS expression analysis, we further find that the phytochromes inhibit basipetal auxin transport, and induce the asymmetric distribution of auxin in the hypocotyls. These data suggest that the control of auxin transport by phytochromes and cryptochromes is a critical regulatory component of hypocotyl growth in response to light.     

光和蛋白合成抑制剂对水稻RubisCO大、小亚基和RubisCO亚基结合蛋白基因表达的影响

水稻RubiCO在体内周转率很低,而其亚基结合蛋白(rbcBP)的周转却很迅速。水稻黄化幼苗随照光时间增加,在24h内Ru—bisCO蛋白量迅速上升,而 rbcBP在照光 6h后,其蛋白含量即维持恒定。 在转录水平上,RubisCO小亚基(rbcS)对光最为敏感;同样,rbcS的转录对蛋白合成抑制剂的反应也最为敏感。用亚胺环己酮和氯霉素处理水稻叶片,得到结果与光处理基本一致。 光与蛋白质合成抑制剂对rbcL、rbcS和rbcBP在基因表达各种水平上均有不同程度的影响,而以翻译水平上的调控较为灵敏。rbcS在基因表达调控上可能起某种支配作用;rbcBP与 rbcL、rbcS表达调控协调性不很紧密。     

日本血吸虫信号转导蛋白Sjwnt-4基因的克隆、表达及功能分析

由Wnt基因家族产物与其它相关基因产物构成的Wnt信号通路,是细胞发育和生长调节的一个关键途径,对动物的发育特别是生殖系统的发育起重要的调节作用。在人类和小鼠中,Wnt4蛋白是性腺分化过程中主要调节因子,在胚胎发育中起着关键作用。利用RACE技术从日本血吸虫19d童虫中首次扩增到一个Wnt家族基因,序列分析表明该基因的完整编码框含1311bp,编码436个氨基酸,理论分子量49.6kD。同源性分析结果表明,该基因的氨基酸序列具有典型Wnt家族蛋白特征,与日本三角涡虫、人Wnt4的氨基酸序列相似性分别达43%、37%,推测为血吸虫的Wnt4基因,命名为Sjwnt4(GenBank登陆号DQ643829)。实时定量PCR分析显示该基因在14d童虫、19d童虫、31d虫体、44d雌虫及44d雄虫中均有表达,其中19d童虫中的表达量明显高于其它发育阶段,44d雌虫中的表达量明显高于雄虫。构建了该基因的原核表达载体pGEX-4T-2-Sjwnt4,应用大肠杆菌系统进行了表达,表达蛋白以包涵体形式存在,Western印迹显示表达产物能被日本血吸虫成虫粗抗原免疫血清所识别。Sjwnt4基因及其表达产物的获得,为探索Wnt信号通路对血吸虫发育、生殖的调节提供了重要基础。     

拟南芥ABA不敏感型突变体及其ABA结合特性

拟南芥的脱落醚（ABA）不敏感型突变体abi2,在对ABA的敏感性、气孔开度及种子休眠方面,与野生型有明显差异。通过3H－ABA与野生型对的亚细胞组分的结合分析,表明38000×g组分特异结合活性最高,结合最适温度为20℃,最适保温时间：20℃时为70min;0℃时为90min。由饱和曲线的Scatchard分析表明：abi2存在一种ABA结合位点,野生型有两种ABA结合位点。对3H－ABA结合的38000×g组分的SDS－PAGE电泳分析表明：野生型有3个结合活性峰,而abi2只有1个结合活性峰。