小拟南芥ApZFP基因异源超表达促进拟南芥开花并提高耐逆性

锌指蛋白(ZFP)是一类重要的转录因子, 广泛参与植物的生长发育和非生物胁迫应答。新疆小拟南芥(Arabidopsispumila)又名无苞芥, 是十字花科短命植物, 具有高光效、繁殖力强和适应干旱等生物学特征, 而且比模式植物拟南芥(A.thaliana)更耐高盐胁迫。将前期克隆的小拟南芥锌指蛋白基因ApZFP通过花滴法转化到哥伦比亚生态型拟南芥(Col-0)中,获得了独立表达的转基因株系。表型观察发现, 过量表达ApZFP基因可促使拟南芥在长短日照下均提前开花。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示, 转基因拟南芥株系中, 光周期途径中的CO基因和年龄途径中的SPL基因表达上调; 春化、环境温度和自主途径中的FLC基因表达下调; 编码成花素的基因FT及下游开花相关基因AP1和LFY的表达量均升高。进一步通过盐、干旱和ABA胁迫处理ApZFP转基因株系的种子和幼苗, 发现在胁迫处理下, 与对照相比, 转基因拟南芥种子萌发率较高, 幼苗主根较长。因此推测, ApZFP在植物发育过程中具有多种功能, 可能既参与植物的开花转变过程, 又同其它植物的锌指蛋白基因一样, 参与植物的耐逆过程。     

异源表达CkLEA1基因增强了拟南芥对非生物胁迫的耐受性

植物在生长过程中会受到各种非生物胁迫的伤害,导致生长发育和产量受到严重影响,胚胎晚期丰富蛋白（late embryogenesis abundant proteins,LEA蛋白）在植物抵抗非生物胁迫过程中起着重要的保护作用。在前期的研究基础上,将受多种胁迫诱导的柠条锦鸡儿CkLEA1（GenBank登录号KC309408）基因转入野生型拟南芥,通过实时荧光定量PCR从7株T₃代纯合体中筛选出3个转基因株系做进一步研究。种子萌发率实验发现,在200 mmol/L NaCl和400 mmol/L甘露醇处理下,转基因株系萌发率均高于野生型拟南芥。干旱处理2周大的幼苗后,转基因株系明显比野生型更抗旱,存活率高于野生型,并且失水率低于野生型。同时,转基因株系积累了较少的丙二醛（MDA）,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性和谷胱甘肽（GSH）含量也高于野生型。这些结果表明,柠条锦鸡儿CkLEA1基因在种子萌发阶段提高了拟南芥对盐和渗透胁迫的耐受性,并且提高了转基因拟南芥幼苗生长阶段对干旱胁迫的抵抗能力。     

玉米钼辅助因子硫酸化酶基因启动子的克隆与功能验证

为克服组成型启动子启动外源基因过量表达引起的诸多问题,同源克隆(Mo-molybdopterin cofactor sulfurase)基因（ABA3）的启动子(ABA3s)序列,并用PlantCARE软件分析其非生物逆境应答元件, 实时定量PCR检测ABA3基因在非生物逆境诱导下的差异表达后。然后,用该启动子构建启动GUS（β-glucuronidase）基因的表达载体, 基因枪法转化玉米愈伤组织。经组织化学染色法检测其表达后, 在高渗、高盐、低温胁迫处理及ABA诱导下检测GUS酶荧光值与荧光素酶(内参)发光值的比值(GUS/LUC), 以此评价ABA3s启动子在非生物逆境胁迫下的启动活性。结果表明, ABA3基因在模拟干旱、低温、高温、高盐胁迫及ABA、乙稀诱导下差异表达, 说明该基因的启动子(ABA3s)具有非生物逆境诱导活性。序列分析表明, ABA3s启动子全长777 bp, 含有ARE、HSE、MBS、TGA、Circadian等多种非生物逆境胁迫应答元件。用ABA3s启动GUS基因构建的表达载体转化的玉米愈伤组织, 响应干旱、低温、高温、高盐胁迫等多种非生物逆境胁迫, 及ABA和乙稀诱导, GUS检测呈阳性。在8%甘露醇高渗条件下, GUS/LUC比值比空白对照高6倍。上述结果表明, ABA3s启动子具有非生物逆境诱导特性, 经进一步验证其功能后, 可用于玉米抗逆转基因研究。     

BWMK1 Responds to Multiple Environmental Stresses and Plant Hormones

Many plant mltogen-actlvated protein klnases （MAPKs） play an important role In regulating responses to both ablotlc and biotic stresses. The first reported rice MAPK gene BWMK1 Is Induced by both rice blast （Magnaporthe grisea） Infection and mechanical wounding. For further analysis of Its response to other environmental cues and plant hormones, such as jasmonlc acid （JA）, salicylic acid （SA）, and benzothladlazole （BTH）, the promoter of BWMKf was fused with the coding region of the β-glucuronldase （GUS） reporter gene. Two promoter-GUS constructs with a 1.0- and 2.5-kb promoter fragment, respectively, were generated and transformed into the Japonica rice cultIvars TP309 and Zhonghua 11. Expression of GUS was Induced in the transgenic lines by cold, drought, dark, and JA. However, light, SA, and BTH treatments suppressed GUS expression. These results demonstrate that BWMK1 Is responsive to multiple ablotlc stresses and plant hormones and may play a role In cross-talk between different signaling pathways.     

Constitutive expression of CaRma1H1, a hot pepper ER-localized RING E3 ubiquitin ligase, increases tolerance to drought and salt stresses in transgenic tomato plants

CaRma1H1, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized hot pepper really interesting new genes (RING) E3 Ub ligase, was previously reported to be a positive regulator of drought stress responses. To address the possibility that CaRma1H1 can be used to improve tolerance to abiotic stress in crop plants, CaRma1H1 was constitutively expressed in transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. CaRma1H1-overexpressing tomato plants (35S:CaRma1H1) exhibited greatly enhanced tolerance to high-salinity treatments compared with wild-type plants. Leaf chlorophyll and proline contents in CaRma1H1 overexpressors were 4.3- to 8.5-fold and 1.2- to 1.5-fold higher, respectively, than in wild-type plants after 300?mM NaCl treatment. Transgenic cotyledons developed and their roots elongated in the presence of NaCl up to 200?mM. In addition, 35S:CaRma1H1 lines were markedly more tolerant to severe drought stress than were wild-type plants. Detached leaves of CaRma1H1 overexpressors preserved water more efficiently than did wild-type leaves during a rapid dehydration process. The ER chaperone genes LePDIL1, LeBIP1, and LeCNX1 were markedly up-regulated in 35S:CaRma1H1 tomatoes compared with wild-type plants. Therefore, overexpression of CaRma1H1 may enhance tomato plant ER responses to drought stress by effectively removing nonfunctional ubiquitinated proteins. Collectively, constitutive expression of CaRma1H1 in tomatoes conferrred strongly enhanced tolerance to salt- and water-stress. This raises the possibility that CaRma1H1 may be useful for developing abiotic stress-tolerant tomato plants. Key message CaRma1H1 increases drought tolerance in transgenic tomato plants.     

Functional characterization of a putative nitrate transporter gene promoter from rice

Drought is one of the most significant abiotic stresses that influence plant growth anddevelopment.Expression analysis revealed that OsNRT1.3,a putative nitrate transporter gene in rice,wasinduced by drought.To confirm if the OsNRT1.3 promoter can respond to drought stress,a 2019 bpupstream sequence of OsNRT1.3 was cloned.Three OsNRT1.3 promoter fragments were generated by5′-deletion,and fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene.The chimeric genes were introduced into riceplants.NRT2019::GUS,NRT1196::GUS and NRT719::GUS showed similar expression patterns in seeds,roots,leaves and flowers in all transgenic rice,and GUS activity conferred by different OsNRT1.3 promoterfragments was significantly upregulated by drought stress,indicating that OsNRT1.3 promoter responds todrought stress and the 719 bp upstream sequence of OsNRT1.3 contains the drought response elements.     

Developing Fiber Specific Promoter-Reporter Transgenic Lines to Study the Effect of Abiotic Stresses on Fiber Development in Cotton

Cotton is one of the most important cash crops in US agricultural industry. Environmental stresses, such as drought, high temperature and combination of both, not only reduce the overall growth of cotton plants, but also greatly decrease cotton lint yield and fiber quality. The impact of environmental stresses on fiber development is poorly understood due to technical difficulties associated with the study of developing fiber tissues and lack of genetic materials to study fiber development. To address this important question and provide the need for scientific community, we have generated transgenic cotton lines harboring cotton fiber specific promoter (CFSP)-reporter constructs from six cotton fiber specific genes (Expansin, E6, Rac13, CelA1, LTP, and Fb late), representing genes that are expressed at different stages of fiber development. Individual CFSP::GUS or CFSP::GFP construct was introduced into Coker 312 via Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Transgenic cotton lines were evaluated phenotypically and screened for the presence of selectable marker, reporter gene expression, and insertion numbers. Quantitative analysis showed that the patterns of GUS reporter gene activity during fiber development in transgenic cotton lines were similar to those of the native genes. Greenhouse drought and heat stress study showed a correlation between the decrease in promoter activities and decrease in fiber length, increase in micronaire and changes in other fiber quality traits in transgenic lines grown under stressed condition. These newly developed materials provide new molecular tools for studying the effects of abiotic stresses on fiber development and may be used in study of cotton fiber development genes and eventually in the genetic manipulation of fiber quality.     

羽衣甘蓝胁迫应答基因BoRS1转化烟草的初步研究

将克隆于羽衣甘蓝的胁迫应答基因BoRS1连入中间载体p35S-2300：：gus：：noster相应位点,成功地构建了含BoRS1基因的植物双元表达载体p35S-2300：：BoRS1：：noster,并通过农杆菌介导法对烟草进行了遗传转化。PCR检测结果表明目的基因BoRS1已成功地导入并整合到烟草基因组中。RT-PCR分析显示,在不同的转基因烟草植株中BoRS1表达量存在差异。转BoRS1烟草的耐干性和甘露醇胁迫研究表明,BoRS1基因的表达对提高植物抗干旱胁迫能力有一定的作用。     

胡杨PeNAC121基因启动子的分离鉴定和胁迫应答模式分析

为了探究NAC转录因子家族成员在胡杨（Populus euphratica）逆境胁迫中的响应和调控机制,利用PCR技术从胡杨中克隆了PeNAC121基因的启动子序列,并采用生物信息学工具对该启动子的结构特征进行了分析,最后利用该启动子驱动GUS报告基因在三倍体毛白杨（Populus tomentosa）中表达,并对获得的转基因植株采用不同胁迫处理后进行了GUS染色和酶活性定量分析。结果表明,克隆获得的PeNAC121基因的启动子长度为1 997 bp（起始密码子ATG上游）,启动序列中除了含有大量的光响应元件,还含有多个与非生物逆境胁迫和激素响应相关的元件,如低温响应元件LTR、干旱响应元件MBS、防卫和胁迫响应元件TC-rich repeats、脱落酸（ABA）响应元件、以及赤霉素（GA）响应元件等。基因的组织表达模式检测结果显示,PeNAC121基因主要在茎中表达,在根和叶中的表达较少。GUS组织化学染色和酶活性检测结果表明,胡杨PeNAC121启动子显著受到NaCl、甘露醇、ABA和4 ℃低温的诱导表达。由上述结果推测PeNAC121基因与胡杨的逆境胁迫应答密切相关,表明该基因的启动子是一个能够应答多种逆境胁迫的诱导型启动子。本研究为阐明PeNAC121基因在胡杨逆境响应和调控中的作用机制提供理论参考。     

The Commelina Yellow Mottle Virus Promoter Is a Strong Promoter in Vascular Tissue of Transgenic Gossypium hirsutum Plants

Explants of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Jingmian 7) were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith et Townsend ) Conn LBA4404 harboring an expression cassette composed of CoYMV (Commelina Yellow Mottle Virus) promoter-gus-nos terminator on the plant expression vector pBcopd2. Transgenic plants were regenerated and selected on a medium containing kanamycin. GUS (β-glucuronidase) activity assays and Southern blot analysis confirmed that the chimerical gus gene was integrated into and expressed in the regenerated cotton plants. Plant expression vector pBI121 was also transferred into the same cotton variety and the regenerated transgenic plants were used as a positive control in GUS activity analysis. Evidences from histochemical analysis of GUS activity demonstrated that under the control of a 597 bp CoYMV promoter the gus gene was highly expressed in the vascular tissues of leaves, petioles, stems, roots, hypocotyls, bracteal leaves and most of the flower parts while GUS activity could not be detected in stigma, anther sac and developing cotton fibers of the transgenic cotton plants. GUS specific activity in various organs and tissues from transgenic cotton lines was determined and the results indicated that the CoYMV promoter-gus activities were at the same level or higher than that of CaMV 35S promoter-gus in leaf veins and roots where the vascular tissues occupy a relatively larger part of the organs, but in other organs like leaves, cotyledons and hypocotyls where the vascular tissues occupy a smaller part of the organs the CoYMV promoter-gus activity was only 1/3-1/5 of the CaMV 35S promoter-gus activity. The GUS activity ratio between veins and leaves was averaged 0.5 for 35S-GUS plants and about 2.0 for CoYMV promoter-gus transgenic plants. These results further demonstrated the vascular specific property of the promoter in transgenic cotton plants. An increasing trend of GUS activity in leaf vascular tissues of transgenic cotton plants developing from young to older was observed.     

Transgenic Bt cotton driven by the green tissue-specific promoter shows strong toxicity to lepidopteran pests and lower Bt toxin accumulation in seeds

A promoter of the PNZIP(Pharbitis nil leucine zipper)gene(1.459 kb)was cloned from Pharbitis nil and fused to the GUS(b-glucuronidase)and Bacillus thuringiensis endotoxin(Cry9C)genes.Several transgenic PNZIP::GUS and PNZIP::Cry9C cotton lines were developed by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.Strong GUS staining was detected in the green tissues of the transgenic PNZIP::GUS cotton plants.In contrast,GUS staining in the reproductive structures such as petals,anther,and immature seeds of PNZIP::GUS cotton was very faint.Two transgenic PNZIP::Cry9C lines and one transgenic cauliflower mosaic virus(Ca MV)35S::Cry9C line were selected for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)and insect bioassays.Expression of the Cry9C protein in the 35S::Cry9C line maintained a high level in most tissues ranging from24.6 to 45.5μg g~(-1) fresh weight.In green tissues such as the leaves,boll rinds,and bracts of the PNZIP::Cry9C line,the Cry9C protein accumulated up to 50.2,39.7,and 48.3μg g~(-1) fresh weight respectively.In contrast,seeds of the PNZIP::Cry9C line(PZ1.3)accumulated only 0.26μg g~(-1) fresh weight of the Cry9C protein,which was 100 times lower than that recorded for the seeds of the Ca MV 35S::Cry9C line.The insect bioassay showed that the transgenic PNZIP::Cry9C cotton plant exhibited strong resistance to both the cotton bollworm and the pink bollworm.The PNZIP promoter could effectively drive Bt toxin expression in green tissues of cotton and lower accumulated levels of the Bt protein in seeds.These features should allay public concerns about the safety of transgenic foods.We propose the future utility of PNZIP as an economical,environmentally friendly promoter in cotton biotechnology.