A polygalacturonase inhibitory protein gene (<Emphasis Type="Italic">BcMF19</Emphasis>) expressed during pollen development in Chinese cabbage-pak-choi

The level of polygalacturonase inhibitory protein (PGIP) genes involved in pollen development remains unclear. Characterization of the different PGIP genes that are expressed in pollen is necessary in understanding the similarities and differences of functions between the members of this gene family, as well as the underlying mechanism of pollen development. A gene-encoding putative PGIP, BcMF19 was successfully cloned on a cDNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism fragment after it was found to be up-regulated in the fertile flower buds of Chinese cabbage-pak-choi (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino) genic male sterile AB line (Bajh97-01A/B). The amino acid sequence of BcMF19 possessed the basic feature of PGIPs, containing an N-terminal signal peptide, several potential N-glycosylation sites, two disulfide bridges flanking both the N- and C-terminal regions, and 10 leucine-rich repeat (LRR) consensus sequences. Real-time RT-PCR verified the higher expression of BcMF19 in the fertile flower buds compared to the sterile flower buds. In situ hybridization showed that BcMF19 was exclusively expressed in the tapetal cells and microspores during anther development. These results indicate that BcMF19 is a novel PGIP gene that might be involved in pollen or tapetum development.     

白菜雄性不育相关基因BcMF4基因功能的RNAi验证

BcMF4(Brassica campestris Male Fertility 4)是前一阶段从普通白菜 (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis var. communis, syn. B. rapa ssp. chinensis var. communis)核雄性不育两用系的可育株中分离到的雄性不育相关基因。本研究根据BcMF4基因的cDNA序列设计两对特异引物, 从普通白菜花蕾cDNA中扩增出两个片断后连接至双元载体pBI12l中, 得到了RNAi (RNA interference) 植物表达栽体pBI-B4R, 并导入了农杆菌LBA4404菌株中; 通过组织培养途径转化菜心(B. campestris ssp. chinensis var. parachinensis), 72.2%的菜心转基因植株中45.8%的花粉为缩小而空瘪的畸形, 而且这些植株的花粉离体萌发率降低至23.7%; Northern杂交显示, 转基因植株的花粉畸形, 是由于BcMF4基因片段的插入使BcMF4基因的表达受到了抑制。结果表明, 采用RNAi技术下调了BcMF4基因的表达, 导致了菜心转基因植株部分花粉的不育, 证明BcMF4基因在普通白菜和菜心等白菜植物的花粉发育中起着重要作用。     

雪里蕻非特异脂质转运蛋白基因的克隆与分析

非特异脂质转运蛋白是植物生命活动中一类重要的活性蛋白,这类蛋白在植物的抗性和防御中行使着重要的功能。近年来研究发现这类蛋白还与植物的有性生殖密切相关。通过已得到的普通白菜的脂质转运蛋白基因BcMF15的核苷酸序列,在其基因全长两侧设计引物,从雪里蕻中克隆得到该类活性蛋白基因,命名为BjLTP (登陆号: EU082009)。该基因全长650bp,不含内含子。不同组织的表达特征分析发现,BjLTP在雪里蕻的花蕾、开放的花中特异表达,推测BjLTP可能与花粉的发育有关。蛋白质特征预测及蛋白序列结构分析发现BjLTP是一个跨膜蛋白,具有显著的疏水区。序列同源比对表明该基因与白花芥蓝、拟南芥等的脂质转运蛋白基因有很高的相似性,证明BjLTP是LTP家族的成员之一。     

雄性不育相关基因msLTP的反义RNA验证

根据普通白菜雄性不育相关的脂质转移蛋白基因(msLTP)的cDNA序列设计引物,从普通白菜花蕾的cDNA中扩增出312bp的片段,然后将该片段连接至双元载体pBI12l中,得到反义RNA植物表达载体并导入农杆菌LBA4404菌株中,通过农杆菌介导法转化菜心;利用PCR和Southern blot分析检测得到了25株转基因植株,转基因植株的花粉部分畸形或空瘪,花粉离体萌发率为38.56%,较未转化植株的萌发率(76.32%)降低了37.76个百分点.研究表明,反义RNA技术使msLTP基因沉默而导致了菜心转基因植株的部分花粉发育不良,说明msLTP基因在普通白菜和菜心等花粉发育中具有重要作用.     

Characterization and functional analysis of a novel PCP gene BcMF5 from Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino)

Brassica campestris Male Fertile 5 (BcMF5), a novel member of the pollen coat protein class A (PCP-A) gene family, was identified from Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino (Chinese cabbage-pak-choi). Temporal and spatial expression analysis showed that BcMF5 is a late-expressed PCP gene related to the process of determining pollen fertility. Functional analysis by hairpin RNA (hpRNA)-mediated RNA interference also showed that the expression of BcMF5 is inhibited, which resulted in the low germination ability of the pollen and also in an abnormality of the pollen exemplified by a collapsed germination furrow. This demonstrates that the expression of BcMF5 is closely related to the tapetum. Further, the expression profile of the BcMF5 promoter in Arabidopsis was also analyzed. This analysis indicated that the BcMF5 promoter began expression in the early stage of anther development and drove high levels of glucuronidase (GUS) expression in anthers, pollen, and the pollen tube in the late stage of pollen development, but did not drive any expression in petals, sepals, or pistils. Together with the functional analysis, the hypothesis that BcMF5 may have a sporophytic or gametophytic expression pattern is presented.     

BcMF21 is important for pollen development and germination in Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis

Brassica campestris Male Fertility 21 (BcMF21) was previously isolated from the flower buds of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino, syn. B. rapa ssp. chinensis) and expressed specifically in tapetum and microspores during the meiosis stage and the uninucleate stage of microspore development. Here, we used antisense RNA technology to knock down the expression level of BcMF21 in B. campestris and analyzed the phenotype of the transgenic plants. Alexander staining and scanning electron microscope revealed sterility and exine deformities in the mature pollen grains of BcMF21 antisense RNA transgenic plants. The germination furrow of the BcMF21 antisense RNA transgenic pollen was covered by lipid like materials. The pollen tubes burst and could not grow normally in vitro. Therefore, we presented here BcMF21 might be an important gene for pollen development and germination.     

Morphological and functional characterization of BcMF13 in the antisense-silenced plants of Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis var. parachinensis

The gene Brassica campestris male fertility 13 (BcMF13, GenBank accession number EF158459) was isolated as a reproductive organ-specific gene from Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino, syn. B. rapa ssp. chinensis). It is exclusively expressed in stage four and five flower buds of fertile lines and is most strongly expressed in stamens. Here, we report a functional characterization of this BcMF13 gene in the antisense-silenced plants. The inflorescence of the BcMF13 mutant was compacted with anthers curved outside. The fertility of this mutant was greatly reduced with less than 5 seeds per silique. Under scanning electron microscopy, the mutant demonstrated numerous shriveled pollen grains with deep invaginations. The frequency of normal pollen grains was just 45.34%. The pollen mother cell, the tetrad, and the mature pollen of the BcMF13 mutant were abnormal resulting in the poor pollen vitality. Germination test in vivo suggested BcMF13 delayed the pollen tubes’ extension in the style. All these indicated BcMF13 had a vital role in pollen development of Chinese cabbage.