Approaches to understanding auxin action

The effects of auxin on plant growth and development have been studied for decades, but the molecular mechanisms of auxin action remain unknown. These mechanisms have primarily been investigated by characterization of auxin physiology mutants and analysis of auxin-binding proteins and auxin-regulated genes. These efforts are now converging, since some mutants have recently been shown to have altered expression of specific auxin-binding proteins and auxin-regulated genes. The features of these proteins and genes are providing the first tantalizing clues to the organization of auxin signal transduction pathways.     

Arabidopsis SHY2/IAA3 inhibits auxin-regulated gene expression

In Arabidopsis, SHY2 encodes IAA3, a member of the auxin-induced Aux/IAA family. Gain-of-function mutations in SHY2/IAA3 cause enlarged cotyledons, short hypocotyls, and altered auxin-regulated root development. Here we show that the gain-of-function mutation shy2-2 decreases both the induction and repression of auxin-regulated genes, suggesting that SHY2/IAA3 acts as a negative regulator in auxin signaling. shy2-2 affects auxin induction of many previously characterized primary response genes, implying that it might repress primary auxin responses. In addition, shy2-2 also affects expression of multiple auxin-nonresponsive genes. Light regulates expression of SHY2/IAA3, suggesting a possible link between light and auxin response pathways.     

茶树冷诱导基因的AFLP筛选及其表达分析

以中小叶茶树良种舒茶早和云南大叶种73-11为材料,于4℃低温处理4 d后,采用AFLP技术筛选出冷诱导下茶树差异表达基因并进行分析.结果显示,实验共获得41个差异片段(TDFs),其中舒茶早产生19条差异条带,73-11产生38条差异条带,两品种共有条带16条.所获得的差异片段按功能可划分为4类,即信号传导蛋白、转录因子、基础代谢相关蛋白、抗逆蛋白质,此外还有一些假设蛋白质以及未知蛋白.利用qRT-PCR对Kh1、Kh3和Kh11差异片段进行验证,结果显示这3个片段均被低温诱导,表达量上升.研究表明,茶树在低温胁迫下的逆境反应非常复杂,涉及多种代谢过程中的众多基因,而且大叶种比中小叶种对低温反应更为敏感.