稻瘟病菌微波诱发突变体的分析*

通过诱变获得突变体是研究稻瘟病菌变异机制的基础。本文用微波炉对稻瘟病菌分生孢子进行低强度短时间处理获得了一批形态发育和致病性突变体,并对它们进行了分析。突变体1-40-271菌落呈白色,产孢与萌发均正常,但萌发后即便在人工疏水表面上也不能形成附着胞,且丧失了致病性;突变体2-20-6菌落呈黄色,孢子萌发率为1%,萌发的孢子其附着胞形成率仅为0.01%,致病性减弱;突变体2-30-3菌落呈黄色,形成的附着胞大部分不正常,但致病性正常。Rep-PCR指纹分析发现,突变体2-20-6和2-30-3比其相应野生型少1条带,而突变体1-40-271与其野生型比较没有变化,说明微波可能造成稻瘟病菌基因组DNA缺失或点突变而发生变异。继代分析表明微波处理获得的稻瘟病菌形态和致病性突变体是稳定的。     

Mutations Leading to Expression of the Cryptic HMR a Locus in the Yeast SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Mutations leading to expression of the silent HMRa information in Saccharomyces cerevisiae result in sporulation proficiency in mata1/MAT alpha diploids. An example of such a mutation is sir5-2, a recessive mutation in the gene SIR5. As expected, haploids carrying the sir5-2 mutation are nonmaters due to the simultaneous expression of HMRa and HML alpha, resulting in the nonmating phenotype of an a/alpha diploid. However, sir5-2/sir5-2 mata1/MAT alpha diploids mate as alpha yet are capable of sporulation. The sir5-2 mutation is unlinked to sir1-1, yet the two mutations do not complement each other: mata1/MAT alpha sir5-2/SIR5 SIR1/sir1-1 diploids are capable of sporulation. In this case, recessive mutations in two unlinked genes form a mutant phenotype, in spite of the presence of the normal wild-type alleles. The PAS1-1 mutation, Provider of a Sporulation function, is a dominant mutation tightly linked to HMRa. PAS1-1 does not affect the mating ability of a strain, yet it allows diploids lacking a functional MATa locus to sporulate. It is proposed that PAS1-1 leads to partial expression of the otherwise cryptic a1 information at HMRa.     

Single-molecule analysis of the hypermutable tetranucleotide repeat locus D21S1245 through sperm genotyping: a heterogeneous pattern of mutation but no clear male age effect

Single molecule genotyping of the hypermutable microsatellite locus D21S1245 was used for studying how the rate and pattern of mutation varied between alleles and different age groups. In total, 203 mutation events were scored from the genotyping of DNA corresponding to an estimated 8623 sperm cells from eight different men. Allele-specific mutation rates ranged from 0.007 to 0.052, a heterogeneity related in part to variation in the mutation rate among three allelic lineages identified after allele sequencing. Alleles from these lineages differed in the overall repeat structure of this complex microsatellite locus. Also, the pattern of mutation varied between lineages in that they differed in the relative proportions of expansion and contraction mutations. Surprisingly, a group of four men aged 18-23 years showed a higher mean mutation rate than a group of four men aged 48-56 years. To some extent this age difference can probably be explained by a bias in the distribution of alleles from the three allelic lineages among the age groups. However, the absence of a clear male age effect is at odds with the idea of an increasing male mutation rate with age, which is thought to arise from the continuous replication of germline cells throughout adulthood.     

Isolation and characterization of a sporeless mutant in Pleurotus eryngii

A sporeless mutant dikaryon, completely defective in sporulation, was isolated from mycelial protoplasts of Pleurotus eryngii mutagenized by UV irradiation. Newly established dikaryons between one component monokaryon from the mutant, and 12 different wild type monokaryons from 3 other wild type dikaryons, all exhibited the sporeless phenotype, whereas those between the other monokaryon and the same wild type monokaryons all produced normal fruiting bodies. These results indicated that the sporeless mutation was induced in one of two nuclei of the mutant and was dominant. In the wild type basidia, the pattern of nuclear behavior during sporulation corresponded to the pattern C nuclear behavior as defined by Duncan and Galbraith. Cytological observation revealed that in the sporeless mutant meiosis was blocked at the meta-anaphase I in most basidia and hence basidiospores and sterigmata were not produced. Although fruiting bodies of the sporeless mutant showed a somewhat leaning growth, their gross morphology and its fruiting body productivity were comparable to that of the original wild type strain. Based on these results, it was considered that the sporeless mutant could serve as a potential material in breeding of sporeless P. eryngii commercial strains.     

Role of the Bacillus subtilis gsiA gene in regulation of early sporulation gene expression.

The Bacillus subtilis gsiA operon was induced rapidly, but transiently, as cells entered the stationary phase in nutrient broth medium. A mutation at the gsiC locus caused sporulation to be defective and expression of gsiA to be elevated and prolonged. The sporulation defect in this strain was apparently due to persistent expression of gsiA, since a gsiA null mutation restored sporulation to wild-type levels. Detailed mapping experiments revealed that the gsiC82 mutation lies within the kinA gene, which encodes the histidine protein kinase member of a two-component regulatory system. Since mutations in this gene caused a substantial blockage in expression of spoIIA, spoIIG, and spoIID genes, it seems that accumulation of a product of the gsiA operon interferes with sporulation by blocking the completion of stage II. It apparently does so by inhibiting or counteracting the activity of KinA.     

Bacteriophage PMB12 conversion of the sporulation defect in RNA polymerase mutants of Bacillus subtilis.

The pseudotemperate phage PMB12 was isolated from soil on the basis of its ability to enhance the rate of sporulation of Bacillus subtilis 168. PMB12 was subsequently shown to convert the sporulation defect in two genetically distinct classes of sporulation mutants. One class includes those rifampin-resistant mutants that are also spore-negative (mutated at the rif locus). The other class includes a strain carrying the sporulation mutation spoCM-1. The spoCM-1 mutation is linked to cysA15 by PBS1 transduction but is distinct from the rif locus. Several other sporulation mutants were not converted by PMB12. PMB12 is related to phage PBS1. However, PBS1 did not convert the above sporulation mutants. The replication of PBS2, a clear-plaquing derivative of PBS1, is rifampin insensitive, apparently due to a phage-induced rifampin-insensitive RNA polymerase. PMB12 replication is also rifampin insensitive.     

Suppression of temperature-sensitive sporulation of a Bacillus subtilis elongation factor G mutant by RNA polymerase mutations.

A class of rifampin-resistant (rfm) mutations of Bacillus subtilis suppresses the temperature-sensitive sporulation of a fusidic acid-resistant mutant. FUS426, which has an altered elongation factor G. The rfm mutation suppressed only the sporulation defect caused by the elongation factor G mutation, but could not suppress other types of induced sporulation defects. Genetic and biochemical analyses showed that the sporulation suppression by the rfm mutation was caused by a single mutation in RNA polymerase. After the early sporulation phase, the apparent rate of RNA synthesis of FUS426, measured by [3H]uracil or [3H]uridine incorporation into RNA, became lower than that of the wild-type strain, and this decrease was reversed by the rfm mutation. However, when the total rate of RNA synthesis of FUS426 was calculated by measuring the specific activity of [3H]UTP and [3H]CTP, it was higher than that of the rfm mutant, RIF122FUS426. The possible mechanism of the functional interaction between elongation factor G and RNA polymerase during sporulation is discussed.     

Interactions among mutations that cause altered timing of gene expression during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.

The ski4::Tn917lac insertion mutation in Bacillus subtilis was isolated in a screen for mutations that cause a defect in sporulation but that are suppressed by the presence or overexpression of the histidine protein kinase encoded by kinA (spoIIJ). ski4::Tn917lac caused a small defect in sporulation, but in combination with a null mutation in kinA, it caused a much more severe defect. The insertion mutation was in an 87-amino-acid open reading frame (orf87 bofA) that controls the activation of a sigma factor, sigma K, at intermediate times during sporulation. The ski4 mutation caused the premature expression of cotA, a gene controlled by sigma K. An independent mutation that causes the premature activation of sigma K also caused a synthetic (synergistic) sporulation phenotype in combination with a null mutation in kinA, indicating that the defect was due to altered timing of gene expression directed by sigma K. Expression of ski4 was shown to be controlled by the sporulation-specific sigma factor sigma E.     

A gene which encodes a predicted protein kinase can restore some functions of the ras gene in fission yeast.

The ras1- mutation of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe interferes with sexual differentiation by preventing conjugation and causing inefficient sporulation. From a gene library, we have isolated a gene, byr1+, which when in high copy number restores efficient sporulation to ras1- strains. byr1+ encodes a putative 340-amino acid protein product, the sequence of which strongly suggests that it functions as a protein kinase. Gene disruption experiments show that loss of byr1+ function does not interfere with mitotic growth but it completely prevents both conjugation and sporulation. byr1 is thus another important gene in the sexual differentiation pathway and we believe that at least part of ras1 function is to act directly or indirectly through byr1 to modulate protein phosphorylation.     

球孢白僵菌野生及转基因菌株的退化

球孢白僵菌在人工培养基上继代培养容易发生退化变异,表现为菌丝徒长以及产孢量减少和毒力的逐渐下降,给真菌杀虫剂的生产和使用造成较大的损失.没有丢失被插入的外源毒力基因的工程株同样出现退化.培养基成分和含水量以及培养温度和光照等环境因子皆可不同程度地诱发退化的发生,但退化主要由其遗传机制决定,包括线粒体基因突变、异核现象、准性生殖、核基因突变以及有性重组等;菌落局变实质上也是菌种老化的征兆.真菌杀虫剂生产中防止退化的对策除减少传代次数外,还要根据具体菌株确定适宜的环境控制细则.     

Characterization of csh203::Tn917lac, a mutation in Bacillus subtilis that makes the sporulation sigma factor sigma-H essential for normal vegetative growth.

spo0H encodes a sigma factor, sigma-H, of RNA polymerase that is required for sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Null mutations in spo0H block the initiation of sporulation but have no obvious effect on vegetative growth. We have characterized an insertion mutation, csh203::Tn917lac, that makes spo0H essential for normal growth. In otherwise wild-type cells, the csh203::Tn917lac insertion mutation has no obvious effect on cell growth, viability, or sporulation. However, in combination with a mutation in spo0H, the csh203 mutation causes a defect in vegetative growth. The csh203::Tn917lac insertion mutation was found to be located within orf23, the first gene of the rpoD (sigma-A) operon. The transposon insertion separates the major vegetative promoters P1 and P2 from the coding regions of two essential genes, dnaG (encoding DNA primase) and rpoD (encoding the major sigma factor, sigma-A) and leaves these genes under the control of minor promoters, including P4, a promoter controlled by sigma-H. The chs203 insertion mutation caused a 2- to 10-fold increase in expression of promoters recognized by RNA polymerase containing sigma-H. The increased expression of genes controlled by sigma-H in the csh203 single mutant, as well as the growth defect of the csh203 spo0H double mutant, was due to effects on rpoD and not to a defect in orf23 or dnaG.     

Identification of a casein kinase II phosphorylation domain in NS1 protein of H5N1 influenza virus

Influenza virus causes febrile respiratory illness. The infection results in significant mortality, morbidity and economic disruption. In this bioinformatics study, we used the NS1 (the conserved nonstructural) protein of influenza A virus to demonstrate its role in infectivity. Our in silico study revealed a new Casein kinase II (CKII) phosphorylation domain at position 151-154. This domain was formed due to the mutation at position 151 (T151I). Moreover, considerable difference in the secondary structure of this protein due to mutation was also reported. It is also confirmed by contact residue analysis that the changes in secondary structure are due to mutations.     

Characterization of the role of the FluG protein in asexual development of Aspergillus nidulans.

We showed previously that a DeltafluG mutation results in a block in Aspergillus nidulans asexual sporulation and that overexpression of fluG activates sporulation in liquid-submerged culture, a condition that does not normally support sporulation of wild-type strains. Here we demonstrate that the entire N-terminal region of FluG ( approximately 400 amino acids) can be deleted without affecting sporulation, indicating that FluG activity resides in the C-terminal half of the protein, which bears significant similarity with GSI-type glutamine synthetases. While FluG has no apparent role in glutamine biosynthesis, we propose that it has an enzymatic role in sporulation factor production. We also describe the isolation of dominant suppressors of DeltafluG(dsg) that should identify components acting downstream of FluG and thereby define the function of FluG in sporulation. The dsgA1 mutation also suppresses the developmental defects resulting from DeltaflbA and dominant activating fadA mutations, which both cause constitutive induction of the mycelial proliferation pathway. However, dsgA1 does not suppress the negative influence of these mutations on production of the aflatoxin precursor, sterigmatocystin, indicating that dsgA1 is specific for asexual development. Taken together, our studies define dsgA as a novel component of the asexual sporulation pathway.     

Increase of translational fidelity blocks sporulation in the fungus Podospora anserina

Summary AS7-1 and AS7-2 are antisuppressor mutations reducing the miscoding capacity of ribosomes. Strains carrying and AS7 mutation do not sporulate. We have investigated whether the sporulation deficiency is due to the decrease of translational ambiguity. Two major findings argue in favour of this assumption. First, a significant sporulation level is restored in the presence of paromomycin. Second, three mutations which restore the sporulation of AS7-2 increase the ribosomal misreading in vitro. They define two new loci for ribosomal suppressors, su11 and su12. The two ribosomal proteins altered by su11-1 and su12-1 have been identified by electrophoresis. The results are discussed in the context of a more general hypothesis proposed by Picard-Bennoun (1982).     

13C NMR analysis of a developmental pathway mutation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals a cell derepressed for succinate dehydrogenase.

13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to study the metabolism of [2-13C]acetate in a diploid strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae homozygous for the spo50 mutation. This mutation results in failure to initiate sporulation and suppresses spd mutations (which cause derepressed sporulation). By analysing the pattern of 13C-labelling in glutamate it was deduced that the glyoxylate cycle is responsible for most of the acetate utilization and that there is very little tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. The labelling of alpha,alpha'-trehalose indicated that gluconeogenesis and the hexose monophosphate pathway operate in a similar way to the wild-type. The mutant strain has higher levels of succinate dehydrogenase than the wild-type. All of the physiological alterations caused by the spo50 mutation can be explained by this difference.     

A catabolite-resistance mutation is localized in the rpo operon of Bacillus subtilis

By transformation analysis, a mutation (crsE1), which makes Bacillus subtilis cells able to sporulate in the presence of relatively high concentrations of glucose and other carbon sources, was mapped in the rpoBC operon. The effect of crsE1 mutation can be suppressed by another mutation in the same operon, rfm11, which confers resistance to rifamycin. Mutants carrying stv or std mutations, which are also located in the rpoBC operon, showed partial resistance to catabolites in sporulation. It appears therefore that a change in the structure or synthesis of RNA polymerase may alter the response of cells to the inhibitory effect of catabolites on sporulation.     

Role of glutamine synthetase in the initiation of sporulation in Bacillus polymyxa

The activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) was investigated during culture development of Bacillus polymyxa CN 2219 and its asporogenous mutant deficient in protease production. At 28°C, temperature permissive for sporulation, the glutamine synthetase activity was found to decline in the wild type cells which acquire the competence for sporulation. This decline was not observed in the asporogenous mutant. Incubation at 37°C (temperature non permissive) suppressed sporulation in the wild type and maintained glutamine synthetase activity. The involvement of glutamine synthetase in the repression of sporulation was further confirmied by the action of l-methionine sulfoximine a specific inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, which overcomes the catabolite repression by ammonium and induces sporulation. Intracellular proteases were measured as early markers of the initiation of sporulation and were found to be induced during sporulation.Abbreviations GS glutamine synthetase - MSO l-methionine sulfoximine - GYS glucose-yeast extract-salts - GT -glutamyltransferase - PMSF phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride     

New mutation affecting the synthesis of some membrane proteins and sporulation in Bacillus subtilis.

A new mutation, mpo, which affects the synthesis of some membrane proteins and sporulation in Bacillus subtilis was identified. The mpo mutation was tightly linked to the overproduction of membrane proteins MP32 and MP18 (molecular weights of 32,000 and 18,000, respectively) and the temperature-sensitive sporulation phenotype. Genetic analysis showed that the mpo mutation maps between the spoIIIB and lys loci.