Both phytochrome A and phytochrome B are required for the normal expression of phototropism in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings

The role of phytochrome A (phyA) and phytochrome B (phyB) in phototropism was investigated by using the phytochrome-deficient mutants phyA-101 , phyB-1 and a phyA/phyB double mutant. The red-light-induced enhancement of phototropism, which is normally observed in wild-type seedlings, could not be detected in the phyA/phyB mutant at fluences of red light between 0.1 and 19 000 μmol m⁻². The loss of phyB has been shown to have no apparent effect on enhancement, while the loss of phyA resulted in a loss of enhancement only in the low fluence range (Janoudi et al. 1997). The conclusions of the aforementioned study can now be modified based on the current results which indicate that phototropic enhancement in the high fluence range is mediated by either phyA or phyB, and that other phytochromes have no role in enhancement. First positive phototropism was unaffected in phyA-101 and phyB-1 However, the magnitude of first positive phototropism in the phyA/phyB mutant was significantly lower than that of the wild-type Landsberg parent. Thus, the presence of either phyA or phyB is required for normal expression of first positive phototropism. The time threshold for second positive phototropism is unaltered in the phyA-101 and phyB mutants. However, the time threshold in the phyA/phyB mutant is about 2 h, approximately six times that of the wild type. Finally, the magnitude of second positive phototropism in both phyA-101 and phyB-1 is diminished in comparison with the wild-type response. Thus, phyA and phyB, acting independently or in combination, regulate the magnitude of phototropic curvature and the time threshold for second positive phototropism. We conclude that the presence of phyA and phyB is required, but not sufficient, for the expression of normal phototropism.     

选择性剪接在Toll样受体4信号转导通路中的作用

Toll样受体4(Toll-likereceptor4,TLR4)属于模式识别受体,可识别来自G-细菌细胞壁的脂多糖(lipopoly-saccharides,LPS),并通过MyD88依赖途径或MyD88非依赖途径进行信号转导,引发核因子-κB(NF-κB)和其他转录因子的表达,从而诱导细胞因子、化学趋化因子的产生,引起系统性炎症反应。选择性剪接是真核生物控制基因表达的一种重要机制,在TLR4通路中很多信号分子都存在着选择性剪接产生的异构体,且这些剪接异构体分子大都可负性调控TLR4信号转导通路。本文针对这方面的研究进展作一综述。     

COP1b, an isoform of COP1 generated by alternative splicing, has a negative effect on COP1 function in regulating light-dependent seedling development in Arabidopsis

COP1 is a negative regulator of Arabidopsis light-dependent development. Mutation of the COP1 locus causes constitutive photomorphogenesis in the dark. Here, we report the identification of an isoform of the COP1 protein, named COP1b, which is generated by alternative splicing. COP1b has a 60-amino acid deletion in the WD-40 repeat domain relative to the full-length COP1. This splicing step is light-independent and takes place mostly in mature seeds and in germinating seedlings. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants that overexpress COP1b show a de-etiolated phenotype in the dark, with a short hypocotyl, open and developed cotyledons. The transgenic seedlings are adult-lethal. These phenotypes closely resemble that of severe cop-1 mutants, indicating that COP1b has a dominant negative effect on COP1 function. Received: 28 April 1997 / Accepted: 8 October 1997     

The nuclear localization signal and the C-terminal region of FHY1 are required for transmission of phytochrome A signals

Plants use the family of phytochrome photoreceptors to sense their light environment in the red/far-red region of the spectrum. Phytochrome A (phyA) is the primary photoreceptor that regulates germination and early seedling development. This phytochrome mediates seedling de-etiolation for the developmental transition from heterotrophic to photoauxotrophic growth. High intensity far-red light provides a way to specifically assess the role of phyA in this process and was used to isolate phyA-signaling intermediates. fhy1 and pat3 (renamed fhy1-3) are independently isolated alleles of a gene encoding a phyA signal transduction component. FHY1 is a small 24 kDa protein that shows no homology to known functional motifs, besides a small conserved septin-related domain at the C-terminus, a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) and a putative nuclear exclusion signal (NES). Here we demonstrate that the septin-related domain is important for FHY1 to transmit phyA signals. Moreover, the putative NLS and NES of FHY1 are indeed involved in its nuclear localization and exclusion. Nuclear localization of FHY1 is needed for it to execute responses downstream of phyA. Together with the results from global expression analysis, our findings point to an important role of FHY1 in phyA signaling through its nuclear translocation and induction of gene expression.     

Natural variation in Arabidopsis seedling photomorphogenesis reveals a likely role for TED1 in phytochrome signalling

Natural genetic variation present among accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (commonly referred to as ‘ecotypes’) is a valuable, yet under‐exploited genetic resource for the study of plant developmental, physiological. and evolutionary responses to the environment. Seedling photomorphogenic responses were surveyed in a set of 11 Arabidopsis accessions collected from a variety of edaphic habitats and geographic locations. We observed substantial variation in light‐dependent hypocotyl growth responses in a variety of light conditions (white, red, blue, far‐red enriched light). The genetic basis for differences in hypocotyl growth responses to light between the Columbia (Col‐0) and Bensheim (Be‐0) accessions was examined in an F₂ population. Quantitative genetic and quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses were consistent with a model in which differences in light responses were conditioned by a single major gene with semi‐dominant effect, located on chromosome 4. Further experiments suggested that the genetic difference governing hypocotyl variation in this cross may be allelic to ted1, an extragenic suppressor of the de‐etiolated mutant det1, that was identified as an ethylmethane sulphonate‐induced mutation. This finding supports a role for ted1 in photomorphogenic signalling.     

The Arabidopsis voltage-dependent anion channel 2 is required for plant growth

The voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs), known as a major group of outer mitochondrial membrane proteins, are present in all eukaryotic species. In mammalian cells, they have been established as a key player in mitochondrial metabolism and apoptosis regulation. By contrast, little is known about the function of plant VDACs. Recently, we performed functional analysis of all VDAC gene members in Arabidopsis thaliana, and revealed that each AtVDAC member has a specialized function. Especially, in spite of similar subcellular localization and expression profiling of AtVDAC2 and AtVDAC4, both the T-DNA insertion knockout mutants of them, vdac2–2 and vdac4–2, showed severe growth retardation. These results suggest that AtVDAC2 and AtVDAC4 proteins clearly have distinct functions. Here, we introduced the AtVDAC2 gene into the vdac2–2 mutant, and demonstrated that the miniature phenotype of vdac2–2 plant is abolished by AtVDAC2 expression.