Regulation of BN115, a low-temperature-responsive gene from winter Brassica napus.

The genomic clone for BN115, a low-temperature-responsive gene, was isolated from winter Brassica napus and its sequence was determined. A 1.2-kb fragment of the 5' regulatory region (from bp -1107 to +100) was fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene and BN115-promoted GUS expression was observed in green tissues of transgenic B. napus plants only after incubation at 2 degrees C. No expression was observed after incubation at 22 degrees C, either in the presence or the absence of ABA. Microprojectile bombardment of winter B. napus leaves with a BN115 promoter/GUS construct yielded similar results and was used to analyze a series of deletions from the 5' end of the promoter. Results obtained from transient expression studies showed that the low-temperature regulation of BN115 expression involves a possible enhancer region between bp -1107 and -802 and a second positive regulatory region located between bp -302 and -274. Deletion analyses and results from replacement with a truncated cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter suggest that the minimal size required for any maintenance of low-temperature GUS expression is a -300-bp fragment. Within this fragment are two 8-bp elements with the sequence TGGCCGAC, which are identical to those present in the positive regulatory region of the promoter of the homologous Arabidopsis cor15a gene and to a 5-bp core sequence in the low-temperature- and dehydration-responsive elements identified in the promoter regions of several cold-responsive Arabidopsis thaliana genes.     

Molecular cloning of two genes encoding cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) from oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

Cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H) is a key enzyme of phenylpropanoid pathway, which synthesizes numerous secondary metabolites to participate in development and adaption. Two C4H isoforms, the 2192-bp BnC4H-1 and 2108-bp BnC4H-2, were cloned from oilseed rape (Brassica napus). They both have two introns and a 1518-bp open reading frame encoding a 505-amino-acid polypeptide. BnC4H-1 is 57.73 kDa with an isoelectric point of 9.11, while 57.75 kDa and 9.13 for BnC4H-2. They share only 80.6% identities on nucleotide level but 96.6% identities and 98.4% positives on protein level. Showing highest homologies to Arabidopsis thaliana C4H, they possess a conserved p450 domain and all P450-featured motifs, and are identical to typical C4Hs at substrate-recognition sites and active site residues. They are most probably associated with endoplasmic reticulum by one or both of the N- and C-terminal transmembrane helices. Phosphorylation may be a necessary post-translational modification. Their secondary structures are dominated by alpha helices and random coils. Most helices locate in the central region, while extended strands mainly distribute before and after this region. Southern blot indicated about 9 or more C4H paralogs in B. napus. In hypocotyl, cotyledon, stem, flower, bud, young- and middle-stage seed, they are co-dominantly expressed. In root and old seed, BnC4H-2 is dominant over BnC4H-1, with a reverse trend in leaf and pericarp. Paralogous C4H numbers in Brassicaceae genomes and possible roles of conserved motifs in 5' UTR and the 2nd intron are discussed.     

褐色种皮大豆与其黄色种皮衍生亲本的表型及基因型比较

大豆种皮色在从野生大豆到栽培大豆的选择过程中逐渐由黑色变成黄色,是重要的形态标记,因此,大豆种皮色相关基因的研究无论是对进化理论研究还是育种实践都具有非常重要的意义。利用褐色种皮J1265-2大豆及其衍生亲本黄色种皮大豆J1265-1为材料,通过SSR引物扩增片段,检验遗传背景的异同,同时对控制种皮的候选基因GmF3’H进行扩增和测序分析。结果表明,褐色种皮和黄色种皮材料不仅用161对SSR分子标记检测没有发现差异,其褐色种皮候选基因GmF3’H的编码区及起始密码子上游1465 bp序列也是一致的。因此,证明褐色种皮J1265-2大豆与其衍生亲本黄色种皮大豆J1265-1为近等基因系,其控制褐色种皮的基因型与已报道的基因型不同。     

The soybean F3′H protein is localized to the tonoplast in the seed coat hilum

We previously isolated a soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) gene (sf3'h1) corresponding to the T locus, which controls pubescence and seed coat color, from two near-isogenic lines (NILs), To7B (TT) and To7G (tt). The T allele is also associated with chilling tolerance. Here, Western-blot analysis shows that the sf3'h1 protein was predominantly detected in the hilum and funiculus of the immature seed coat in To7B, whereas sf3'h1 was not detected in To7G. A truncated sf3'h1 protein isolated from To7G was detected only upon enrichment by immunoprecipitation. An analysis using diphenylboric acid 2-aminoethyl ester (DBPA) staining revealed that flavonoids accumulated in the hilum and the funiculus in both To7B and To7G. Further, the scavenging activity of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical in methanol extracts from the funiculus and hilum of To7B was higher than that of To7G. Moreover, the enzymatic activity of F3'H was detected using microsomal fractions from yeast transformed with sf3'h1 from To7B, but not from To7G. These results indicate that sf3'h1 is involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in the seed coat and affects the antioxidant properties of those tissues. As shown by immunofluorescence microscopy, the sf3'h1 protein was detected primarily around the vacuole in the parenchymatic cells of the hilum in To7B. Further immunoelectron microscopy detected sf3'h1 protein on the membranous structure of the vacuole. Based on these observations, we conclude that F3'H, which is a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and has been found to be localized to the ER in other plant systems, is localized in the tonoplast in soybean.     

油菜BnMKK4全长基因的克隆及表达分析

从‘陇油6号’油菜中克隆得到了一个新的BnMKK4基因的cDNA,全长1317bp,其中包括993bp的开放阅读框,159bp的5’非翻译区（5^1UTR）,165bp的3。非翻译区（3’UTR）。与拟南芥AtMKK4有很高的同源性,因此命名为BnMKK4（GenBank登录号JF268686）。该基因编码330个氨基酸的蛋白质,分子量36．5kDa,等电点为9．01。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示该基因表达受低温胁迫和盐胁迫的诱导,表明该基因在油菜适应低温胁迫和盐胁迫的过程中发挥作用。     

Down-regulation of flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase gene expression by virus-induced gene silencing in soybean reveals the presence of a threshold mRNA level associated with pigmentation in pubescence

Changes in flavonoid content are often manifested as altered pigmentation in plant tissues. Two loci have been identified as controlling pigmentation in soybean pubescence. Of these, the T locus appears to encode flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) protein: the T and t alleles are associated with tawny and gray colors, respectively, in pubescence. We previously down-regulated F3'H gene expression by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in soybean. Despite this successful VIGS, the tawny pubescence pigmentation proved to be unchanged in greenhouse-grown plants. We hypothesized that the reduced mRNA level of the F3'H gene resulting from VIGS remained high enough to induce pigmentation. To verify this hypothesis, in the present study, we performed F3'H VIGS on plants grown under controlled conditions, in which the steady-state mRNA level of the F3'H gene was reduced to approximately 5% of that of greenhouse-grown plants. This VIGS treatment resulted in the loss of tawny pigmentation in pubescence, suggesting that the sf3'h1 gene is involved in the control of pigmentation in pubescence. We detected a marked decrease in target mRNA, an accumulation of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and a decrease in quercetin content relative to kaempferol in leaf tissues, indicating that sequence-specific mRNA degradation of the F3'H gene was induced. These results suggest that leaf tissues have a threshold mRNA level of the F3'H gene, which is associated with the occurrence of tawny pigmentation in pubescence. The estimated threshold mRNA level for pigmentation in pubescence was approximately 3% of the steady-state mRNA level of the F3'H gene in greenhouse-grown plants.     

Differential expression of two flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase cDNAs involved in biosynthesis of anthocyanin pigments and 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins in sorghum

Three unique sorghum flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H) cDNAs (SbF3'H1, SbF3'H2 and SbF3'H3) were discovered through bioinformatics analysis. Their encoded proteins showed >60% identity to the Arabidopsis TT7 (F3'H) protein. Overexpression of SbF3'H1 or SbF3'H2 restored the ability of tt7 mutants to produce 3'-hydroxylated flavonoids, establishing their roles as functional F3'H enzymes. In sorghum mesocotyls, SbF3'H1 expression was involved in light-specific anthocyanin accumulation while SbF3'H2 expression was involved in pathogen-specific 3-deoxyanthocyanidin synthesis. No SbF3'H3 expression was detected in all tissues examined. The sorghum mesocotyls represent a good system for investigation of differential regulation of F3'H genes/alleles responding to different external stimuli.     

簸箕柳AP3同源基因SsMADS的克隆与特性分析

用cDNA末端快速扩增(rapid-amplification of cDNA ends,RACE)方法从簸箕柳雄花序中克隆了一个AP3同源基因的cDNA,长826 bp,包括完整的编码区、5′-UTR和3′-UTR,并将其相应的基因命名为SsMADS。该基因由7个外显子和6个内含子组成,编码区长723 bp,编码241个氨基酸,其N-端具有典型的MADS保守结构域。序列分析表明,SsMADS编码的氨基酸序列与毛果杨(Populus trichocarp)AP3同源蛋白有95.7%相似性,与其他几种柳属植物的AP3同源蛋白相似性达96.1%～99.6%。实时定量RT-PCR表明,SsMADS在叶、茎和根中表达量极低,在花序中表达量较高,并且其表达量在花器官的早中期发育阶段逐步提高,说明该基因在簸箕柳花器官的发育中起作用。     

甘蓝型油菜TT1基因反义植物表达载体的构建

拟南芥TT1(transparenttesta1)基因编码一个WIP类型锌指蛋白转录因子,调控内种皮发育和原花青素在内种皮的积累。本研究通过PCR扩增了甘蓝型油菜(Brassicanapus)TT1基因家族(BnTT1)的一段特异保守片段TT1A,并将其亚克隆到中间载体pCambia2301G中,构建了TT1反义植物表达载体pCambia2301G-TT1A,通过PCR鉴定、酶切鉴定和DNA测序证实载体构建成功,并转化到根癌农杆菌LBA4404菌株中形成工程菌株。此表达载体的构建为进一步研究TT1基因在甘蓝型油菜种皮色素合成途径中的分子生物学机理和利用反义TT1基因遗传转化获得转基因新型黄籽油菜奠定了基础。     

转基因香石竹中F3’5’H基因的克隆、表达和免疫学鉴定

在研究转基因香石竹品系月之霓裳（Moonshade）、月之伊人（Moonlite）中外源基因F3’5’H的表达中,本文克隆了F3’5’H全长基因1.5kb,构建获得工程菌株Escherichia coli BL21（DE3）（＋F3＇5＇H）。SDS-PAGE分析的结果显示,该菌株高效表达出F3’5’H重组蛋白,约占菌体总蛋白的30%。用经纯化的F3’5’H重组蛋白作为抗原,制备F3’5’H重组蛋白的抗血清,经ELISA免疫学分析表明,该抗血清的效价为1：25600。Western blot结果表明F3’5’H重组蛋白具有良好的IgG结合活性,且抗血清与转基因香石竹品系月之霓裳和月之伊人中的外源基因F3’5’H所表达的蛋白发生明显的抗原抗体反应。这样,月之霓裳和月之伊人用于评价转基因香石竹品系的环境安全性在我国也得到了验证。     

Selective accumulation of delphinidin derivatives in tobacco using a putative flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase cDNA from Campanula medium

Blue flowers generally contain 3',5'-hydroxylated anthocyanins (delphinidin derivatives) as pigments, which are formed only in the presence of flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylases (F3'5'H). Heterologous expression of a F3'5'H gene therefore provides an opportunity to produce novel blue flowers for a number of ornamental plants missing blue flowering varieties. However, our previous study indicated difficulties in obtaining good accumulation of delphinidin derivatives in plants expressing F3'5'H. Here we report the isolation of a putative F3'5'H cDNA (Ka1) from canterbury bells (Campanula medium) and its expression in tobacco. Surprisingly, compared with other F3'5'H cDNAs, Ka1 encoded a protein with a unique primary structure that conferred high competence in the accumulation of delphinidin derivatives (up to 99% of total anthocyanins) and produced novel purple flowers. These results suggest that, among F3'5' H cDNAs, Ka1 is the best genetic resource for the creation of fine blue flowers by genetic engineering.