Overexpression of Small Heat Shock Protein LimHSP16.45 in Arabidopsis Enhances Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses

Small heat shock proteins (smHSPs) play important and extensive roles in plant defenses against abiotic stresses. We cloned a gene for a smHSP from the David Lily (Lilium davidii (E. H. Wilson) Raffill var. Willmottiae), which we named LimHSP16.45 based on its protein molecular weight. Its expression was induced by many kinds of abiotic stresses in both the lily and transgenic plants of Arabidopsis. Heterologous expression enhanced cell viability of the latter under high temperatures, high salt, and oxidative stress, and heat shock granules (HSGs) formed under heat or salinity treatment. Assays of enzymes showed that LimHSP16.45 overexpression was related to greater activity by superoxide dismutase and catalase in transgenic lines. Therefore, we conclude that heterologous expression can protect plants against abiotic stresses by preventing irreversible protein aggregation, and by scavenging cellular reactive oxygen species.     

过量表达内质网小分子热激蛋白增强转基因番茄果实的耐冷藏性

利用番茄内质网小分子热激蛋白(ERsHSP)特异性抗体,对番茄果实蛋白进行Western分析,以测定低温冷藏下番茄果实中ERsHSP的表达量,并测定果实硬度、腐烂度和失重率等指标,以比较中蔬4号转ERsHSP基因番茄和未转基因番茄果实在4℃低温下的耐冷藏性.结果表明:在4℃冷藏30 d期间,转基因番茄果实具有较高的ERsHSP表达水平,而未转基因番茄果实中没有ERsHSP的表达;相对于未转基因番茄果实,转基因番茄果实冷害症状轻,并具有较高的果实硬度(平均值为2.84 kg/cm2)、较低的果实腐烂度(平均值为21.03%)和失重率(平均值为6.33%).     

过量表达叶绿体小分子热激蛋白提高番茄的抗寒性

小分子热激蛋白与植物耐寒性提高有相关性,但是没有直接的实验证据能证明小分子热激蛋白的存在增加植物抗寒性.我们克隆了番茄叶绿体(定位)小分子热激蛋白cDNA,并将35SCaMV启动子驱动的番茄叶绿体小分子热激蛋白cDNA植物表达构架导入番茄,测定转基因番茄和未转基因番茄的抗寒性水平.低温处理后,转基因番茄的冷害症状轻于未转基因的番茄;转基因番茄细胞电解质外渗较少、花青素和MDA累积量较低;净光合速率和叶绿体含量高于对照.这些实验结果说明叶绿体小分子热激蛋白的过量表达提高了植物抗寒性.     

Overexpression of Multiple Dehydrin Genes Enhances Tolerance to Freezing Stress in Arabidopsis

To elucidate the contribution of dehydrins (DHNs) to freezing stress tolerance in Arabidopsis, transgenic plants overexpressing multiple DHN genes were generated. Chimeric double constructs for expression of RAB18 and COR47 (pTP9) or LTI29 and LTI30 (pTP10) were made by fusing the coding sequences of the respective DHN genes to the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Overexpression of the chimeric genes in Arabidopsis resulted in accumulation of the corresponding dehydrins to levels similar or higher than in cold-acclimated wild-type plants. Transgenic plants exhibited lower LT50 values and improved survival when exposed to freezing stress compared to the control plants. Post-embedding immuno electron microscopy of high-pressure frozen, freeze-substituted samples revealed partial intracellular translocation from cytosol to the vicinity of the membranes of the acidic dehydrin LTI29 during cold acclimation in transgenic plants. This study provides evidence that dehydrins contribute to freezing stress tolerance in plants and suggests that this could be partly due to their protective effect on membranes.     

Overexpression of TaHSF3 in Transgenic Arabidopsis Enhances Tolerance to Extreme Temperatures

Heat shock factors (HSFs) in plants regulate heat stress response by mediating expression of a set of heat shock protein (HSP) genes. In the present study, we isolated a novel heat shock gene, TaHSF3, encoding a protein of 315 amino acids in wheat. Phylogenetic analysis showed that TaHSF3 belonged to HSF class B2. Subcellular localization analysis indicated that TaHSF3 localized in nuclei. TaHSF3 was highly expressed in wheat spikes and showed intermediate expression levels in roots, stems, and leaves under normal conditions. It was highly upregulated in wheat seedlings by heat and cold and to a lesser extent by drought and NaCl and ABA treatments. Overexpression of TaHSF3 in Arabidopsis enhanced tolerance to extreme temperatures. Frequency of survival of three TaHSF3 transgenic Arabidopsis lines was 75–91 % after heat treatment and 85–95 % after freezing treatment compared to 25 and 10 %, respectively, in wild-type plants (WT). Leaf chlorophyll contents of the transformants were higher (0.52–0.67 mg/g) than WT (0.35 mg/g) after heat treatment, and the relative electrical conductivities of the transformants after freezing treatment were lower (from 17.56 to 18.6 %) than those of WT (37.5 %). The TaHSF3 gene from wheat therefore confers tolerance to extreme temperatures in transgenic Arabidopsis by activating HSPs, such as HSP70.     

SOD 活性增高的拟南芥晚花突变体具有增强的非生物胁迫耐受性

为了研究晚花突变表型和非生物胁迫耐受性之间是否存在相关性, 以遗传背景同为Wassilewskija (Ws-2)的7个拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana L.)晚花突变体(CS2235、CS2238、CS2239、CS2240、CS2246、CS2248和CS6208)为材料,通过干旱胁迫、盐胁迫和氧化胁迫实验, 发现晚花突变体的耐旱、耐盐和耐氧化性都较野生型(wildtype, WT)强。对叶片失水速率和超氧化物歧化酶superoxide dismutase, SOD)活性测定结果也表明, 晚花突变体的保水能力和SOD活性均高于野生型。相关性回归分析表明SOD活性与耐氧化性、耐旱性、耐盐性之间呈正相关, 耐旱性和耐盐性随耐氧化性增强而增强。实验结果表明, 这些晚花突变体的表型和非生物胁迫耐受性之间存在相关性。     

过表达热休克蛋白70提高CHO细胞表达抗体的能力

通过在中国仓鼠卵巢细胞(CHO)中过表达热休克蛋白70以提高其表达抗体的能力。首先从中国仓鼠基因组DNA中扩取HSP70基因,构建真核表达质粒pcDNA3.1-HSP70,再将重组质粒稳定转染到CHO/dhfr-细胞中,筛选获得稳定的细胞系,运用RT-qPCR检测和Western blot分析HSP70基因的过表达。在过表达HSP70的CHO细胞组和对照细胞组(转染空载体pcDNA3.1的CHO细胞组)中分别转染表达抗-HBs的质粒,应用ELISA检测两组细胞表达抗-HBs的能力。RT-qPCR结果显示实验组CHO细胞中HSP70基因的表达量明显高于对照组细胞;ELISA检测结果表明过表达HSP70的CHO细胞组抗-HBs表达量高于对照组细胞(P<0.05)。研究揭示HSP70能有效促进细胞内分泌性蛋白的表达。     

SOD活性增高的拟南芥晚花突变体具有增强的非生物胁迫耐受性

为了研究晚花突变表型和非生物胁迫耐受性之间是否存在相关性,以遗传背景同为Wassilewskija(Ws-2)的7个拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana L.)晚花突变体(CS2235、CS2238、CS2239、CS2240、CS2246、CS2248和CS6208)为材料,通过干旱胁迫、盐胁迫和氧化胁迫实验,发现晚花突变体的耐旱、耐盐和耐氧化性都较野生型(wildtype,WT)强。对叶片失水速率和超氧化物歧化酶(superoxide dismutase,SOD)活性测定结果也表明,晚花突变体的保水能力和SOD活性均高于野生型。相关性回归分析表明SOD活性与耐氧化性、耐旱性、耐盐性之间呈正相关,耐旱性和耐盐性随耐氧化性增强而增强。实验结果表明,这些晚花突变体的表型和非生物胁迫耐受性之间存在相关性。     

Overproduction of the Membrane-bound Receptor-like Protein Kinase 1, RPK1, Enhances Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

RPK1 (receptor-like protein kinase 1) localizes to the plasma membrane and functions as a regulator of abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in Arabidopsis. In our current study, we investigated the effect of RPK1 disruption and overproduction upon plant responses to drought stress. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing the RPK1 protein showed increased ABA sensitivity in their root growth and stomatal closure and also displayed less transpirational water loss. In contrast, a mutant lacking RPK1 function, rpk1-1, was found to be resistant to ABA during these processes and showed increased water loss. RPK1 overproduction in these transgenic plants thus increased their tolerance to drought stress. We performed microarray analysis of RPK1 transgenic plants and observed enhanced expression of several stress-responsive genes, such as Cor15a, Cor15b, and rd29A, in addition to H₂O₂-responsive genes. Consistently, the expression levels of ABA/stress-responsive genes in rpk1-1 had decreased compared with wild type. The results suggest that the overproduction of RPK1 enhances both the ABA and drought stress signaling pathways. Furthermore, the leaves of the rpk1-1 plants exhibit higher sensitivity to oxidative stress upon ABA-pretreatment, whereas transgenic plants overproducing RPK1 manifest increased tolerance to this stress. Our current data suggest therefore that RPK1 overproduction controls reactive oxygen species homeostasis and enhances both water and oxidative stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.     

过表达水稻OsAQP增强转基因拟南芥耐盐性

水稻OsAQP是实验室前期从cDNA文库中筛选的功能未知的水通道蛋白质编码基因。本文采用DNA重组技术构建其植物过表达载体,并对拟南芥进行了遗传转化,筛选获得转基因拟南芥。采用50、100、125和150 mmol/L梯度盐胁迫处理,结果显示,转基因拟南芥的发芽率、根长以及鲜重分别比对照至少高17%、40.8%和14.29%,且差异达到显著水平（P<0.05）。在正常条件下,转基因植株叶片中抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性显著高于WT;经300 mmol/L NaCl处理,转基因拟南芥叶片中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、APX酶活性均升高,与处理前相比分别提高7.37倍、30.87倍和1.77倍,且与WT的酶活性差异达到显著水平（P<0.05）;丙二醛(MDA)含量也在处理后上升,但在转基因植株中的含量低于WT,分别是WT的0.74倍、0.68倍和0.62倍,差异同样达到显著水平（P<0.05）。本研究提示,OsAQP过表达不仅能够促进拟南芥种子萌发和根系生长,而且在盐胁迫下通过提高拟南芥内源抗氧化酶活性、降低膜脂过氧化程度,增强了转基因植株对一定程度盐胁迫的耐受性。     

高表达拟南芥miR396提高烟草抗旱性

MiR396是一个由21个核苷酸组成的单链非编码RNA小分子。烟草内的miR396受干旱诱导说明其可能参与烟草的干旱应答。在35S强启动子作用下我们将miR396转入到烟草体内获得高表达转基因植株,生理学测试表明高表达miR396的转基因烟草耐旱性增强,同时叶片表现出比野生型较低的失水率和较高的相对含水量,进一步分析表明转基因植株除了叶片变得更为窄小外,其气孔密度和气孔系数都比野生型降低,这些都表明miR396作为一个正调节因子参与烟草的干旱胁迫应答。     

Overexpression of WsSGTL1 Gene of Withania somnifera Enhances Salt Tolerance,Heat Tolerance and Cold Acclimation Ability in Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants

Background

Sterol glycosyltrnasferases (SGT) are enzymes that glycosylate sterols which play important role in plant adaptation to stress and are medicinally important in plants like Withania somnifera. The present study aims to find the role of WsSGTL1 which is a sterol glycosyltransferase from W. somnifera, in plant’s adaptation to abiotic stress.

Methodology

The WsSGTL1 gene was transformed in Arabidopsis thaliana through Agrobacterium mediated transformation, using the binary vector pBI121, by floral dip method. The phenotypic and physiological parameters like germination, root length, shoot weight, relative electrolyte conductivity, MDA content, SOD levels, relative electrolyte leakage and chlorophyll measurements were compared between transgenic and wild type Arabidopsis plants under different abiotic stresses - salt, heat and cold. Biochemical analysis was done by HPLC-TLC and radiolabelled enzyme assay. The promoter of the WsSGTL1 gene was cloned by using Genome Walker kit (Clontech, USA) and the 3D structures were predicted by using Discovery Studio Ver. 2.5.

Results

The WsSGTL1 transgenic plants were confirmed to be single copy by Southern and homozygous by segregation analysis. As compared to WT, the transgenic plants showed better germination, salt tolerance, heat and cold tolerance. The level of the transgene WsSGTL1 was elevated in heat, cold and salt stress along with other marker genes such as HSP70, HSP90, RD29, SOS3 and LEA4-5. Biochemical analysis showed the formation of sterol glycosides and increase in enzyme activity. When the promoter of WsSGTL1 gene was cloned from W. somnifera and sequenced, it contained stress responsive elements. Bioinformatics analysis of the 3D structure of the WsSGTL1 protein showed functional similarity with sterol glycosyltransferase AtSGT of A. thaliana.

Conclusions

Transformation of WsSGTL1 gene in A. thaliana conferred abiotic stress tolerance. The promoter of the gene in W.somnifera was found to have stress responsive elements. The 3D structure showed functional similarity with sterol glycosyltransferases.     

谷胱甘肽转移酶在植物抵抗非生物胁迫方面的角色

非生物胁迫因子如高盐、干旱、低温、重金属污染等严重影响植物的生长和繁殖。植物进化出一系列包括各种酶类物质的系统抵抗逆境所带来的氧化伤害。谷胱甘肽转移酶(glutathione S-transferase,GST,EC 2.5.1.18)是由多种功能的蛋白质组成的超家族,在植物遭受高盐、干旱、低温胁迫时,GSTs可清除活性氧,保护植物细胞膜结构和蛋白质活性。对谷胱甘肽转移酶在植物抵御非生物胁迫中的作用进行综述,为今后利用基因工程育种提供理论依据。     

Overexpression of TaFBA-A10 from Winter Wheat Enhances Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Freezing stress is the principal abiotic stress that is not conducive to plant growth and yield. Fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA; EC 4.1.2.13) is a key...