Light-dependent expression of the cold-regulated gene HvMC1 in barley (Hordeum vulgare l.)

Genes induced in barley leaves during a combined cold and light stress were identified by RFDD-PCR. One gene, HvMC1, exhibits three conserved domains typical for mitochondrial carrier proteins. HvMC1 is transiently expressed during the combined cold and light stress. Drought stress and methylviologen treatment result in only very weak induction. In contrast, light intensity greatly affects the cold-dependent expression of HvMC1. A possible regulatory pathway involving chloroplast-derived signals for the expression of HvMC1 is discussed.     

Seasonal and daily rhythms of body temperature in the European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) under semi-natural conditions

Body temperature of five European hamsters exposed to semi-natural environmental conditions at 47° N in Southern Germany was recorded over a 1.5-year period using intraperitoneal temperature-sensitive radio transmitters. The animals showed pronounced seasonal changes in body weight and reproductive status. Euthermic body temperature changed significantly throughout the year reaching its maximum of 37.9±0.2°C in April and its minimum of 36.1±0.4°C in December. Between November and March the hamsters showed regular bouts of hibernation and a few bouts of shallow torpor. During hibernation body temperature correlated with ambient temperature. Monthly means of body temperature during hibernation were highest in November (7.9±0.8°C) and March (8.2±0.5°C) and lowest in January (4.4±0.7°C). Using periodogram analysis methods, a clear diurnal rhythm of euthermic body temperature could be detected between March and August, whereas no such rhythm could be found during fall and winter. During hibernation bouts, no circadian rhythmicity was evident for body temperature apart from body temperature following ambient temperature with a time lag of 3–5 h. On average, hibernation bouts lasted 104.2±23.8 h with body temperature falling to 6.0±1.7°C. When entering hibernation the animals cooled at a rate of -0.8±0.2°C·h^-1; when arousing from hibernation they warmed at a rate of 9.9±2.4°C·h^-1. Warming rates were significantly lower in November and December than in January and February, and correlated with ambient temperature (r=-0.46, P<0.01) and hibernating body temperature (r=-0.47, P<0.01). Entry into hibrnation occured mostly in the middle of the night (mean time of day 0148 hours ±3.4 h), while spontaneous arousals were widely scattered across day and night. For all animals regression analysis revealed free-running circadian rhythms for the timing of arousal. These results suggest that entry into hibernation is either induced by environmental effects or by a circadian clock with a period of 24 h, whereas arousal from hibernation is controlled by an endogenous rhythm with a period different from 24 h.Abbreviations bw body weight - CET central European time - T _a ambient temperature - T _b body temperature - TTL transistor-transistor logic     

毛竹APX家族基因鉴定和表达分析

为了解毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis)抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(ascorbate peroxidase, APX)基因家族成员在不同组织和非生物胁迫下的表达模式,利用生物信息学方法从毛竹基因组数据库中鉴定得到7条APX同工酶基因(PeAPXs),根据亚细胞定位预测结果可分为3个亚类。各个基因启动子序列中存在低温、干旱以及光响应元件。毛竹PeAPXs在7个组织中的表达丰度不同,具有组织特异性。qRT-PCR结果表明,在干旱、盐和低温胁迫下各基因的表达模式存在着较大差异,其中PeAPX2在3种胁迫下均维持着较高的表达水平;低温胁迫对PeAPXs有诱导作用,其表达量均呈上调趋势;干旱胁迫下,PeAPX1的表达量下调,未检测到PeAPX3、PeAPX6、PeAPX7表达;盐胁迫下,除PeAPX3和PeAPX6外,其余基因表达量上调。因此,毛竹APX基因可能参与到不同的非生物胁迫过程并在毛竹的生长发育阶段发挥着重要的作用。     

甘蓝型油菜BnaCIPK15基因的表达分析与功能鉴定

CBL-CIPK是高等植物中广泛存在的一类解析Ca~(2+)信号的蛋白。该研究在前期工作基础上,对甘蓝型油菜(Brassica napus L.)的BnaCIPK15基因进行了亚细胞定位、双分子荧光互补(BiFC)、酵母双杂交和qRT-PCR检测等一系列分析,以探究BnaCIPK15蛋白在ABA激素响应中的作用。结果显示:(1)亚细胞定位发现,BnaCIPK15蛋白定位于细胞质和细胞核中; BiFC分析发现,BnaCIPK15蛋白与BnaCBL1/3/4/9蛋白之间的互作较强,与BnaCBL10仅有微弱互作。(2)qRT-PCR检测发现,BnaCIPK15基因受ABA和冷胁迫的诱导极显著上调表达,而对百草枯(Paraquat)、活性氧(H_2O_2)和热胁迫的诱导较弱,表明BnaCIPK15基因很可能参与ABA和冷胁迫的调控过程。(3)酵母滴定实验结果显示,BnaCIPK15蛋白与脱落酸(ABA)信号通路中的BnaHAB1蛋白(属于蛋白磷酸酶PP2C家族)存在明显的互作,而与BnaABFs/AREB3/ABI5转录因子无明显互作;BiFC验证显示,BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB1蛋白之间存在互作信号,而BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB2组合没有观察到信号,证明BnaCIPK15与BnaHAB1磷酸酶具有特异互作特征,推测BnaCIPK15可能参与调控ABA信号转导。研究认为,甘蓝型油菜中可能存在基于BnaCIPK15-BnaHAB1的互作模块,并参与ABA的信号转导和网络调控。     

Comparison of Brain Transcriptome of the Greater Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in Active and Torpid Episodes

Hibernation is an energy-saving strategy which is widely adopted by heterothermic mammals to survive in the harsh environment. The greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) can hibernate for a long period in the hibernation season. However, the global gene expression changes between hibernation and non-hibernation season in the greater horseshoe bat remain largely unknown. We herein reported a comprehensive survey of differential gene expression in the brain between winter hibernating and summer active greater horseshoe bats using next-generation sequencing technology. A total of 90,314,174 reads were generated and we identified 1,573 differentially expressed genes between active and torpid states. Interestingly, we found that differentially expressed genes are over-represented in some GO categories (such as metabolic suppression, cellular stress responses and oxidative stress), which suggests neuroprotective strategies might play an important role in hibernation control mechanisms. Our results determined to what extent the brain tissue of the greater horseshoe bats differ in gene expression between summer active and winter hibernating states and provided comprehensive insights into the adaptive mechanisms of bat hibernation.     

Tetraploids Isatis indigotica are more responsive and adaptable to stresses than the diploid progenitor based on changes in expression patterns of a cold inducible Ii CPK1

In plants, Ca²⁺-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) are characterized as important sensors of Ca²⁺ flux in response to varieties of biotic and abiotic stress. A comprehensive survey of global gene expression performed by using an Arabidopsis thaliana whole genome Affymetrix gene chip revealed that CDPK tends to be significantly higher in tetraploid Isatis indigotica than in diploid ones. To investigate different CDPK expression in response to polyploidy, a full-length cDNA clone (IiCPK1) encoding CDPK was isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb I. indigotica cDNA library. IiCPK1 contains some basic features of CDPKs: a catalytic kinase domain including an ATP-binding domain and four EFhand calcium-binding motifs. Real-time PCR analysis indicated the expression of IiCPK1 from two kinds of I. indigotica (tetraploid and diploid). They both were induced in response to cold stress, but tetraploids I. indigotica which has good fertility, exhibited an enhanced resistance and higher yield, and presented to be more responsive and adaptable. Our results suggest that IiCPK1 gene plays a role in adapting to the environmental stress.     

Hormonal and environmental regulation of seed germination in flixweed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Descurainia sophia</Emphasis>)

Flixweed is one of the most abundant weeds in North America and China, and causes a reduction in crop yields. Dormancy of flixweed seeds is deep at maturity and is maintained in soil for several months. To identify regulators of seed dormancy and germination of flixweed, the effect of environmental and hormonal signals were examined using dormant and non-dormant seeds. The level of dormancy was decreased during after-ripening and stratification, but long imbibition (over 5 days) at 4 °C in the dark resulted in the introduction of secondary dormancy. The strict requirement of duration of cold treatment for the break of dormancy may play a role in the seasonal regulation of germination. The germination of non-dormant flixweed seeds was critically regulated by red (R) and far-red (FR) light in a photoreversible manner. Sodium nitroprusside, a donor of nitric oxide (NO), promoted germination of half-dormant seeds, suggesting that NO reduced the level of seed dormancy. As has been shown in other related species, light elevated sensitivity to GA₄ in dark-imbibied flixweed seeds, but cold treatment did not affect GA₄-sensitivity unlike in Arabidopsis. Taken together, our results indicate that seed germination in flixweed and its close relative Arabidopsis is controlled by similar as well as distinct mechanisms in response to various endogenous and environmental signals.     

Expression of a novel <Emphasis Type="Italic">OSPGYRP</Emphasis> (rice proline-, glycine- and tyrosine-rich protein) gene,which is involved in vesicle trafficking,enhanced cold tolerance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis>

A novel OSPGYRP gene encoding a rice proline-, glycine- and tyrosine-rich protein was isolated from cold-stress treated rice seedlings using suppression subtractive hybridization. Both amino acid sequence analysis and subcellular localization confirm that OsPGYRP is a novel protein involved in vesicle trafficking. The expression of the OSPGYRP gene was induced by cold, salt, and osmotic stress. In addition, expression of the OSPGYRP gene in E. coli increased the resistance to cold stress. These results show that OsPGYRP is a novel protein involved in vesicle trafficking and plays an important role in plant adaptation to stress. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The Role of Antioxidant Systems in the Cold Stress Response of Escherichia coli

The response of aerobically grown Escherichia coli cells to the cold shock induced by the rapid lowering of growth temperature from 37 to 20°C was found to be basically the same as the oxidative stress response. The enhanced sensitivity of cells deficient in two superoxide dismutases, Mn-SOD and Fe-SOD, and the increased expression of the Mn-SOD gene, sodA, in response to cold stress were interpreted as both oxidative and cold stresses are due to a rise in the intracellular level of superoxide anion. The long-term cultivation of E. coli at 20°C was also accompanied by the typical oxidative stress response reactions—an enhanced expression of the Mn-SOD and catalase HPI genes and a decrease in the intracellular level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and in the GSH/GSSG ratio.     

Effect of hibernation, thyroid hormones and dexamethasone on cytosolic and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from jerboa (Jaculus orientalis)

Tissue distribution of the cytosolic and mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (cGPDH and mGPDH) activities in jerboa (Jaculus orientalis), a hibernator, shows the highest level of enzyme activity in skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue, respectively. The effect of hibernation on cGPDH indicates an increase of activity in all tissues examined. In contrast, hibernation decreases mGPDH activity in all tissues, except skeletal muscle. The effect of thyroid hormones on GPDH activity was tissue specific: in kidneys, cGPDH activity doubled in euthermic jerboas treated with T4. In contrast, 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil treatment provokes an increase of enzyme activity in brown adipose tissue, liver and brain. T4 treatment leads to a 2.7-fold increase in liver mGPDH activity. 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil treatment decreases mGPDH activity in the skeletal muscle whereas the opposite effect was observed in brain. Dexamethasone stimulates cGPDH in all tissues examined, except skeletal muscle and kidneys. In the case of mGPDH activity, this increase was observed only for brown adipose tissue and brain. Our results suggest that hibernation, thyroid hormones and dexamethasone probably play a role in the regulation of cGPDH and mGPDH activities in jerboa. Our findings confirm that these enzymes are involved in metabolic adaptation to thermal stress in Jaculus orientalis.     

Structure and hibernation-associated expression of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channel (TRPV4) mRNA in the Japanese grass lizard (Takydromus tachydromoides)

Animals possess systems for sensing environmental temperature using temperature-sensitive ion channels called transient receptor potential channels (TRPs). Various TRPs have been identified and characterized in mammals. However, those of ectotherms, such as reptiles, are less well studied. Here, we identify the V subfamily of TRP (TRPV) in two reptile species: Japanese grass lizard (Takydromus tachydromoides) and Japanese four-lined ratsnake (Elaphe quadrivirgata). Phylogenetic analysis of TRPVs indicated that ectothermic reptilian TRPVs are more similar to those of endothermic chicken and mammals, than to other ectotherms, such as frog and fish. Expression analysis of TRPV4 mRNA in the lizard showed that its expression in tissues and organs is specifically controlled in cold environments and hibernation. The mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in seven tissues/organs examined. Both cold-treatment and hibernation lowered TRPV4 expression, but in a tissue/organ-specific manner. Cold-treatment reduced TRPV4 expression in tongue and muscle, while in hibernation it was reduced more widely in brain, tongue, heart, lung, and muscle. Interestingly, however, levels of TRPV4 mRNA in the skin remained unaffected after entering hibernation and cold-treatment, implying that TRPV4 in the skin may act as an environmental temperature sensor throughout the reptilian life cycle, including hibernation. This is the first report, to our knowledge, to describe reptilian TRPV4 in relation to hibernation.     

Identification of a novel multiple environmental factor‐responsive 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate synthase gene,NT‐ACS2, from tobacco

Many abiotic environmental factors elicit the production of stress‐ethylene in higher plants. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of stress‐ethylene production and the physiological roles played by stress‐ethylene in stress responses of plants, we studied the gene expression of ACC synthase in tobacco plants that had been subjected to environmental stresses. Four new tobacco ACC synthase cDNA fragments, NT‐ACS2, NT‐ACS3, NT‐ACS4 and NT‐ACS5, were identified and sequenced. It was found that NT‐ACS2 could be induced by wounding, cold temperature and, especially, sunlight. NT‐ACS4 was induced at a faster kinetics by wounding. The multiple environmental stress‐responsive (MESR) NT‐ACS2 gene was found to contain three introns and four exons and encode a polypeptide of 484 amino acids, 54·6 kDa and pI 6·87. Computer analysis of the 3·4 kb 5 ′ flanking region upstream of the ACS coding region revealed the existence of a group of putative cis‐acting regulatory elements potentially conferring wounding, chilling, and UV light inducibility. Phylogenetic analysis of ACC synthase genes of different plant origins indicated that the chill‐inducible NT‐ACS2 gene is closely related to a chilling‐inducible citrus ACS gene.     

The stress- and abscisic acid-induced barley gene HVA22: developmental regulation and homologues in diverse organisms

Abscisic acid (ABA) induces the expression of a battery of genes in mediating plant responses to environmental stresses. Here we report one of the early ABA-inducible genes in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), HVA22, which shares little homology with other ABA-responsive genes such as LEA (late embryogenesis-abundant) and RAB (responsive to ABA) genes. In grains, the expression of HVA22 gene appears to be correlated with the dormancy status. The level of HVA22 mRNA increases during grain development, and declines to an undetectable level within 12 h after imbibition of non-dormant grains. In contrast, the HVA22 mRNA level remains high in dormant grains even after five days of imbibition. Treatment of dormant grains with gibberellin (GA) effectively breaks dormancy with a concomitant decline of the level of HVA22 mRNA. The expression of HVA22 appears to be tissue-specific with the level of its mRNA readily detectable in aleurone layers and embryos, yet undetectable in the starchy endosperm. The expression of HVA22 in vegetative tissues can be induced by ABA and environmental stresses, such as cold and drought. Apparent homologues of this barley gene are found in phylogenetically divergent eukaryotic organisms, including cereals, Arabidopsis, Caenorhabitis elegans, man, mouse and yeast, but not in any prokaryotes. Interestingly, similar to barley HVA22, the yeast homologue is also stress-inducible. These observations suggest that the HVA22 and its homologues encode a highly conserved stress-inducible protein which may play an important role in protecting cells from damage under stress conditions in many eukaryotic organisms.     

不结球白菜BcLRK01基因对芜菁花叶病毒及胁迫诱导的响应

通过cDNA-AFLP技术,从芜菁花叶病毒(TuMV)侵染的不结球白菜幼叶中分离到一条差异表达的基因片段,克隆获得其cDNA全长为2 124bp,编码707个氨基酸的富亮氨酸重复类受体激酶,命名为BcLRK01。利用实时定量PCR研究了该基因在TuMV侵染及高盐、冷胁迫、水杨酸(SA)、茉莉酸(JA)、乙烯(ET)等处理下的表达情况,结果显示,TuMV侵染、高盐、冷胁迫、SA、JA和ET等均能诱导BcLRK01不同程度的表达,说明该基因可能是不结球白菜病毒病的病程相关基因,同时也参与高盐和冷胁迫以及SA、JA、ET等的信号途径。