Characterization of the novel gene BjDREB1B encoding a DRE-binding transcription factor from Brassica juncea L

A novel DREB (dehydration responsive element binding protein) gene, designated BjDREB1B, was isolated from Brassica juncea L. BjDREB1B contains a conserved EREBP/AP2 domain and was classified into the A-1 subgroup of the DREB subfamily based on phylogenetic tree analysis. RT-PCR showed that BjDREB1B was induced by abiotic stresses and exogenous phytohormones, such as drought, salt, low temperature, heavy metals, abscisic acid, and salicylic acid. Gel shift assay revealed that BjDREB1B specifically bound to the DRE element in vitro. Yeast one-hybrid assay showed that full-length BjDREB1B or its C-terminal region functioned effectively as a trans-activator. Furthermore, overexpression of BjDREB1B in tobacco up-regulated the expression of NtERD10B, and BjDREB1B transgenic plants accumulated higher levels of proline than control plants under normal and saline conditions, together showing that BjDREB1B plays important roles in improving plant tolerance to drought and salinity.     

Cloning and characterization of a tau glutathione S-transferase subunit encoding gene in Gossypium hirsutum

A predicted tau Glutathione S-transferase (GST) subunit encoding gene, named GhGST, was isolated from Gossypium hirsutum with RACE method from SSH library based on Verticillium dahliae stress. The data revealed an open reading frame of 678 bp encoding a protein of 225 amino acids with a molecular weight of 25.821 kDa. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the mRNA of GhGST was expressed in root, stem and leaf. And the content of GhGST expression increased under Verticillium dahliae stress in root. The expression of GhGST gene was verified by transformation in E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain with the recombinant expression vector pET-32A. GST activity assay showed the crude GhGST protein had obvious activity to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) substrate.     

Cloning and characterization of the Gossypium hirsutum major latex protein gene and functional analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana

The major latex protein (MLP) gene in Gossypium hirsutum was cloned and designated Gh-MLP. Expression in cotton root was induced by salt stress and Verticillium dahliae toxin, and bioinformatic analysis showed that Gh-MLP encodes a 157-amino acid protein that is similar to members of the MLP subfamily in the Bet v 1 family. Although the structure of MLP is similar to Bet v 1 family proteins, the sequence identity to other subfamilies of Bet v 1 proteins is less than 20%. The Gh-MLP promoter contains potential cis-acting elements for response to salt stress and fungal elicitor. RT-PCR analysis showed that Gh-MLP expression was rapidly induced by NaCl and V. dahliae toxin, and induction was maintained over 72 h. However, Gh-MLP transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana did not show resistance to V. dahiae, salt tolerance was significantly enhanced. In contrast to the wild type, the Gh-MLP transgene allowed plants to germinate normally after treatment with 75 mM NaCl. Total flavonoid was twofold higher in transgenic Arabidopsis than in the control, suggesting that Gh-MLP might be involved in altering flavonoid content. We hypothesize Gh-MLP, like other Bet v 1 family proteins, participates in the binding or transport of ligands through its specific three-dimensional structure, and takes part in defensive responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.     

罗尼氏弧菌Vibrio shilonii BY新琼胶酶基因的克隆、序列分析及表达

【目的】从海洋来源的罗尼氏弧菌菌株BY中克隆得到一个具有琼胶酶活性的新基因,并对其进行重组表达。【方法】对实验室保藏的产琼胶酶菌株BY进行16S rRNA基因序列分析,并构建系统发育树。根据已报道的琼胶酶基因序列的同源性,设计简并引物,利用降落PCR (Touch-down PCR)及染色体步移技术扩增琼胶酶基因序列全长,对基因序列进行生物信息学分析。将目的基因插入pET22a(+)载体,转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3),对重组酶进行表达,利用DNS法测定了重组酶的酶活,对该重组琼胶酶酶学性质进行研究。【结果】克隆得到一条新的琼胶酶基因,命名为Vibrio sp. BY (GenBank登录号：AIW39921.1),Vibrio sp. BY基因序列全长2 232 bp,编码744个氨基酸,理论分子量为85 kD,Vibrio sp. BY的氨基酸序列基因库中与已知的琼胶酶氨基酸序列Vibrio sp. EJY3的相似度为86%。发酵液琼胶酶酶活力为71.73 U/mL,证明表达的蛋白为琼胶酶。酶学性质研究表明重组琼胶酶的最适温度及pH分别为50 °C和7.0,并且具有较好的稳定性。【结论】利用染色体步移技术克隆得到一条新的琼胶酶基因,并在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中实现了重组表达,为琼胶酶的应用奠定了基础。     

Characterization of a cDNA encoding metallothionein 3 from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

A cDNA encoding metallothionein (MT) was isolated from a library constructed with poly A(+) RNA purified from 48 h etiolated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cotyledons. This cDNA encodes a deduced protein with 63 residues and a molecular weight of 6.3 kDa. The protein has 10 cysteines of which 4 are within the CXXCXCXXXXXC amino-terminus motif and six are within the CXCXXXCXCXXCXC carboxyl-terminus motif characteristic of the type III MT (MT3). The cotton MT3 protein sequence is 76.2, 69.8, 66.7, 60.3 and 33.5% identical to MT3 from Carica papaya, Rubus idaeus, Ribes nigrum, Citrus unshiu, and Gossypium hirsutum type I MT, respectively. A fusion protein was constructed by producing PCR primers for the 5' and 3' ends of the cotton MT3 cDNA and ligating the PCR product inframe at the 3' end of a bacterial glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene in the pGEX3 vector. The 5' PCR primer incorporated a segment of the cotton MT3 noncoding region, resulting in an addition of 9 residues to the MT3 (after Factor Xa digestion site) which increased the size of the expressed protein to 72 residues and 7.6 kDa. Expression of the 7.6 kDa protein in bacteria was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. Induction and accumulation of the GST-MT3 protein began inhibiting bacterial growth after 1 h. Addition of Cu (1 muM to 1 mM), 1 mM cysteine, or 1 mM cystine to the media did not rescue growth. Additionally, this protein was evaluated for its ability to bind Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn in the bacterial expression system. We found that cotton MT3 preferentially binds Cu.     

Cloning and expression analysis of novel Aux/IAA family genes in Gossypium hirsutum

The associations between polymorphisms of prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA-rs2294008C > T and -rs2976392G > A) and gastric cancer (GC) risk for Eastern Asians have been commonly studied, but the results were conflicting. The aim of the present study was to further assess the associations by the method of meta-analysis. The databases of Medline, Embase and CNKI (up to May 25th, 2011) were retrieved to identify eligible case-control studies. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were used to present the strength of the associations. In total, eight case-control studies in seven articles with 16792 individuals (9738 cases of GC and 7054 controls) were included in this meta-analysis. Through quantitative analyses, we found that T allele of rs2294008C > T and A allele of rs2976392G > A were significantly associated with increased GC risk [rs2294008C > T: OR (95%CI) = 1.31 (1.22-1.42), P_z-test < 0.001, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.166 for TT vs. C carriers; rs2976392G > A: OR (95%CI) = 1.36(1.24-1.50), P_z-test = 0.015, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.111 for AA vs. G carriers]. The results of subgroup analyses (according to histopathology, countries and sources of controls) indicated that T allele of rs2294008C > T and A allele rs2976392G > A were associated with increased risk of both intestinal- and diffuse-type GC, and associated with increased risk of GC for Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, PCC and HCC/PHCC. Furthermore, T allele of rs2294008C > T was also associated with increased risk of cardia and non-cardia GC, and associated with increased risk of GC for males and females. Besides those, this meta-analysis also indicated that the interactions between T allele of rs2294008C > T and A allele of rs2976392G > A was associated with increased risk of GC (A-T vs. G-T: OR = 1.16, 95%CI = 1.06-1.27, P_z-test = 0.001, P_{heterogeneity} = 0.835). Although modest limitations and potential bias cannot be eliminated, this meta-analysis suggests that PSCA -rs2294008C > T and -rs2976392G > A are potential factors of GC development for Eastern Asians, and future work may incorporate these findings and evaluate these variants as potential markers for screening and early diagnosis of GC.     

海岛棉几丁质酶基因GbCHI的克隆与功能分析

几丁质酶是植物主要的病程相关(PR)蛋白之一。前期工作中利用比较蛋白质组学方法,从海岛棉7124根部蛋白中分离到一个IV型几丁质酶(GbCHI)。文章通过同源克隆获得了海岛棉GbCHI基因的cDNA序列,并对该基因的表达特征及其蛋白的抑菌功能进行了分析鉴定。qRT-PCR实验结果表明GbCHI基因在棉花根、茎、叶、花和胚珠中均有表达,其表达受大丽轮枝菌、水杨酸(SA)、乙烯(ACC)和茉莉酸(JA)诱导;亚细胞定位分析显示GbCHI蛋白主要分布在细胞膜上;体外抑菌实验证明GbCHI蛋白能显著抑制大丽轮枝菌孢子的萌发和菌丝的生长。这些研究结果为了解GbCHI的功能及其在抗黄萎病棉花分子育种中的应用提供了实验依据和思路。     

海岛棉几丁质酶基因GbCHI的克隆与功能分析

几丁质酶是植物主要的病程相关(PR)蛋白之一。前期工作中利用比较蛋白质组学方法, 从海岛棉7124根部蛋白中分离到一个IV型几丁质酶(GbCHI)。文章通过同源克隆获得了海岛棉GbCHI基因的cDNA序列, 并对该基因的表达特征及其蛋白的抑菌功能进行了分析鉴定。qRT-PCR实验结果表明GbCHI基因在棉花根、茎、叶、花和胚珠中均有表达, 其表达受大丽轮枝菌、水杨酸(SA)、乙烯(ACC)和茉莉酸(JA)诱导; 亚细胞定位分析显示GbCHI蛋白主要分布在细胞膜上; 体外抑菌实验证明GbCHI蛋白能显著抑制大丽轮枝菌孢子的萌发和菌丝的生长。这些研究结果为了解GbCHI的功能及其在抗黄萎病棉花分子育种中的应用提供了实验依据和思路。