香茄叶霉病菌蛋白cfHNNI1中诱导植物坏死所需氨基酸序列的鉴定

非寄主抗性具有持久和广谱的特点,因而在作物抗病方面有巨大应用潜力而越来越受人们关注。然而对非寄主抗性的机制仍知之甚少。以前已分离到一个番茄叶霉病菌(Cladosporium fulvum Cooke) cDNA克隆,与bZIP转录因子有很高序列同源性。该cDNA表达后导致叶霉菌寄主植物番茄(Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)和非寄主植物烟草属多个种(Nicotiana spp.)产生坏死,并诱发对马铃薯病毒X的抗性,因而被称为CfHNNI1 (C. fulvum host andnonhost necrosis inducer 1)。本文报告有关CfHNNI1中DNA结合结构域和亮氨酸拉链结构域的氨基酸序列与其坏死诱导功能之间相互关系的突变分析研究结果。DNA结合结构域R112-N117 (RKRQRN)中6个氨基酸的缺失及精氨酸R125和R127被丙氨酸的替代突变,分别完全解除和严重降低CfHNNI1对植物坏死的诱导能力。亮氨酸拉链结构域亮氨酸L149和L163被丙氨酸的替代突变也部分降低了CfHNNI1对植物坏死的诱导能力。5'端加上烟草 PR-1a信号肽序列使其成熟产物定位于胞外,导致CfHNNI1完全丧失对植物坏死的诱导能力。因此,CfHNNI1中DNA结合结构域R112-N117和精氨酸R125和R127、亮氨酸拉链结构域的亮氨酸L149和L163以及成熟蛋白的胞内定位可能为CfHNNI1诱导植物坏死所必需。     

亮氨酸拉链结构域在 p57 与 actin结合中的重要作用

Actin 结合蛋白 p57 与 actin 之间存在相当复杂的作用机制 . 为深入了解这一机制,利用体外 F-actin 结合共沉淀、细胞内免疫荧光共定位以及免疫印迹和吸光度扫描分析等实验技术,系统地研究了亮氨酸拉链结构域在 p57 与 actin 结合中的作用 . 结果显示,亮氨酸拉链序列区域本身没有 actin 结合活性,但该区域缺失突变以及破坏亮氨酸拉链结构域的点突变都可以显著降低 p57 同 actin 的结合能力 . 同时,体内和体外的半定量分析结果表明,这两种突变导致 p57 同 actin 的结合能力的降低程度十分相近 . 这些结果充分说明亮氨酸拉链结构域在 p57 与 actin 的结合中起到了重要作用 .     

病毒诱导的基因沉默及其在植物基因功能研究中的应用

RNA介导的基因沉默是近年来在生物体中发现的一种基于核酸水平高度保守的特异性降解机制.病毒诱导的基因沉默（virus induced gene silencing, VIGS）是指携带植物功能基因cDNA的病毒在侵染植物体后,可诱导植物发生基因沉默而出现表型突变,进而可以研究该目的基因功能.至今,已经建立了以RNA病毒、DNA病毒、卫星病毒和DNA卫星分子为载体的VIGS体系,这些病毒载体能在多种寄主植物（包括拟南芥、番茄和大麦）上有效抑制功能基因的表达.VIGS已开始应用于N基因和Pto基因介导的抗性信号途径中关键基因的功能研究、抗病毒相关的寄主因子研究以及植物代谢和发育调控研究.在当前植物基因组或EST序列大量测定的情况下,VIGS为植物基因功能鉴定提供了有效的技术平台.     

植物抗病基因结构、功能及其进化机制研究进展

植物与病原菌在长期的共进化和相互选择的过程中,逐渐形成了组织障碍、非寄主抗性和小种专化抗性等有效的防御机制。小种专化抗性(基因对基因抗性)主要是由植物抗病基因识别相应的病原菌无毒基因并激活植物体内抗病信号进而抵御病原菌的侵染。从目前已克隆的 70 多个抗病基因来看,它们在结构上具有高度保守性,主要包括核苷酸结合位点(NBS),亮氨酸重复结构(LRR), 蛋白激酶结构域(PK), 果蝇蛋白 Toll 和哺乳动物蛋白质白细胞介素 1 受体[interleukin(IL)-1 receptor]类似结构域(TIR), 双螺旋结构(CC)或亮氨酸拉链(LZ)和跨膜结构域(TM)等,其在抗病基因与病原菌无毒(效应)蛋白互作以及植物内部免疫信号传导中起着重要的作用。同时,抗病基因又通过基因复制、遗传重组等进化机制形成多基因家族,为植物抗病的专化性和多样性提供了重要的遗传基础。本文主要讨论了近来已克隆抗病基因的结构特征、功能以及抗病基因进化机制研究的进展。     

早熟油菜成花相关基因LFY的克隆与分析

以甘蓝型油菜晚熟品种RG-8的早熟突变体RG-8M为材料,通过同源克隆法得到1个LEAFY(LFY)同源基因,命名为BnLFY。该基因cDNA全长为1 310bp,包含1个长为1 248bp的开放阅读框,编码415个氨基酸。序列分析表明,推测的氨基酸序列含双子叶植物LFY类蛋白特有的N端脯氨酸富集区、中央酸性区、亮氨酸拉链结构以及富含赖氨酸与精氨酸的碱性区;且与几种十字花科植物LFY类蛋白的氨基酸序列一致性均在84%以上。转录表达分析表明,BnLFY基因在油菜中为组成型表达。     

百合查尔酮合成酶基因的克隆与分析

以西伯利亚百合为试材,通过半巢式PCR和RT-PCR技术分别克隆了查尔酮合成酶基因(CHS)的DNA和cDNA.生物信息学分析显示,CHS的DNA序列全长1 397 bp(登录号HM622754),包含2个外显子和1个内含子;cDNA序列编码区全长1 182 bp(登录号HQ161731),编码393个氨基酸,具有3个典型的CHS蛋白结构域:N-末端结构域(Lys3-Pro229)、C-末端结构域(Gln239-Pro389)和聚合酶Ⅲ结构域(Met1-Thr391);不同百合品种的CHS基因编码的氨基酸序列相似性高达98%,表明百合CHS基因在进化上呈现出十分保守的趋势;不同植物CHS基因序列的系统进化邻接树结果表明:百合与单子叶植物鸢尾及禾本科的水稻、大麦、玉米等亲缘关系更为接近.     

火鹤AaSERK基因克隆及其在体细胞胚胎发生中的表达分析

为了探讨体细胞胚胎发生相关类受体蛋白激酶(SERK)基因在火鹤体细胞胚胎发生中的作用,以火鹤胚性愈伤组织为材料,利用RT-PCR结合RACE技术,克隆了火鹤体细胞胚胎发生相关类受体蛋白激酶基因(AaSERK),通过实时荧光定量PCR(Real time-PCR)技术分析了AaSERK的相对表达量。结果显示:(1)该基因全长为1 949bp,包含1 866bp开放阅读框,编码蛋白由622个氨基酸组成。(2)预测该基因具有SERK家族典型的结构域:1个信号肽、1个亮氨酸拉链结构域、5个富亮氨酸重复序列结构域、1个SPP基序、1个跨膜结构域、含11个亚区的激酶结构域、1个C端结构域。DNAMAN分析显示,该基因编码的氨基酸序列与其它植物的一致性达到65%~89%。(3)在离体诱导体细胞胚胎发生的各阶段中,AaSERK基因在诱导阶段及发育培养阶段微弱表达或者几乎不表达,在继代培养第30天的胚性愈伤组织中表达量最高。推测该基因可以作为火鹤体细胞胚胎发生的一个标记基因。     

生防菌诱导植物系统抗性及其生化和细胞学机制

生防菌通常可利用竞争、抗生、寄生和交叉保护等直接的拮抗机制抑制植物病害;同时某些生防菌还能促进植物生长,诱导植物对真菌、细菌和病毒引起的病害乃至对线虫和昆虫为害的抗性,称为诱导系统抗性(ISR).ISR具有非特异性、广谱性和系统性,其在表型上与病原菌侵染激发的系统获得抗性(SAR)相似,具有同样的效率;但在寄主植物上不发生过敏性坏死反应(HR),无可见症状,为发展和改善更加安全而环境友好的植物保护策略开辟了新的思路.本文总结了生防真菌和细菌诱导系统抗性及其激发子和信号转导途径等方面的研究进展,重点阐述了寄主防御反应的生化和细胞学机制,并对ISR在植物病害生物防治中的应用前景进行了展望.     

与拟除虫菊酯抗性相关的烟粉虱钠通道基因突变及其检测

通过RT-PCR克隆了烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) 南京种群(B-生物型)的钠离子通道结构域ⅡS4-6 cDNA片段,证实了与拟除虫菊酯抗性相关的是位于第925位亮氨酸到异亮氨酸的突变(L925I),并建立了L925I突变的PASA检测技术。与SUD-S敏感品系相比,2002年采自南京棉花上的烟粉虱种群对氯氰菊酯具有77倍的抗性,用氯氰菊酯对该种群进行多次筛选后,该种群对氯氰菊酯的抗药性提高到227倍。PASA检测结果表明筛选后的南京种群中100%个体都具有L925I突变(61.1%的个体为L925I突变纯合子,38.9%的个体为杂合子),而未筛选的南京种群只有75%个体具有L925I突变(35%个体为L925I突变纯合子,40%的个体为杂合子,25%的个体为野生型)。该结果表明了烟粉虱钠离子通道L925I突变与对拟除虫菊酯抗性密切相关。还讨论了烟粉虱对拟除虫菊酯抗性的代谢机理。     

辣椒乙烯转录因子CaERF18的分离与诱导表达

旨在明确辣椒(Capsicum annuum L.HDA149)与南方根结线虫(Meloidogyne incognita)不亲和互作过程中相关特异性ERF类型转录因子的候选基因及其表达模式。应用RT-PCR方法,从南方根结线虫诱导的辣椒中分离到一个694 bp cDNA序列的乙烯(ERF)转录因子基因核心序列,命名为CaERF18,编码231个氨基酸,含有一个保守的由59个氨基酸构成的ERF结构域,与NtERF118、SlERF4和SlERF19 AP2结构域的相似性分别为44.3%、42.6%和39.3%。表达分析表明,南方根结线虫侵染可显著诱导CaERF18的表达,接种线虫后12h相对表达量开始升高,12 h升高3.8倍,72 h升高7.2倍。结果表明,CaERF18是一受病原物诱导表达的基因,推测CaERF18在介导辣椒对根结线虫的抗性作用中可能具有重要的调控功能。     

Expression of the Avirulence gene Avr9 of the fungal tomato pathogen Cladosporium fulvum is regulated by the global nitrogen response factor NRF1

Here we describe the role of the Cladosporium fulvum nitrogen response factor 1 (Nrf1) gene in regulation of the expression of avirulence gene Avr9 and virulence on tomato. The Nrf1 gene, which was isolated by a polymerase chain reaction-based strategy, is predicted to encode a protein of 918 amino acid residues. The protein contains a putative zinc finger DNA-binding domain that shares 98% amino acid identity with the zinc finger of the major nitrogen regulatory proteins AREA and NIT2 of Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa, respectively. Functional equivalence of Nrf1 to areA was demonstrated by complementation of an A. nidulans areA loss-of-function mutant with Nrf1. Nrf1-deficient transformants of C. fulvum obtained by homologous recombination were unable to utilize nitrate and nitrite as a nitrogen source. In contrast to what was observed in the C. fulvum wild-type, the Avr9 gene was no longer induced under nitrogen-starvation conditions in Nrf1-deficient strains. On susceptible tomato plants, the Nrf1-deficient strains were as virulent as wild-type strains of C. fulvum, although the expression of the Avr9 gene was strongly reduced. In addition, Nrf1-deficient strains were still avirulent on tomato plants containing the functional Cf-9 resistance gene, indicating that in planta, apparently sufficient quantities of stable AVR9 elicitor are produced. Our results suggest that the NRF1 protein is a major regulator of the Avr9 gene.     

Role of the NH2 terminus in the assembly and trafficking of the intermediate conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel hIK1

The role of the NH(2)-terminal leucine zipper and dileucine motifs of hIK1 in the assembly, trafficking, and function of the channel was investigated using cell surface immunoprecipitation, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), immunoblot, and whole-cell patch clamp techniques. Mutation of the NH(2)-terminal leucine zipper at amino acid positions 18 and 25 (L18A/L25A) resulted in a complete loss of steady-state protein expression, cell surface expression, and whole-cell current density. Inhibition of proteasomal degradation with lactacystin restored L18A/L25A protein expression, although this channel was not expressed at the cell surface as assessed by cell surface immunoprecipitation and whole-cell patch clamp. In contrast, inhibitors of lysosomal degradation (leupeptin/pepstatin) and endocytosis (chloroquine) had little effect on L18A/L25A protein expression or localization. Further studies confirmed the rapid degradation of this channel, having a time constant of 19.0 +/- 1.3 min compared with 3.2 +/- 0.8 h for wild type hIK1. Co-expression studies demonstrated that the L18A/L25A channel associates with wild type channel, thereby attenuating its expression at the cell surface. Co-IP studies confirmed this association. However, L18A/L25A channels failed to form homotetrameric channels, as assessed by Co-IP, suggesting the NH(2) terminus plays a role in tetrameric channel assembly. As with the leucine zipper, mutation of the dileucine motif to alanines, L18A/L19A, resulted in a near complete loss in steady-state protein expression with the protein being similarly targeted to the proteasome for degradation. In contrast to our results on the leucine zipper, however, both chloroquine and growing the cells at the permissive temperature of 27 degrees C restored expression of L18A/L19A at the cell surface, suggesting that the defect in the channel trafficking is the result of a subtle folding error. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the NH(2) terminus of hIK1 contains overlapping leucine zipper and dileucine motifs essential for channel assembly and trafficking to the plasma membrane.     

Functional expression of Cf9 and Avr9 genes in Brassica napus induces enhanced resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans

The tomato Cf9 resistance gene induces an Avr9-dependent hypersensitive response (HR) in tomato and transgenic Solanaceae spp. We studied whether the Cf9 gene product responded functionally to the corresponding Avr9 gene product when introduced in a heterologous plant species. We successfully expressed the Cf9 gene under control of its own promoter and the Avr9 or Avr9R8K genes under control of the p35S1 promoter in transgenic oilseed rape. We demonstrated that the transgenic oilseed rape plants produced the Avr9 elicitor with the same specific necrosis-inducing activity as reported for Cladosporium fulvum. An Avr9-dependent HR was induced in Cf9 oilseed rape upon injection of intercellular fluid containing Avr9. We showed Avr9-specific induction of PR1, PR2, and Cxc750 defense genes in oilseed rape expressing CJ9. Cf9 x Avr9 oilseed rape did not result in seedling death of the F1 progeny, independent of the promoters used to express the genes. The F1 (Cf9 x Avr9) plants, however, were quantitatively more resistant to Leptosphaeria maculans. Phytopathological analyses revealed that disease development of L. maculans was delayed when the pathogen was applied on an Avr9-mediated HR site. We demonstrate that the CJ9 and Avr9 gene can be functionally expressed in a heterologous plant species and that the two components confer an increase in disease resistance.     

Cladosporium fulvum circumvents the second functional resistance gene homologue at the Cf-4 locus (Hcr9-4E ) by secretion of a stable avr4E isoform

Introgression of resistance trait Cf-4 from wild tomato species into tomato cultivar MoneyMaker (MM-Cf0) has resulted in the near-isogenic line MM-Cf4 that confers resistance to the fungal tomato pathogen Cladosporium fulvum. At the Cf-4 locus, five homologues of Cladosporium resistance gene Cf-9 (Hcr9s) are present. While Hcr9-4D represents the functional Cf-4 resistance gene matching Avr4, Hcr9-4E confers resistance towards C. fulvum by mediating recognition of the novel avirulence determinant Avr4E. Here, we report the isolation of the Avr4E gene, which encodes a cysteine-rich protein of 101 amino acids that is secreted by C. fulvum during colonization of the apoplastic space of tomato leaves. By complementation we show that Avr4E confers avirulence to strains of C. fulvum that are normally virulent on Hcr9-4E-transgenic plants, indicating that Avr4E is a genuine, race-specific avirulence determinant. Strains of C. fulvum evade Hcr9-4E-mediated resistance either by a deletion of the Avr4E gene or by production of a stable Avr4E mutant protein that carries two amino acid substitutions, Phe(82)Leu and Met(93)Thr. Moreover, we demonstrate by site-directed mutagenesis that the single amino acid substitution Phe(82)Leu in Avr4E is sufficient to evade Hcr9-4E-mediated resistance.     

Human cytomegalovirus UL84 oligomerization and heterodimerization domains act as transdominant inhibitors of oriLyt-dependent DNA replication: evidence that IE2-UL84 and UL84-UL84 interactions are required for lytic DNA replication

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) UL84 encodes a 75-kDa protein required for oriLyt-dependent DNA replication and interacts with IE2 in infected and transfected cells. UL84 localizes to the nucleus of transfected and infected cells and is found in viral replication compartments. In transient assays it was shown that UL84 can interfere with the IE2-mediated transactivation of the UL112/113 promoter of HCMV. To determine whether UL84 protein-protein interactions are necessary for lytic DNA synthesis, we purified UL84 and used this protein to generate a monoclonal antibody. Using this antibody, we now show that UL84 forms a stable interaction with itself in vivo. The point of self-interaction maps to a region of the protein between amino acids 151 and 200, a domain that contains a series of highly charged amino acid residues. Coimmunoprecipitation assays determined that UL84 interacts with a protein domain present within the first 215 amino acids of IE2. We also show that an intact leucine zipper domain of UL84 is required for a stable interaction with IE2 and UL84 leucine zipper mutants fail to complement oriLyt-dependent DNA replication. UL84 leucine zipper mutants no longer interfere with IE2-mediated transactivation of the UL112/113 promoter, confirming that the leucine zipper is essential for a functional interaction with IE2. In addition, we demonstrate that both the leucine zipper and oligomerization domains of UL84 can act as transdominant-negative inhibitors of lytic replication in the transient assay, strongly suggesting that both an IE2-UL84 and a UL84-UL84 interaction are required for DNA synthesis.