NTGLO: a tobacco homologue of the GLOBOSA floral homeotic gene of Antirrhinum majus: cDNA sequence and expression pattern

We report the cloning and DNA sequence of a cDNA from Nicotiana tabacum, NTGLO, as well as the pattern of expression of the NTGLO gene in wild-type tobacco plants. The NTGLO cDNA encodes a protein of 209 amino acids, which shows 73% identity with the GLO protein encoded by the GLO gene of Antirrhinum majus, a homeotic gene involved in the genetic control of flower development. Northern blot analysis shows that the NTGLO gene is expressed mainly in floral organs and, within the flower, expression is restricted to petals and stamens. The NTGLO gene most probably represents a true homologue of the GLO gene because: i) the MADS boxes, of the two genes are highly homologous (56 out of 58 amino acids are identical): ii) at the carboxyterminal a block of 19 amino acids is perfectly conserved between the NTGLO and GLO proteins and iii) their expression patterns in floral organs are identical.     

朵丽蝶兰 MADS-box 基因 DtpsMADS1 的克隆与表达特性简

植物MADS-box基因家族编码高度保守的转录因子,参与了包括花器官发育和开花在内的多种发育进程。为阐释兰科植物成花的分子调控机制,根据MADS-box基因保守序列设计简并引物,用RACE方法从朵丽蝶兰花葶中克隆到1个MADS-box家族基因,该基因cDNA全长960 bp,包含37 bp 5′UTR,一个738 bp的开放阅读框(ORF)和185 bp 3′UTR,共编码245个氨基酸。序列和系统进化树分析表明,该基因与其他植物的MADS-box基因具有很高的同源性,属于AP1/FUL-like亚家族,命名为DtpsMADS1,GeneBank登录号为JQ065097。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果显示：DtpsMADS1具有明显的组织表达特异性;在根和叶中,DtpsMADS1在花前期和花后期表达量较高;苗期和盛花期表达量较低;DtpsMADS1在花葶中的表达趋势与根和叶相似;而在花器官中,DtpsMADS1只有痕量表达。由此推断,DtpsMADS1可能参与开花进程调控,而不参与花器官的形态建成。     

Within and between Whorls: Comparative Transcriptional Profiling of Aquilegia and Arabidopsis

Background

The genus Aquilegia is an emerging model system in plant evolutionary biology predominantly because of its wide variation in floral traits and associated floral ecology. The anatomy of the Aquilegia flower is also very distinct. There are two whorls of petaloid organs, the outer whorl of sepals and the second whorl of petals that form nectar spurs, as well as a recently evolved fifth whorl of staminodia inserted between stamens and carpels.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We designed an oligonucleotide microarray based on EST sequences from a mixed tissue, normalized cDNA library of an A. formosa x A. pubescens F2 population representing 17,246 unigenes. We then used this array to analyze floral gene expression in late pre-anthesis stage floral organs from a natural A. formosa population. In particular, we tested for gene expression patterns specific to each floral whorl and to combinations of whorls that correspond to traditional and modified ABC model groupings. Similar analyses were performed on gene expression data of Arabidopsis thaliana whorls previously obtained using the Ath1 gene chips (data available through The Arabidopsis Information Resource).

Conclusions/Significance

Our comparative gene expression analyses suggest that 1) petaloid sepals and petals of A. formosa share gene expression patterns more than either have organ-specific patterns, 2) petals of A. formosa and A. thaliana may be independently derived, 3) staminodia express B and C genes similar to stamens but the staminodium genetic program has also converged on aspects of the carpel program and 4) staminodia have unique up-regulation of regulatory genes and genes that have been implicated with defense against microbial infection and herbivory. Our study also highlights the value of comparative gene expression profiling and the Aquilegia microarray in particular for the study of floral evolution and ecology.     

白桦开花位点Flowering Locus T（FT）基因的分离及其表达

FT及其同源基因在促进植物成花和发育阶段转变过程中起重要作用。应用RT-PCR和RACE技术分离了白桦FT基因的cDNA,全长为928 bp,其开放阅读框为525 bp,编码174个氨基酸。预测的蛋白质分子量为19.6 kDa,理论等电点为7.73。该预测蛋白序列含有保守的PEBP蛋白结构域,命名为BplFT,并在GenBank注册,登录号为JQ409561。该基因序列同其它16种植物的相似性为74%～93%,其中与无花果（Ficus carica）的相似度最高为93%,与拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）的相似度最低为74%,并构建了该基因序列的进化树。通过qRT-PCR的方法检测BplFT基因在白桦不同时期不同组织中的转录表达,在营养器官的表达高于花器官,成熟组织要高于幼嫩的组织,在成熟茎中的表达量最高,推测BplFT基因在成熟的营养器官发育中起重要作用,并可能参与调控次生细胞壁的形成。另外,选择了白桦雄花序突变体进行该基因的转录表达分析,该基因在突变体雌花序、雄花序、幼叶及幼茎中均为上调表达,预示着BplFT基因不仅仅参与营养组织发育,在花器官发育中也具有一定的作用。     

蜻蜓凤梨花发育相关B类MADS-box基因克隆及表达分析

为探索MADS-box基因在凤梨花发育过程中的调控机制,通过设计简并引物,利用RACE技术,从蜻蜓凤梨花蕾中分离得到2个花发育相关B类MADS-box基因,分别命名为AfAP3和AfPI;AfAP3cDNA全长957bp,编码区编码226个氨基酸;AfPI cDNA全长808bp,编码区编码198个氨基酸,二者均具有典型的植物MADS-box蛋白结构.RT-PCR分析结果表明,AfAP3和AfPI基因主要在花器官中表达,在根系中也有微量表达;乙烯诱导后7d,AfPI基因在茎尖处开始有表达,表明此时蜻蜓凤梨花芽分化可能已经完成,AfAP3基因表达晚于AfPI.     

On the population genetics of the red cell glyoxalase I (GLO)

Summary The GLO phenotype distribution was studied in the population from the Rostock area (n=233). The gene frequencies of GLO alleles were estimated to be GLO¹=0.4249, GLO²=0.5751. The electrophoretic separation was achieved on horizontal starch gel.     

Genome-wide analysis of gene expression during early Arabidopsis flower development

Detailed information about stage-specific changes in gene expression is crucial for the understanding of the gene regulatory networks underlying development. Here, we describe the global gene expression dynamics during early flower development, a key process in the life cycle of a plant, during which floral patterning and the specification of floral organs is established. We used a novel floral induction system in Arabidopsis, which allows the isolation of a large number of synchronized floral buds, in conjunction with whole-genome microarray analysis to identify genes with differential expression at distinct stages of flower development. We found that the onset of flower formation is characterized by a massive downregulation of genes in incipient floral primordia, which is followed by a predominance of gene activation during the differentiation of floral organs. Among the genes we identified as differentially expressed in the experiment, we detected a significant enrichment of closely related members of gene families. The expression profiles of these related genes were often highly correlated, indicating similar temporal expression patterns. Moreover, we found that the majority of these genes is specifically up-regulated during certain developmental stages. Because co-expressed members of gene families in Arabidopsis frequently act in a redundant manner, these results suggest a high degree of functional redundancy during early flower development, but also that its extent may vary in a stage-specific manner.     

Two members of the ERabp gene family are expressed differentially in reproductive organs but to similar levels in the coleoptile of maize

A Zea mays cDNA clone, ZmERabp4, coding for a new member of the auxin-binding protein family was isolated. The primary amino acid sequence contains an N-terminal hydrophobic leader sequence, a potential glycosylation site (Asn¹³⁶-Thr-Thr) and a C-terminal KDEL motif known to be responsible for retention of proteins within the lumen of the ER. The expression pattern of the ZmERabp4 gene in various organs of maize differs from the expression pattern previously observed for the ZmERabp1 gene. The ZmERabp4 gene is expressed highly in male flower organs, whereas the ZmERabp1 gene shows highest expression in female flower parts. In situ hybridization and analysis by laser scanning microscopy revealed enhanced levels of expression for both genes in the coleoptile when compared with the primary leaf of etiolated maize seedlings.