膨胀素在植物生长发育中的作用

膨胀素是一类具有非水解活性的细胞壁松弛蛋白,参与植物生长发育过程中细胞壁的修饰。大多数植物中都发现有膨胀素基因家族成员存在,其功能涉及植物生长发育的各个方面,包括营养生长、形态发生、受精授粉、果实成熟等,并表现出高度的组织、器官和细胞特异性。本文综述膨胀素在种子萌发、叶的发育、根茎生长、花的发育等生长发育过程中的作用。     

利用抑制性扣除杂交技术克隆水稻磷饥饿诱导基因

磷素是植物生长所必需的重要元素。在缺磷环境中,植物能够调节自身的形态、生理生化和基因表达水平来适应环境的变化。为研究水稻(Oryzn sativa L.)耐低磷胁迫的分子机理,采用抑制性扣除杂交技术(SSH)构建磷饥饿诱导的水稻根系扣除cDNA文库。通过文库筛选和测序获得18个已知基因和47个功能未知基因。这些基因参与了不同的代谢过程,包括磷吸收和转运、信号传导、蛋白质合成和降解、碳水化合物代谢和胁迫反应。Northern杂交结果表明,在磷饥饿胁迫下这些基因呈现不同的表达模式,并且不同代谢过程中的基因对磷饥饿有着不同的反应。     

Two Tomato Expansin Genes Show Divergent Expression and Localization in Embryos during Seed Development and Germination

Expansins are plant proteins that can induce extension of isolated cell walls and are proposed to mediate cell expansion. Three expansin genes were expressed in germinating tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seeds, one of which (LeEXP4) was expressed specifically in the endosperm cap tissue enclosing the radicle tip. The other two genes (LeEXP8 and LeEXP10) were expressed in the embryo and are further characterized here. LeEXP8 mRNA was not detected in developing or mature seeds but accumulated specifically in the radicle cortex during and after germination. In contrast, LeEXP10 mRNA was abundant at an early stage of seed development corresponding to the period of rapid embryo expansion; it then decreased during seed maturation and increased again during germination. When gibberellin-deficient (gib-1) mutant seeds were imbibed in water, LeEXP8 mRNA was not detected, but a low level of LeEXP10 mRNA was present. Expression of both genes increased when gib-1 seeds were imbibed in gibberellin. Abscisic acid did not prevent the initial expression of LeEXP8 and LeEXP10, but mRNA abundance of both genes subsequently decreased during extended incubation. The initial increase in LeEXP8, but not LeEXP10, mRNA accumulation was blocked by low water potential, but LeEXP10 mRNA amounts fell after longer incubation. When seeds were transferred from abscisic acid or low water potential solutions to water, abundance of both LeEXP8 and LeEXP10 mRNAs increased in association with germination. The tissue localization and expression patterns of both LeEXP8 and LeEXP10 suggest developmentally specific roles during embryo and seedling growth.     

利用抑制性扣除杂交技术克隆水稻磷饥饿诱导基因

磷素是植物生长所必需的重要元素.在缺磷环境中,植物能够调节自身的形态、生理生化和基因表达水平来适应环境的变化.为研究水稻(Oryza sativa L.)耐低磷胁迫的分子机理,采用抑制性扣除杂交技术(SSH)构建磷饥饿诱导的水稻根系扣除cDNA文库.通过文库筛选和测序获得18个已知基因和47个功能未知基因.这些基因参与了不同的代谢过程,包括磷吸收和转运、信号传导、蛋白质合成和降解、碳水化合物代谢和胁迫反应.Northern杂交结果表明,在磷饥饿胁迫下这些基因呈现不同的表达模式,并且不同代谢过程中的基因对磷饥饿有着不同的反应.     

Identification and Characterization of the Expansin Genes in Triticum urartu in Response to Various Phytohormones

Russian Journal of Genetics - Expansins are ancient proteins involved in cell wall loosening during diverse biological processes in plants. They may participate inplant developmental processes and...     

Multiple Forms of Phospholipase D following Germination and during Leaf Development of Castor Bean

Multiple molecular forms of phospholipase D (PLD; EC 3.1.4.4) were identified and partially characterized in endosperm of germinated seeds and leaves of castor bean (Ricinus communis L. var Hale). The different PLD forms were resolved by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and size-exclusion chromatography. PLD was detected with both a PLD activity assay and immunoblots with PLD-specific antibodies. There were three major forms of PLD, designated types 1, 2, and 3, based on their mobility during nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Molecular masses of the PLD variants were estimated at 330, 230, and 270 kD for the types 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Isoelectric points of the native type 1, 2, and 3 PLDs were approximately 6.2, 4.9, and 4.8. Under the in vitro assay conditions used, the three forms of PLD exhibited the same substrate specificity, hydrolyzing phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) but not phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol (PI). The three forms of PLD differed in their substrate preferences, and the order of activities was: PLD 1, PE > PG = PC; PLD 2, PE > PG > PC; PLD 3, PE = PG = PC. The Km values of PLDs 1, 2, and 3 for PC were 1.92, 2.62, and 5.18 mM, respectively. These PLDs were expressed differentially following seed germination and during leaf development. Type 1 was found in the early stages of seedling growth and in young leaves, type 2 was present in all the tissues and growth stages examined, and type 3 was expressed in senescent tissues. The PLDs shifted from largely cytosolic to predominantly membrane-associated forms during leaf development. The present studies demonstrate the structural heterogeneity of plant PLD and growth stage-specific expression of different molecular forms. The possible role for the occurrence of multiple molecular forms of PLD in cellular metabolism is discussed.     

Dopamine Signaling Leads to Loss of Polycomb Repression and Aberrant Gene Activation in Experimental Parkinsonism

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins bind to and repress genes in embryonic stem cells through lineage commitment to the terminal differentiated state. PcG repressed genes are commonly characterized by the presence of the epigenetic histone mark H3K27me3, catalyzed by the Polycomb repressive complex 2. Here, we present in vivo evidence for a previously unrecognized plasticity of PcG-repressed genes in terminally differentiated brain neurons of parkisonian mice. We show that acute administration of the dopamine precursor, L-DOPA, induces a remarkable increase in H3K27me3S28 phosphorylation. The induction of the H3K27me3S28p histone mark specifically occurs in medium spiny neurons expressing dopamine D1 receptors and is dependent on Msk1 kinase activity and DARPP-32-mediated inhibition of protein phosphatase-1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments showed that increased H3K27me3S28p was accompanied by reduced PcG binding to regulatory regions of genes. An analysis of the genome wide distribution of L-DOPA-induced H3K27me3S28 phosphorylation by ChIP sequencing (ChIP-seq) in combination with expression analysis by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) showed that the induction of H3K27me3S28p correlated with increased expression of a subset of PcG repressed genes. We found that induction of H3K27me3S28p persisted during chronic L-DOPA administration to parkisonian mice and correlated with aberrant gene expression. We propose that dopaminergic transmission can activate PcG repressed genes in the adult brain and thereby contribute to long-term maladaptive responses including the motor complications, or dyskinesia, caused by prolonged administration of L-DOPA in Parkinson''s disease.     

两个枣树扩展蛋白基因cDNA全序列的克隆及分析

用定向克隆法构建了枣树(Ziziphus jujubaMill.)快速生长初期结果枝的cDNA文库,经过重组质粒的筛选,克隆获得两个扩展蛋白基因cDNA全序列,分别命名为ZjEXP1(GenBank登录号:FJ449891)和ZjEXP2(GenBank登录号:FJ449892)。ZjEXP1全长1 037 bp,包含编码254个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框;ZjEXP2全长905 bp,包含编码251个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框。两个序列有共同的结构特征,即在N-末端有8个保守的半胱氨酸残基的丰富域,C-末端有4个保守的色氨酸残基的丰富域,中间有一个组氨酸(His-Phe-Asp,HFD)功能域。两者之间的氨基酸同源性为74.0%。从已知的扩展蛋白基因家族的进化分析表明,ZjEXP1和ZjEXP2由一个祖先进化而来,又分别属于两个不同的分支。     

Inducible Arginase 1 Deficiency in Mice Leads to Hyperargininemia and Altered Amino Acid Metabolism

Arginase deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting from a loss of the liver arginase isoform, arginase 1 (ARG1), which is the final step in the urea cycle for detoxifying ammonia. ARG1 deficiency leads to hyperargininemia, characterized by progressive neurological impairment, persistent growth retardation and infrequent episodes of hyperammonemia. Using the Cre/loxP-directed conditional gene knockout system, we generated an inducible Arg1-deficient mouse model by crossing “floxed” Arg1 mice with CreER^T2 mice. The resulting mice (Arg-Cre) die about two weeks after tamoxifen administration regardless of the starting age of inducing the knockout. These treated mice were nearly devoid of Arg1 mRNA, protein and liver arginase activity, and exhibited symptoms of hyperammonemia. Plasma amino acid analysis revealed pronounced hyperargininemia and significant alterations in amino acid and guanidino compound metabolism, including increased citrulline and guanidinoacetic acid. Despite no alteration in ornithine levels, concentrations of other amino acids such as proline and the branched-chain amino acids were reduced. In summary, we have generated and characterized an inducible Arg1-deficient mouse model exhibiting several pathologic manifestations of hyperargininemia. This model should prove useful for exploring potential treatment options of ARG1 deficiency.     

叶片生长进程中气孔发育对叶温调节的影响

鉴于气孔发育影响气孔导度和蒸腾速率,推测气孔发育可能影响叶温调节。为验证这一假设并阐述相关规律,在控光和控温条件下研究了冬青卫矛和华北紫丁香气孔发育、气孔导度、蒸腾速率及其与叶温的关系。结果表明,伴随冬青卫矛、华北紫丁香叶片生长气孔逐渐增大,但气孔密度下降;在此过程中,气孔导度和蒸腾速率逐步提高,而叶片温度降低;尽管冬青卫矛和华北紫丁香叶片的气孔密度和大小差异很小,但华北紫丁香近轴侧和远轴侧均有气孔分布,而冬青卫矛则只有远轴侧分布气孔,且相同条件下华北紫丁香的气孔导度和蒸腾速率高、叶温低。因此,气孔发育能够促进气孔导度和蒸腾速率提高,有助于降低叶温;近轴侧气孔可能更有利于蒸腾降温。     

毛竹扩展蛋白基因的鉴定及其表达分析

为全面了解毛竹中扩展蛋白的分子特征和表达模式,本研究利用生物信息学方法在毛竹基因组中共鉴定出43个扩展蛋白基因家族成员,属于4个亚家族（EXPA、EXPB、EXLA和EXLB）,分别包含18、17、7和1个成员,分布在37个Scaffold上。除PeEXPA1没有内含子和PeEXLB1含有11个内含子外,其它毛竹扩展蛋白基因的内含子为1~5个。毛竹扩展蛋白基因编码蛋白长度为91~508个氨基酸,所有的氨基酸都具有高频密码子,大部分蛋白为碱性亲水性蛋白。大部分毛竹扩展蛋白二级结构中β转角占比例最少,而β折叠占比例最大,各亚家族多数成员具有类似的三级结构。qRT-PCR结果表明,18个EXPA亚家族成员在不同组织表达存在明显差异,除PeEXPA2、PeEXPA6外其它基因表达的最高值均出现在叶片中,表明它们可能在叶片生长过程中发挥着重要作用。     

Ochna pulchra Hook: Leaf Growth and Development Related to Photosynthetic Activity

Ochna pulchra Hook. is a deciduous broad-leaved tree in theMixed Bushveld vegetation of the Northern Transvaal. The growthand development of leaves taken from trees in the field werestudied from a stage shortly before bud break, in late spring,until they were fully expanded and at the peak of photosyntheticactivity. Leaf area was measured by photographing the leaf against a transparentmm² grid. Finally a constant relationship between leaf area(A) and the linear dimension of length (L) and breadth (B) wasestablished: A = b x LB, where coefficient b = 0.72. Transverse sections of the lamina of the youngest leaves showeda five-layered plate meristem with a few functional conductingelements in the midrib. During further leaf development, celldivision was followed by means of autoradiography using [³H]thymidine.It was most active during the week after bud break. Leaf cell increment following on cell division made the majorcontribution to leaf growth resulting in a lamina that was atleast 90% expanded 4 weeks after bud break. The histologicalchanges accompanying cell division were observed using lightand electron microscopy. Even in late stages of leaf development mature and differentiatingstomata occurred together, limited to the abaxial epidermisand the midrib. Scanning electron microscopy showed stomataldistribution, their increasing density and gradual opening.The structure of these sunken stomata could reduce the outwarddiffusion of water vapour and increase the diffusion resistanceto carbon dioxide. Carbon assimilation rates of the developing leaves were measuredusing an IRGA (infra-red gas analyser) and their chlorophyllvalues were calculated. Photosynthesis was first measured amonth after bud break when the leaves were fully expanded, over50 % of the stomata exposed and leaf mesophyll tissue differentiatedwith mature chloroplasts. Net photosynthetic rates and chlorophyllvalues peaked 1 month later. Ochna pulchra Hook., photosynthesis, leaf development, leaf area, stomata, chlorophyll, savanna     

Cell Cycle Arrest during Measles Virus Infection: a G0-Like Block Leads to Suppression of Retinoblastoma Protein Expression

One of the major mechanisms by which measles virus (MV) infection causes disease and death is suppression of the immune response. The nonresponsiveness of MV-infected human lymphocytes to mitogens and a partial block in the G₀/G₁ phase of the cell cycle observed in vitro is thought to reflect in vivo immunosuppression. In order to molecularly dissect MV-induced immunosuppression, we analyzed expression of surface activation markers and cell cycle-regulatory proteins in MV-infected human T lymphocytes. MV Edmonston (MV-Ed) could induce and maintain a high level of the early activation marker CD69 in the absence of proliferation. Expression of cyclins D3 and E, which positively control entry into S phase, was also significantly decreased. Analysis of inhibitors of progression into S phase showed that a high level of p27 was maintained in the G₀/G₁-blocked subpopulation of MV-Ed-infected cells compared to the proliferating MV-infected cells. Furthermore, cell cycle-related upregulation of retinoblastoma (Rb) protein synthesis did not occur in the MV-Ed-infected lymphocytes. Acridine orange staining, which distinguishes cells in G₀ from cells in G₁, showed that RNA levels were not upregulated following activation, which is consistent with cells remaining in a G₀ state. Although expression of surface activation markers indicated entry into the cycle, intracellular Rb and RNA levels suggested a quiescent state. These results indicate that MV can uncouple activation of T lymphocytes from transition of G₀ to G₁.