Co-suppression in transgenic Petunia hybrida expressing chalcone synthase A (chsA)

Chalcone synthase A is a key enzyme in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. Expression of chsA gene in transgenic Petunia hybrida resulted in flower color alterations and co-suppression of transgenes and endogenous genes. We fused the β-glucuronidase (uidA) gene to the C-terminal of chsA gene, and transferred the fusion gene into Petunia hybrida via Agrobac-terium tumefaciens. GUS histochemical staining analysis showed that co-suppression occurred specifically during the development of flowers and co-suppression required the mutual interaction of endogenous genes and transgenes. RNA in situ hybridization analysis suggested that co-suppression occurred in the entire plant, and RNA degradation occurred in the cytoplasm.     

Antisense chalcone synthase genes in petunia: Visualization of variable transgene expression

Summary The constitutive expression of an antisense chalcone synthase (CHS) gene in transgenic petunia plants results with high frequency in a reduced flower pigmentation due to a reduction in the CHS mRNA steady-state level in floral tissue. Here we show that this reduction is specific for CHS mRNA; chalcone flavanone isomerase (CHI) and dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) mRNA steady-state levels are unaffected. However, in white floral tissue a severe reduction in CHI specific activity is found, accompanied by an altered signal for CHI protein on western blots. We find no correlation between the phenotypic effect of the antisense CHS gene and its chromosomal position. For some of the antisense CHS transformants the flower phenotype is highly variable. We demonstrate that pigmentation in these plants can be influenced by gibberellic acid and light, suggesting that the variable flower phenotype is caused by changes in physiological conditions during flower development. The results not only indicate that flower pigmentation in these plants reveals the variable expression of the antisense transgene, but also show that genomic sequences flanking the transgene may render its expression extremely susceptible to physiological conditions.     

The TACPyAT repeats in the chalcone synthase promoter of Petunia hybrida act as a dominant negative cis-acting module in the control of organ-specific expression

Analysis of the expression of the GUS reporter gene driven by various regions of the Petunia hybrida chalcone synthase (chsA) promoter revealed that the developmental and organ-specific expression of the chsA gene is conferred by a TATA proximal module located between -67 and -53, previously designated as the TACPyAT repeats. Histochemical analysis of GUS reporter gene expression revealed that the organ-specific 67 bp promoter fragment directs the same cell-type specificity as a 530 bp promoter, whereas additional enhancer sequences are present within the more TATA distal region. Moreover, the region between -800 and -530 is also involved in extending the cell-type specificity to the trichomes of flower organs and of young seedlings. The mechanism by which the TACPyAT repeats modulate expression during plant development was studied by analysing the expression of the GUS gene driven by chimeric promoters consisting of the CaMV 35S enhancer (domain B, -750 to -90) fused to various chsA 5' upstream sequences. Detailed enzymatic and histochemical analysis revealed that in the presence of the TACPyAT module the CaMV 35S region only enhances GUS activity in those organs in which the chsA promoter is normally active. Furthermore, this analysis shows that enhancement in the presence of the CaMV 35S domain B is accomplished by increasing the number of cell types expressing the GUS gene within the organ, rather than enhancement of the chsA cell-type-specific expression within these organs. Deletion of the TACPyAT sequences in the chimeric promoter construct completely restores the well-documented CaMV 35S domain B cell-type specificity, showing that the TACPyAT module acts as a dominant negative cis-acting element which controls both organ and developmental regulation of the chsA promoter activity.     

Post-transcriptional gene silencing by double-stranded RNA

Imagine being able to knock out your favourite gene with only a day's work. Not just in one model system, but in virtually any organism: plants, flies, mice or cultured cells. This sort of experimental dream might one day become reality as we learn to harness the power of RNA interference, the process by which double-stranded RNA induces the silencing of homologous endogenous genes. How this phenomenon works is slowly becoming clear, and might help us to develop an effortless tool to probe gene function in cells and animals.     

Cloning and molecular characterization of the chalcone synthase multigene family of Petunia hybrida

Chalcone synthase-encoding genes (chs) in Petunia hybrida comprise a multigene family. Some of the chs genes have been grouped into a subfamily, based upon their strong cross-hybridization and tight genomic linkage. From genomic libraries eight 'complete' chs genes, two chs gene 5'-fragments and two chs gene 3'-fragments have been isolated. The nucleotide sequence of six complete chs genes is presented and discussed in relation to their evolutionary origin and expression in different tissues. Each member of the family consists of two exons separated by an intron of variable size and sequence, which is located at a conserved position. The chs gene fragments represent single exons. Homology between non-linked chs genes is approx. 80% at the DNA level and restricted to protein-coding sequences. Homology between subfamily members (which are tightly linked) is higher (90-99%) and extends into untranslated regions of the gene, strengthening the view that they arose by recent gene duplications. The chsD gene contains a mutated translation stop codon, suggesting that this is an inactive (pseudo)gene. None of the other members of the gene family exhibits characteristics of a pseudogene, indicating that if gene inactivation has occurred during their evolution, it must characteristics of a pseudogene, indicating that if gene inactivation has occurred during their evolution, it must have been a recent event. Homology at the protein level between some (expressed) chs genes is surprisingly low. The possibility that these genes encode proteins with slightly different enzymatic activities is discussed.     

Post-transcriptional gene silencing in neurons

The techniques evolving from the rapidly developing field of small RNAs promise accessible approaches to dissecting cellular and molecular mechanisms of higher brain function. Here, a current overview of the technology is presented, along with an outline of how these approaches might help neuroscientists to more rapidly uncover the cellular and molecular bases of behavior.     

Post-transcriptional gene silencing by siRNAs and miRNAs

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in our understanding of how double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and 21- to 25-nucleotide small RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), control gene expression in eukaryotes. This RNA-mediated regulation generally results in sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression; this can occur at levels as different as chromatin modification and silencing, translational repression and mRNA degradation. Many details of the biogenesis and function of miRNAs and siRNAs, and of the effector complexes with which they associate have been elucidated. The first structural information on protein components of the RNA interference (RNAi) and miRNA machineries is emerging, and provides some insight into the mechanism of RNA-silencing reactions.