Isolation of cDNA clones for genes that are expressed during leaf senescence in Brassica napus. Identification of a gene encoding a senescence-specific metallothionein-like protein.

cDNA clones representing genes that are expressed during leaf senescence in Brassica napus were identified by differential screening of a cDNA library made from RNA isolated from leaves at different stages of senescence. The expression of these genes at different stages of leaf development was examined by northern blot analysis, and several different patterns of expression were observed. One of the clones, LSC54, represented a gene that is expressed at high levels during leaf senescence. Analysis of this gene indicated strong expression in flowers as well as in senescing leaves. DNA sequence analysis of the LSC54 cDNA indicated a similarity between the deduced amino acid sequence and several metallothionein-like proteins previously identified in plants.     

cDNA cloning and differential gene expression of three catalases in pumpkin

Three cDNA clones (cat1, cat2, cat3) for catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) were isolated from a cDNA library of pumpkin (Cucurbita sp.) cotyledons. In northern blotting using the cDNA-specific probe, the cat1 mRNA levels were high in seeds and early seedlings of pumpkin. The expression pattern of cat1 was similar to that of malate synthase, a characteristic enzyme of glyoxysomes. These data suggest that cat1 might encode a catalase associated with glyoxysomal functions. Furthermore, immunocytochemical analysis using cat1-specific anti-peptide antibody directly showed that cat1 encoding catalase is located in glyoxysomes. The cat2 mRNA was present at high levels in green cotyledons, mature leaf, stem and green hypocotyl of light-grown pumpkin plant, and correlated with chlorophyll content in the tissues. The tissue-specific expression of cat2 had a strong resemblance to that of glycolate oxidase, a characteristic enzyme of leaf peroxisomes. During germination of pumpkin seeds, cat2 mRNA levels increased in response to light, although the increase in cat2 mRNA by light was less than that of glycolate oxidase. cat3 mRNA was abundant in green cotyledons, etiolated cotyledons, green hypocotyl and root, but not in young leaf. cat3 mRNA expression was not dependent on light, but was constitutive in mature tissues. Interestingly, cat1 mRNA levels increased during senescence of pumpkin cotyledons, whereas cat2 and cat3 mRNAs disappeared during senescence, suggesting that cat1 encoding catalase may be involved in the senescence process. Thus, in pumpkin, three catalase genes are differentially regulated and may exhibit different functions.     

Identification of cDNA clones for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) mRNAs that accumulate during fruit ripening and leaf senescence in response to ethylene

Changes in gene expression during foliar senescence and fruit ripening in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were examined using in-vitro translation of isolated RNA and hybridization against cDNA clones.During the period of chlorophyll loss in leaves, changes occurred in mRNA in-vitro translation products, with some being reduced in prevalence, whilst others increased. Some of the translation products which changed in abundance had similar molecular weights to those known to increase during tomato fruit ripening. By testing RNA from senescing leaves against a tomato fruit ripening-related cDNA library, seven cDNA clones were identified for mRNAs whose prevalence increased during both ripening and leaf senescence. Using dot hybridization, the pattern of expression of the mRNAs corresponding to the seven clones was examined. Maximal expression of the majority of the mRNAs coincided with the time of greatest ethylene production, in both leaves and fruit. Treatment of mature green leaves or unripe fruit with the ethylene antagonist silver thiosulphate prevented the onset of senescence or ripening, and the expression of five of the seven ripening- and senescence-related genes.The results indicate that senescence and ripening in tomato involve the expression of related genes, and that ethylene may be an important factor in controlling their expression.Abbreviations cDNA copy-DNA - MW molecular weight - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate     

Construction and Screening of Chickpea cDNA Library with Heterologous Legumin cDNA Probe

A cDNA library was constructed from developing chickpea cotyledons in the expression vector λ gt 11. The library when plated on X-gal and IPTG showed about 35% recombinants. These recombinants were screened using pea legumin cDNA probe. Of a total of 4 × 10⁴ cDNA clones screened, 20 clones showed homology to legumin probe. The presence of cDNA insert in these clones was further confirmed by Southern blot hybridization.     

The timing of maize leaf senescence and characterisation of senescence-related cDNAs

Leaf senescence was characterised in two Zea mays lines, earlier senescence (ES) and later senescence (LS). Loss of chlorophyll was delayed in LS compared with ES, but the decline in photosynthesis occurred simultaneously in the two lines. Western analysis detected transition points during senescence of both lines when major quantitative and qualitative changes occurred in a number of leaf proteins. Differences in the pattern of translatable mRNAs were apparent earlier than alterations in pigment or protein levels. A cDNA library was constructed using mRNA from ES leaves early in senescence and differential screening was employed to isolate senescence-related clones. Two senescence-enhanced cDNAs showed sequence homology with cDNAs for seed proteins - a cysteine protease and a protein-processing enzyme. These findings suggest that there are similarities between gene expression during seed maturation, germination and leaf senescence. Other senescence-enhanced cDNAs were related to genes implicated in gluconeogenesis and chlorophyll breakdown.     

Suppression subtractive hybridization identifies differentially expressed genes in Brassica napus chlorophyll-reduced mutant

Suppressive subtraction hybridization (SSH) was used to identify differentially expressed genes caused by a chlorophyll-reduced mutation in B. napus. The cDNA fragments, derived from SSH positive subtractive library (tester: normal wild type, driver: mutant) were cloned into pMD18-T vector. Two hundred SSH cDNA clones were screened by dot blot array, and 151 clones were identified as differentially expressed cDNA fragments in Cr3529 line. Thirty-six positive clones which showed marked expression differences were selected and sequenced. After redundant cDNAs were removed, 33 differentially expressed unique cDNA section clones were obtained. Among the 33 clones, two clones possess different parts of the cDNA sequence of the same gene coding geranylgeranyl reductase, four clones belong to unknown proteins, and the rest share homology to genes of diverse class. Sequence analysis showed that at least 12 genes were discovered to be related to the photosynthesis, seven of them coded the proteins which belong to the subunit of photosystem 2. RNA gel blot analysis showed that compared with 3529, the gene expression of the chlorophyll a/b-binding protein Lhcb2 in photosystem 2 declined markedly in the cotyledons and seedling leaves of Cr3529, indicating that the reduced light-harvesting complex 2 accumulation in thylakoid membrane of Cr3529 was due to the decrease of the related gene mRNA level for translation.     

Characterization of a cDNA Encoding Lens culinaris Glycolate Oxidase and Developmental Expression of Glycolate Oxidase mRNA in Cotyledons and Leaves

mRNA obtained from green leaves of lentil (Lens culinaris) was used to construct a cDNA library in phage λgt11. The cDNA library was screened with antibodies raised against lentil glycolate oxidase and catalase. Clone CL 1 containing the full-length sequence complementary to glycolate oxidase mRNA was characterized and sequenced. In addition, a 800-base pair catalase cDNA clone was sequenced. To prove the correlation of cDNA insert in CL 1 with glycolate oxidase, the cDNA was transcribed in vitro. The mRNA was translated in vitro yielding a 43 kilodalton protein immunoprecipitable with anti-glycolate oxidase serum. Nucleotide sequences of lentil cDNA and spinach cDNA were 86% identical. Lentil glycolate oxidase was characterized by a C-terminal sequence -P-R-A-L-P-R-L. The expression of glycolate oxidase mRNA in cotyledons, leaves and roots was compared with that of catalase. In leaves, the relative amount of glycolate oxidase mRNA increased during the first 2 days of greening, but decreased later, and was hardly detectable during senescence. In cotyledons of germinating seeds, the level of glycolate oxidase mRNA was markedly lower than the catalase mRNA.     

Molecular characterization of cDNAs corresponding to genes expressed during almond (Prunus amygdalus Batsch) seed development

A number of different cDNA clones corresponding to the most abundant mRNAs present in immature seeds have been isolated from an almond (Prunus amygdalus cv. Texas) immature seed cDNA library. Those corresponding to proteins involved in storage processes have been further characterized. Two of these cDNAs (PA3BF1 and PA3BE12) code for the almond globulins (prunins), the main family of storage proteins synthesized in seeds during embryogenesis, and another cDNA (PA3BA1) codes for the 15.7 kDa almond oleosin, a protein located on the surface of oil bodies in plant seeds. These cDNAs have been sequenced and their expression during almond fruit development has been studied. Their expression is seed-specific and localized in cotyledons around 100 days after flowering. Both prunin and oleosin genes are present in one or two copies in the almond genome.     

Identification of nucleases related to nutrient mobilization in senescing cotyledons from French bean

The knowledge about the physiological function of plant nucleases is scarce besides that they have been involved in nucleic acid degradation related with programmed cell death processes. Cotyledons provide a suitable system to investigate this process and the changes associated to nutrient mobilization. Nuclease activities have been determined in French bean seedlings. The total nuclease activity in French bean cotyledons is lower than in embryonic axes; however, several nucleases were detected by in-gel nuclease activity assays with extracts from cotyledons of French bean and ssDNA as substrate. The nuclease activities induced during cotyledon senescence showed higher activity at neutral than at acidic pH. Five different nuclease genes belonging to S1/P1 family have been identified in French bean genome database named PVN1 to PVN5. Their relative expression in cotyledons has been determined from the start of imbibition to senescence, and three genes from this family showed expression in cotyledons. PVN1 was expressed during early stages of seedlings development, whereas PVN4 and PVN5 were expressed during cotyledons senescence. The removal of epicotyl in French bean seedlings resulted in a decrease in the activity and in the expression of the genes associated with the cotyledons senescence process, i.e. PVN4 and PVN5. At the same time, the mobilization of reserves in those cotyledons was slowed down. In the same way, the deficit in phosphate and nitrate during seedlings development led to an acceleration of induction of these genes at the same time that reserves were utilized early on the time. Therefore, the induction of PVN4 and PVN5, the two S1 nuclease genes involved in the process of cotyledon senescence, is related to nutrient mobilization, supporting a possible role for nucleic acids in nutrient recycling during cotyledon senescence.     

Leaf senescence in Brassica napus: expression of genes encoding pathogenesis-related proteins

Genes that are expressed during leaf senescence in Brassica napus were identified by the isolation of representative cDNA clones. DNA sequence and deduced protein sequence from two senescence-related cDNAs, LSC94 and LSC222, representing genes that are expressed early in leaf senescence before any yellowing of the leaves is visible, showed similarities to genes for pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins: a PR-1a-like protein and a class IV chitinase, respectively. The LSC94 and LSC222 genes showed differential regulation with respect to each other; an increase in expression was detected at different times during development of healthy leaves. Expression of both genes was induced by salicylic acid treatment. These findings suggest that some PR genes, as well as being induced by pathogen infection, may have alternative functions during plant development, for example in the process of leaf senescence.