Functional characterization of the Arabidopsis AtSUC2 Sucrose/H+ symporter by tissue-specific complementation reveals an essential role in phloem loading but not in long-distance transport

AtSUC2 (At1g22710) encodes a phloem-localized sucrose (Suc)/H(+) symporter necessary for efficient Suc transport from source tissues to sink tissues in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). AtSUC2 is highly expressed in the collection phloem of mature leaves, and its function in phloem loading is well established. AtSUC2, however, is also expressed strongly in the transport phloem, where its role is more ambiguous, and it has been implicated in mediating both efflux and retrieval to and from flanking tissues via the apoplast. To characterize the role of AtSUC2 in controlling carbon partitioning along the phloem path, AtSUC2 cDNA was expressed from tissue-specific promoters in an Atsuc2 mutant background. Suc transport in this mutant is highly compromised, as indicated by stunted growth and the accumulation of large quantities of sugar and starch in vegetative tissues. Expression of AtSUC2 cDNA from the 2-kb AtSUC2 promoter was sufficient to restore growth and carbon partitioning to nearly wild-type levels. The GALACTINOL SYNTHASE promoter of Cucumis melo (CmGAS1p) confers expression only in the minor veins of mature leaves, not in the transport phloem of larger leaf veins and stems. Mutant plants expressing AtSUC2 cDNA from CmGAS1p had intermediate growth and accumulated sugar and starch, but otherwise they had normal morphology. These characteristics support a role for AtSUC2 in retrieval but not efflux along the transport phloem and show that the only vital function of AtSUC2 in photoassimilate distribution is phloem loading. In addition, Atsuc2 mutant plants, although debilitated, do grow, and AtSUC2-independent modes of phloem transport are discussed, including an entirely symplastic pathway from mesophyll cells to sink tissues.     

The Arabidopsis thaliana AtSUC2 Gene is Specifically Expressed in Companion Cells

Polyclonal antisera against a fusion protein of β-galactosidase and the 20 C-terminal amino acids of the Arabidopsis thaliana sucrose carrier AtSUC2 were used to determine the cellular localization of the AtSUC2 protein. Using fluorescence-labelling on sections from different organs of Arabidopsis the AtSUC2 protein was immunolocalized exclusively in companion cells. The presented data indicate that phloem loading in Arabidopsis may be catalyzed by the AtSUC2 sucrose carrier which transports sucrose into the companion cells. No evidence for a participation of the second Arabidopsis sucrose transporter AtSUC1 has been obtained.     

Wounding enhances expression of AtSUC3, a sucrose transporter from Arabidopsis sieve elements and sink tissues

The Arabidopsis AtSUC3 gene encodes a sucrose (Suc) transporter that differs in size and intron number from all other Arabidopsis Suc transport proteins. Each plant species analyzed so far possesses one transporter of this special type, and several functions have been discussed for these proteins, including the catalysis of transmembrane Suc transport, and also Suc sensing and regulation of other Suc transporters. Here, we show that the AtSUC3 protein is localized in the sieve elements of the Arabidopsis phloem and is not colocalized with the companion cell-specific AtSUC2 phloem loader. Even stronger AtSUC3 expression is observed in numerous sink cells and tissues, such as guard cells, trichomes, germinating pollen, root tips, the developing seed coat, or stipules. Moreover, AtSUC3 expression is strongly induced upon wounding of Arabidopsis tissue. The physiological role of AtSUC3 in these different cells and tissues is discussed.     

PmSUC3: characterization of a SUT2/SUC3-type sucrose transporter from Plantago major

Higher plants possess medium-sized gene families that encode plasma membrane-localized sucrose transporters. For several plant species, it has been shown that at least one of these genes (e.g., AtSUC3 in Arabidopsis and LeSUT2 in tomato) differs from all other family members in several features, such as the length of the open reading frame, the number of introns, and the codon usage bias. For these reasons, and because two of these proteins did not rescue a yeast mutant defective in sucrose utilization, it had been speculated that this subgroup of transporters might have sensor functions. Here, we describe the detailed functional characterization and cellular localization of PmSUC3, the orthologous transporter from the Plantago major transporter family. The PmSUC3 protein is localized in the sieve elements of the Plantago phloem and mediates the energy-dependent transport of sucrose and maltose. In contrast to the situation in solanaceous plants, PmSUC3 is not colocalized with PmSUC2, the source-specific, phloem-loading sucrose transporter of Plantago. Moreover, PmSUC3 also was identified in sieve elements of sink leaves and in several nonphloem cells and tissues. Arguments for and against a potential sensor function for this type of sucrose transporter are presented, and the role of this type of transporter in the regulation of sucrose fluxes is discussed.     

Cloning of a cDNA encoding EIN3-like protein (DC-EIL1) and decrease in its mRNA level during senescence in carnation flower tissues

A cDNA clone encoding a putative EIN3-like protein (DC-EIL1) was obtained from total RNA isolated from senescing carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) petals using RT-PCR and RACE techniques. The cDNA (2382 bp) contained an open reading frame of 1986 bp corresponding to 662 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the N-terminal half of the protein, ranging from 80-300 amino acid residues, had 84% identity with that of the corresponding regions of Arabidopsis EIN3 and tobacco TEIL, although the overall identity was 49% and 52%, respectively. Northern blot analysis revealed that the amount of mRNA corresponding to DC-EIL1 decreased in flower tissues, especially in petals, during natural senescence and senescence induced by exogenously applied ethylene or ABA.     

Characterization of an Arabidopsis cDNA encoding a subunit of serine palmitoyltransferase, the initial enzyme in sphingolipid biosynthesis.

Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT; EC 2.3.1.50) catalyzes the condensation of serine with palmitoyl-CoA to form 3-ketosphinganine in the first step of de novo sphingolipid biosynthesis. In this study, we describe the cloning and functional characterization of a cDNA from Arabidopsis thaliana encoding the LCB2 subunit of SPT. The Arabidopsis LCB2 (AtLCB2) cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1,467 nucleotides, encoding 489 amino acids. The predicted polypeptide contains three transmembrane helices and a highly conserved motif involved in pyridoxal phosphate binding. Expression of this open reading frame in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strains defective in SPT activity resulted in the expression of a significant level of sphinganine, suggesting that AtLCB2 cDNA encodes SPT. Southern blot analysis and inspection of the complete Arabidopsis genome sequence database suggest that there is a second LCB2-like gene in Arabidopsis. Expression of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion product in suspension-cultured tobacco BY-2 cells showed that AtLCB2 is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. AtLCB2 cDNA may be used to study how sphingolipid synthesis is regulated in higher plants.     

杨树细胞色素P450类固醇单加氧酶(CYP90)基因的克隆与分析

拟南芥的CPD基因编码一种与植物油菜素内酯(brassinosteroids,BRs)生物合成有关的细胞色素P450类固醇单加氧酶(CYP90 )。为探讨油菜素内酯这类新型植物激素在多年生木本植物中生物合成及作用的分子机理,以拟南芥CPD基因的一个cDNA片段为探针,从一种杂交杨 (Populustremula×tremudelois)的cDNA文库中分离出一个长 1 442bp的cDNA片段,然后再以这个cDNA的 5′区为探针,从这种杂交杨的基因组文库中分离出一个长 1 900bp的基因组DNA(gDNA)片段。测序结果表明,这段cDNA的 5′区与这段gDNA的 3′区重合; 由这段cDNA和gDNA组成的读框编码一个由 476个氨基酸组成的分子量为 63kD的蛋白质。该蛋白与拟南芥CYP90的同源性为 78 32%,比后者仅长 4个氨基酸,在所有已知的功能结构域,其中包括与BR生物合成密切相关的类固醇结合位点,也具有较高的同源性,表明CPD基因在一年生的草本和多年生的木本植物之间具有很高的保守性。系统树分析还表明,CYP90蛋白与番茄和玉米的矮化基因产物、鱼的all trans retinoicacid4 hydroxy lase及微澡青菌(Synechocystissp. )的细胞色素P450在进化上有较密切的联系。     

水稻胞质核糖体蛋白基因OsRPS7的克隆与序列分析

以已公布的黑麦胞质核糖体蛋白基因ScRPS7的cDNA序列为信息探针,在中国华大水稻基因组数据库中搜索与之高度同源的基因组重叠群。采用计算机拼接和RT-PCR方法克隆了水稻胞质核糖体蛋白基因的全长cDNA序列,命名为OsRPS7。该cDNA序列全长919bp,编码192个氨基酸;其与黑麦、拟南芥和芸薹的S7核糖体蛋白的氨基酸一致率分别为88%、72%和72%。对OsRPS7 的基因组结构和基因的功能进行了分析和预测。Abstract：Using the cDNA of rye cytoplasmic ribosomal protein ScRPS7 as a query probe, a highly homologous rice genomic contig was obtained from Huada rice genome database. The full-length cDNA sequence of rice cytoplasmic ribosomal protein S7 was assembled by informatics based on the contig. Furthermore, with the two primers designed according to this assembled cDNA, the full-length cDNA of rice ribosomal protein was cloned by RT-PCR and named as OsRPS7. The cDNA was 919bp in length and contained a complete Open Reading Frame (ORF) of 576bp, encoding a protein of 192 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acids of OsRPS7 showed 88%、72% and 72% identity with those from Secale cereale、Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica oleracea, respectively. The genome structure of OsRPS7 was analyzed, and its function was predicted in this paper.     

Cell-to-cell and long-distance trafficking of the green fluorescent protein in the phloem and symplastic unloading of the protein into sink tissues

Macromolecular trafficking within the sieve element-companion cell complex, phloem unloading, and post-phloem transport were studied using the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP). The GFP gene was expressed in Arabidopsis and tobacco under the control of the AtSUC2 promoter. In wild-type Arabidopsis plants, this promoter regulates expression of the companion cell-specific AtSUC2 sucrose-H+ symporter gene. Analyses of the AtSUC2 promoter-GFP plants demonstrated that the 27-kD GFP protein can traffic through plasmodesmata from companion cells into sieve elements and migrate within the phloem. With the stream of assimilates, the GFP is partitioned between different sinks, such as petals, root tips, anthers, funiculi, or young rosette leaves. Eventually, the GFP can be unloaded symplastically from the phloem into sink tissues, such as the seed coat, the anther connective tissue, cells of the root tip, and sink leaf mesophyll cells. In all of these tissues, the GFP can traffic cell to cell by symplastic post-phloem transport. The presented data show that plasmodesmata of the sieve element-companion cell complex, as well as plasmodesmata into and within the analyzed sinks, allow trafficking of the 27-kD nonphloem GFP protein. The data also show that the size exclusion limit of plasmodesmata can change during organ development. The results are also discussed in terms of the phloem mobility of assimilates and of small, low molecular weight companion cell proteins.     

Molecular cloning of hippocalcin, a novel calcium-binding protein of the recoverin family exclusively expressed in hippocampus.

We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding a novel calcium-binding protein of the recoverin family from rat brain cDNA library. This clone (PCB11) has 588 nucleotides in the open reading frame including the termination codon, 174 nucleotides of the 5' leader and 800 nucleotides of the 3' noncoding region. The complete amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA is composed of 195 residues, has a calculated molecular mass of 22,574 Daltons, and contains three putative calcium-binding domains of the EF-hand structure. The deduced amino acid sequence has a striking sequence homology to those of the retinal recoverin family (recoverin, visinin, P26, 23kD protein, S-modulin) and the brain-derived recoverin family (P23k, 21-kDa CaBP and neurocalcin). Northern blot, in situ hybridization, immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the protein is exclusively expressed in pyramidal layer of the hippocampus. The protein was therefore designated hippocalcin.     

AtSUC8 and AtSUC9 encode functional sucrose transporters, but the closely related AtSUC6 and AtSUC7 genes encode aberrant proteins in different Arabidopsis ecotypes

Three members of the Arabidopsis sucrose transporter gene family, AtSUC6-AtSUC8 (At5g43610; At1g66570; At2g14670), share a high degree of sequence homology in their coding regions and even in their introns and in their 5'- and 3'-flanking regions. A fourth sucrose transporter gene, AtSUC9 (At5g06170), which is on the same branch of the AtSUC-phylogenetic tree, shows only slightly less sequence homology. Here we present data demonstrating that two genes from this subgroup, AtSUC6 and AtSUC7, encode aberrant proteins and seem to represent sucrose transporter pseudogenes, whereas AtSUC8 and AtSUC9 encode functional sucrose transporters. These results are based on analyses of splice patterns and polymorphic sites between these genes in different Arabidopsis ecotypes, as well as on functional analyses by cDNA expression in baker's yeast. For one of these genes, AtSUC7 (At1g66570), different, ecotype-specific splice patterns were observed in Wassilewskija (Ws), C24, Columbia wild type (Col-0) and Landsberg erecta (Ler). No incorrect splicing and no sequence polymorphism were detected in the cDNAs of AtSUC8 and AtSUC9, which encode functional sucrose transporters and are expressed in floral tissue. Finally, promoter-reporter gene plants and T-DNA insertion lines were analyzed for AtSUC8 and AtSUC9.     

Molecular cloning of an alanine aminotransferase from NAD-malic enzyme type C4 plant Panicum miliaceum

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding AlaAT-2, which is believed to function in the C4-pathway of Panicum miliaceum. An open reading frame (1446 bp) encodes a protein of 482 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of AlaAT-2 shows 44.2 and 44.8% homology with the amino acid sequences of AlaATs from rat and human livers, respectively. Northern blot analysis showed that the gene encoding AlaAT-2 in mesophyll and bundle sheath cells was the same and transcribed similarly in the cells. The level of translatable mRNA for AlaAT-2 increased dramatically during greening.     

Isolation and characterization of a sucrose carrier cDNA from spinach by functional expression in yeast.

Active loading of the phloem with sucrose in leaves is an essential part of the process of supplying non-photosynthetic tissues with carbon and energy. The transport is protein mediated and coupled to proton-symport, but so far no sucrose carrier gene has been identified. Using an engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, a cDNA from spinach encoding a sucrose carrier was identified by functional expression. Yeast strains that allow the phenotypic recognition of a sucrose carrier activity were constructed by expressing a cytoplasmic invertase from yeast, or the potato sucrose synthase gene, in a strain unable to transport or grow on sucrose due to a deletion in the SUC2 gene. A spinach cDNA expression library established from the poly(A)+ RNA from source leaves of spinach and cloned in a yeast expression vector yielded transformed yeast clones which were able to grow on media containing sucrose as the sole carbon source. This ability was strictly linked to the presence of the spinach cDNA clone pS21. Analysis of the sucrose uptake process in yeast strains transformed with this plasmid show a pH-dependent uptake of sucrose with a Km of 1.5 mM, which can be inhibited by maltose, alpha-phenylglucoside, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid. These data are in accordance with measurements using both leaf discs and plasma membrane vesicles from leaves of higher plants. DNA sequence analysis of the pS21 clone reveals the presence of an open reading frame encoding a protein with a molecular mass of 55 kDa. The predicted protein contains several hydrophobic regions which could be assigned to 12 membrane-spanning regions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

一个新的茶树黄酮醇合酶基因的克隆和表达分析

Cs—COR113（GenBank登录号：FE942098）为一受冷诱导的茶树黄酮醇合酶基因的cDNA片段,采用RACE技术克隆了这一基因的全长cDNA,命名为CsFLS（GenBank登录号：FJ577509）。CsFLScDNA序列全长为1303bp,5＇-UTR和3’-UTR分别长91bp和175bp,包含一个编码336个氨基酸的完整开放阅读框。序列分析显示,CsFLS与烟草、矮牵牛、欧芹、拟南芥的黄酮醇合酶的同源性分别为74％、75％、75％和63％,含有2-酮戊二酸依赖性双加氧酶家族2个保守的基序,以及与黄酮醇合酶正确折叠有关的2个保守的甘氨酸残基。CsFLS的表达受低温诱导,但不受ABA诱导。     

Cloning of a nitrate reductase inactivator (NRI) cDNA from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spinacia oleracea</Emphasis> L. and expression of mRNA and protein of NRI in cultured spinach cells

The spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L. (cv. Hoyo) nitrate reductase inactivator (NRI) is a novel protein that irreversibly inactivates NR. Using degenerate primers based on an N-terminal amino acid sequence of NRI purified from spinach leaves and a cDNA library, we isolated a full-length NRI cDNA from spinach that contains an open reading frame encoding 479 amino acid residues. This protein shares 67.4% and 51.1-68.3% amino acid sequence similarities with a nucleotide pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.9) from rice and three types of the nucleotide pyrophosphatase-like protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, respectively. Immunoblot analysis revealed that NRI was constitutively expressed in suspension-cultured spinach cells; however, its expression level is quite low in 1-day-subcultured cells. Moreover, northern blot analysis indicated that this expression was regulated at the mRNA level. These results suggest that NRI functions in mature cells.     

Isolation of a cotton CAP gene: a homologue of adenylyl cyclase-associated protein highly expressed during fiber elongation

The cDNA encoding CAP (adenylyl cyclase-associated protein) was isolated from a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber cDNA library. The cDNA (GhCAP) contained an open reading frame that encoded 471 amino acid residues. RNA blot analysis showed that the cotton CAP gene was expressed mainly in young fibers.     

Vacuoles release sucrose via tonoplast-localised SUC4-type transporters

Arabidopsis thaliana has seven genes for functionally active sucrose transporters. Together with sucrose transporters from other dicot and monocot plants, these proteins form four separate phylogenetic groups. Group-IV includes the Arabidopsis protein SUC4 (synonym SUT4) and related proteins from monocots and dicots. These Group-IV sucrose transporters were reported to be either tonoplast- or plasma membrane-localised, and in heterologous expression systems were shown to act as sucrose/H(+) symporters. Here, we present comparative analyses of the subcellular localisation of the Arabidopsis SUC4 protein and of several other Group-IV sucrose transporters, studies on tissue specificity of the Arabidopsis SUC4 promoter, phenotypic characterisations of Atsuc4.1 mutants and AtSUC4 overexpressing (AtSUC4-OX) plants, and functional comparisons of Atsuc4.1 and AtSUC4-OX vacuoles. Our data show that SUC4-type sucrose transporters from different plant families (Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae) localise exclusively to the tonoplast, demonstrating that vacuolar sucrose transport is a common theme of all SUC4-type proteins. AtSUC4 expression is confined to the stele of Arabidopsis roots, developing anthers and meristematic tissues in all aerial parts. Analyses of the carbohydrate content of WT and mutant seedlings revealed reduced sucrose content in AtSUC4-OX seedlings. This is in line with patch-clamp analyses of AtSUC4-OX vacuoles that characterise AtSUC4 as a sucrose/H(+) symporter directly in the tonoplast membrane.     

OsHT, a Rice Gene Encoding for a Plasma-Membrane Localized Histidine Transporter

Using a degenerative probe designed according to the most conservative region of a known Lys- and His-specific amino acid transporter (LHT 1) from Arabidopsis, we isolated a full-length cDNA named OsHT (histidine transporter of Oryza sativa L.) by screening the rice cDNA library. The cDNA is 1.3 kb in length and the open reading frame encodes for a 441 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular mass of 49 kDa. Multiple sequence alignments showed that OsHT shares a high degree of sequence conservation at the deduced amino acid level with the Arabidopsis LHT1 and six putative lysine and histidine transporters. Computational analysis indicated that OsHT is an integral membrane protein with 11 putative transmembrane helices. This was confirmed by the transient expression assay because the OsHT-GFP fusion protein was, indeed, localized mainly in the plasma membrane of onion epidermal cells. Functional complementation experiments demonstrated that OsHT was able to work as a histidine transporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, suggesting that OsHT is a gene that encodes for a histidine transporter from rice.This is the first time that an LHT-type amino acid transporter gene has been cloned from higher plants other than Arabidopsis.