Determination of the Processing Sites of an Arabidopsis 2S Albumin and Characterization of the Complete Gene Family

The most abundant isoform of the 2S albumin present in seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana has been sequenced and the corresponding gene isolated. Examination of the protein and DNA sequences allows the determination of the exact proteolytic cleavage sites during posttranslational processing. Like other 2S albumins, that of Arabidopsis is made as a prepropeptide. After removal of the signal peptide, the propeptide is cleaved at four other points, giving two subunits linked by a disulfide bridge(s). Comparison of these cleavage sites with those of 2S albumins of Brassica napus and Bertholletia excelsa suggests that while individual cleavage sites between species are conserved, the four processing sites within a species are not similar, suggesting that up to four different proteases may be involved in processing 2S albumins. The Arabidopsis 2S albumin gene was used to isolate the entire gene family. There are four genes, tightly linked in a tandem array. None of the genes contains an intron. Comparison of the predicted protein sequences shows that only one of the genes can encode the isoform determined by protein analysis to be the most abundant, and therefore this gene is certain to be expressed. It is possible that some or all of the other three genes are also active.     

Uncoupling Auxin and Ethylene Effects in Transgenic Tobacco and Arabidopsis Plants

Overproduction of auxin in transgenic plants also results in the overproduction of ethylene. Plants overproducing both auxin and ethylene display inhibition of stem elongation and growth, increased apical dominance, and leaf epinasty. To determine the relative roles of auxin and ethylene in these processes, transgenic tobacco and Arabidopsis plants expressing the auxin-overproducing tryptophan monooxygenase transgene were crossed to plants expressing an ethylene synthesis-inhibiting 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase transgene. Tobacco and Arabidopsis plants with elevated auxin and normal levels of ethylene were obtained by this strategy. Transgenic auxin-overproducing Arabidopsis plants were also crossed with the ethylene-insensitive ein1 and ein2 mutants. Analysis of these plants indicates that apical dominance and leaf epinasty are primarily controlled by auxin rather than ethylene. However, ethylene is partially responsible for the inhibition of stem elongation observed in auxin-overproducing tobacco. Finally, these data show that auxin overproduction can be effectively uncoupled from ethylene overproduction in transgenic plants to enable direct manipulation of plant morphology for agronomic and horticultural purposes.     

人工合成的植物化猪α乳清蛋白基因在转基因拟兰芥的表达

将一个398bp的植物化的猪α乳清蛋白基因(Lactalbumin,LA)编码区克隆到带有花椰菜花叶病毒的35S启动子的质粒中。对它们进行PCR检测和序列分析,证实这些阳性克隆是实验预期的重组质粒。随即将35S启动子-α-乳清蛋白基因-终止子这一表达单元克隆到双元载体pCG-CB中,用该重组质粒双元载体pCG-CB-Lact转化农杆菌V3101后,以农杆菌法进行拟兰芥植物转化,用除草剂Finale对转化植物进行抗除草剂基因筛选,得到一些抗除草剂的转化植株。对这些抗除草剂植株进行猪α乳清蛋白基因PCR分析,成功筛选到带有猪α乳清蛋白基因并且可以在后代稳定遗传的转基因植物。Western blot蛋白质表达分析,表明猪α乳清蛋白在拟兰芥中成功表达,并且猪仅乳清蛋白被正确加工成天然蛋白。     

Expression of 2S Seed Storage Protein Gene of Brassica juncea in Transgenic Tobacco Plants under Constitutive and Seed-specific Promoters

The coding and upstream promoter regions of Brassica juncea 2S seed storage protein gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The plant expression cassettes containing 2S seed storage protein gene under the control of either a constitutive Caulimovirus 35S promoter or a seed specific 2S protein promoter and the polyadenylation signal of a pea rbcS gene were used for Agrobacterium — mediated transformation of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Petit Havana). Integration of 2S gene was confirmed by Southern blot and PCR analysis of plant genomic DNA. Expression of introduced 2S protein gene was monitored by slot blot analysis of total RNA using 2S protein sequence as hybridization probe and also by immunodot blot analysis using specific antiserum of 2S protein. Expression was either constitutive with CaMV 35S promoter or highly seed-specific with Brassica 2S promoter.     

拟南芥WUSCHEL基因在转基因烟草中的超表达(英文)

The Arabidopsis WUSCIHIEL (WUS） gene plays a key role in the specification of the stem cellsin the shoot apical meristem (SAM). A cDNA of WUShas been amplified with the RT-PCR approach fromArabidopsis. The plant overexpression vector was constructed. It was driven by a dual enhanced CaMV35Spromoter. The construct was transformed into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) via Agrobacterium mediation.Dramatic phenotypic changes appeared in the WUS overexpression transgenic plants. Aberrant celldivisions and ectopic organogenesis could be found in almost every aerial parts of the transgenic tobaccoexcept the meristems and the inner two floral whorls. The data showed a highly conserved function of WUSin tobacco, and suggested that WUS is involved in organogenesis. The leaves were malformed, whichstrongly matched those only described previously for plants grown in the presence of polar auxin transportinhibitors. It suggested a possible function of WUS in leaf development. These results provide usefulinformation for functional analysis of WUS and important biotechnological implication as well.     

拟南芥WUSCHEL基因在转基因烟草中的超表达

WUSCHEL(WUS)是近年报道的一个重要的干细胞调控基因.本实验用RT-PCR技术从拟南芥(Arabidopsisthaliana L.)中克隆到其cDNA并构建了双增强的CaMV3 5S启动子驱动的超表达载体pBKB.借助农杆菌(Agrobacterium tumefaciens)介导转化烟草(Nicotiana tabacum L.),获得转基因植株.PCR和RT-PCR鉴定分别证明,外源WUS已整合到烟草基因组并已表达.转基因烟草地上部分出现大量异位增生的突起,扫描电镜观察表明:突起部分的细胞与分生组织细胞相似,部分突起能够发育为叶芽、花芽,表明WUS超表达引起烟草细胞异常分裂并在已分化组织中重新启动了器官形成.茎尖和花的内两轮器官没有上述变化.结合拟南芥的有关研究,推测烟草中可能也存在类似拟南芥WUS和其阻抑蛋白CLAVATA3、AGAMOUS间的反馈调节机制.转基因烟草叶发育表型变化明显,与生长素极性运输受抑制引起的表型相似,因此,作为生长点调控基因,WUS可能通过生长素对叶的发育进行调控.本研究为WUS基因的功能分析和有关生物技术应用提供了有意义的信息.     

鸡α干扰素基因遗传转化烟草研究

利用植物生物反应器生产外源药用蛋白近年来备受关注,本研究通过农杆菌介导法,将人工合成的鸡α干扰素基因（ChIFN-α）转化烟草（Nicotiana tabctcum）无菌苗叶盘。对抗性植株进行的GUS活性鉴定,PCR和RT-PCR检测表明,ChIFN-α基因已整合到烟草基因组中并具有转录活性,ELISA检测和细胞病变（CPE）抑制试验表明转基因烟草表达的干扰素蛋白具有抗病毒活性。     

高表达拟南芥miR396提高烟草抗旱性

MiR396是一个由21个核苷酸组成的单链非编码RNA小分子。烟草内的miR396受干旱诱导说明其可能参与烟草的干旱应答。在35S强启动子作用下我们将miR396转入到烟草体内获得高表达转基因植株,生理学测试表明高表达miR396的转基因烟草耐旱性增强,同时叶片表现出比野生型较低的失水率和较高的相对含水量,进一步分析表明转基因植株除了叶片变得更为窄小外,其气孔密度和气孔系数都比野生型降低,这些都表明miR396作为一个正调节因子参与烟草的干旱胁迫应答。     

Expression and Chloroplast Targeting of Cholesterol Oxidase in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

Cholesterol oxidase represents a novel type of insecticidal protein with potent activity against the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman). We transformed tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants with the cholesterol oxidase choM gene and expressed cytosolic and chloroplast-targeted versions of the ChoM protein. Transgenic leaf tissues expressing cholesterol oxidase exerted insecticidal activity against boll weevil larvae. Our results indicate that cholesterol oxidase can metabolize phytosterols in vivo when produced cytosolically or when targeted to chloroplasts. The transgenic plants exhibiting cytosolic expression accumulated low levels of saturated sterols known as stanols, and displayed severe developmental aberrations. In contrast, the transgenic plants expressing chloroplast-targeted cholesterol oxidase maintained a greater accumulation of stanols, and appeared phenotypically and developmentally normal. These results are discussed within the context of plant sterol distribution and metabolism.     

Expression of a Thermostable Bacterial Cellulase in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

The bacterial gene of the thermostable endo--1,4-glucanase (cellulase) was shown to retain its activity and substrate specificity when expressed in transgenic tobacco plants. The leader peptide of the carrot extensin was efficient in transferring the bacterial enzyme into the apoplast. The expression of the bacterial cellulase gene leads to changes in the plant tissue morphology. In the transgenic plant lines, regeneration of primary shoots from callus occurred at the three to five times higher cytokinin (6-BAP) concentration than in control plants. The transgenic plants that expressed the bacterial gene exhibited increased bushiness and altered leaf shape. The transgenic plants developed can be used as models for studying the cellulases role and function in plants.     

油葵含油量相关基因在烟草中的表达

采用RT-PCR和RACE技术从油葵(Helianthus annuus L.)种子中克隆了DGAT基因的cDNA全长序列,命名为HaDl(GenBank登录号为HM 015632).将HaDl与CaMV 35S组成型启动子融合,构建植物表达载体pBI-HaDl,通过根癌农杆菌介导转化烟草.对转基因植株进行GUS及PCR检测,同时采用气相色谱-质谱法(GC-MS)分析转基因烟草叶片中脂肪酸各成分的含量.结果表明:HaDl基因cDNA全长1 936 bp,最大开放阅读框为1 524 bp,编码507个氨基酸;推测的氨基酸序列与其它植物已报道的DGAT1基因的氨基酸序列一致性为70%～80%,具有DGAT1蛋白保守的二酰甘油结合基序"HKWIVRHLYFP",因此HaDl基因属于DGAT1基因家族.GUS活性染色及PCR检测均证明外源HaDl整合到烟草基因组并成功表达.转基因烟草叶片脂肪酸含量测定发现,油酸、软脂酸和硬脂酸的含量得到提高,推测HaDl是植物油脂合成相关的重要基因.     

两种凝集素基因在转基因烟草中表达的研究

构建了含尾穗苋凝集素基因(ACA)的cDNA序列和改造后的雪花莲凝集素基因(GNA)的植物表达载体pBACG。在此表达载体中,ACA和GNA基因的表达分别由35S启动子和CoYMV启动子控制。通过农杆菌介导,将ACA和GNA基因转化到烟草中,经卡那霉素筛选获得60株转化再生植株。对PCR检测呈阳性的50株植株进行接蚜虫实验,结果表明,其平均抑虫率达83．9％。Southern blotting分析表明,ACA和GNA基因都已整合到烟草基因组中。Western blotting结果显示这两个基因在不同植株中都可表达其相应的蛋白质,但表达水平不同。部分Western blotting分析呈阳性植株的抗蚜性与T0代相近,达85．3％,说明这两个基因的抗蚜功能可以稳定遗传。     

Isolation and Identification of Canine Parvovirus Serotype 2a and Its VP2 Protein Expression in Transgenic Tobacco

A strain of canine parvovirus (CPV) was isolated from feces of an ill puppy in an animal hospital in Wuhan, China. It was designated as CPV/WH02/06. This isolate was identified as serotype CPV-2a by the hemagglutination test, CPV Ag detection strip, electron microscopy, and PCR. The vp2 gene was cloned and sequenced and assigned GenBank accession number EU377537. A 1242 bp segment of the 5' region of the vp2 gene was cloned and inserted into the binary vector pBI121 and used for Agrobacterium-mediated tobacco transformation. Transgenic tobacco plants were selected on MS medium supplemented with 100 μg/mL kanamycin and 100 μg/mL timentin. Integration of the vp2 gene into the tobacco genome was confirmed by PCR using T1 progeny plants, and the expression of the VP2 protein was confirmed by Western blotting.