Homologous regulation of the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor gene is partially mediated by protein kinase C activation of an activator protein-1 element

Homologous regulation of GnRH receptor (GnRHR) gene expression is an established mechanism for controlling the sensitivity of gonadotropes to GnRH. We have found that expression of the GnRHR gene in the gonadotrope-derived alpha T3-1 cell line is mediated by a tripartite enhancer that includes a consensus activator protein-1 (AP-1) element, a binding site for SF-1 (steroidogenic factor-1), and an element we have termed GRAS (GnRHR-activating sequence). Further, in transgenic mice, approximately 1900 b.p. of the murine GnRHR gene promoter are sufficient for tissue-specific expression and GnRH responsiveness. The present studies were designed to further delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying GnRH regulation of GnRHR gene expression. Vectors containing 600 bp of the murine GnRHR gene promoter linked to luciferase (LUC) were transiently transfected into alpha T3-1 cells and exposed to treatments for 4 or 6 h. A GnRH-induced, dose-dependent increase in LUC expression of the -600 promoter was observed with maximal induction of LUC noted at 100 nM GnRH. We next tested the ability of GnRH to stimulate expression of vectors containing mutations in each of the components of the tripartite enhancer. GnRH responsiveness was lost in vectors containing mutations in AP-1. Gel mobility shift data revealed binding of fos/jun family members to the AP-1 element of the murine GnRHR promoter. Treatment with GnRH or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) (100 nM), but not forskolin (10 microM), increased LUC expression, which was blocked by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, GF109203X (100 nM), and PKC down-regulation (10 nM PMA for 20 h). In addition, a specific MEK1/MEK2 inhibitor, PD98059 (60 microM), reduced the GnRH and PMA responses whereas the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel agonist, +/- BayK 8644 (5 microM), and antagonist, nimodipine (250 nM), had no effect on GnRH responsiveness. Furthermore, treatment of alpha T3-1 cells with 100 nM GnRH stimulated phosphorylation of both p42 and p44 forms of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which was completely blocked with 60 microM PD98059. We suggest that GnRH regulation of the GnRHR gene is partially mediated by an ERK-dependent activation of a canonical AP-1 site located in the proximal promoter of the GnRHR gene.     

Mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana with pleiotropic effects on the expression of the gene for β-amylase and on the accumulation of anthocyanin that are inducible by sugars

We identified a mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Col-0 in which significantly reduced levels of expression of the gene for β-amylase ( ATβ-Amy ) were detected in leaves in response to high concentrations of sucrose, glucose or fructose. Genetic studies, including a cross with transgenic plants that harbored the ATβ-Amy:GUS transgene with the promoter of ATβ-Amy , indicated that this phenotype was caused by a recessive mutation, Iba1 , that affected expression of ATβ-Amy in trans . We also found a reduced level of sugar-induced expression of ATβ-Amy in the Landsberg erecta (L er ) ecotype compared with other ecotypes. This phenotype seemed to be due to a recessive trait, provisionally designated Iba2 , that was linked to neither erecta nor Iba1 . The Iba2 mutation also affected expression of ATβ-Amy:GUS transgene. Accumulation of starch and sugars after treatment of leaves with sucrose was not affected in the Iba1 mutant and L er plants. However, both Iba1 mutant and L er plants accumulated low levels of anthocyanin in response to sucrose, results that suggested the existence of some genetic linkage between regulation of the expression of ATβ-Amy and regulation of the accumulation of anthocyanin. Although the Iba1 and Iba2 mutations did not affect sugar-inducible gene expression in general, the expression of sugar-regulated genes other than the gene for β-amylase was differentially affected in the Iba1 mutant and L er plants. These results suggest that the sugar-regulated expression of many genes in plants might be mediated by multiple signal-transduction pathways.     

Sugar-inducible expression of a gene for beta-amylase in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The levels of beta-amylase activity and of the mRNA for beta-amylase in rosette leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. increased significantly, with the concomitant accumulation of starch, when whole plants or excised mature leaves were supplied with sucrose. A supply of glucose or fructose, but not of mannitol or sorbitol, to plants also induced the expression of the gene for beta-amylase, and the induction occurred not only in rosette leaves but also in roots, stems, and bracts. These results suggest that the gene for beta-amylase of Arabidopsis is subject to regulation by a carbohydrate metabolic signal, and expression of the gene in various tissues may be regulated by the carbon partitioning and sink-source interactions in the whole plant. The sugar-inducible expression of the gene in Arabidopsis was severely repressed in the absence of light. The sugar-inducible expression in the light was not inhibited by 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea or by chloramphenicol, but it was inhibited by cycloheximide. These results suggest that a light-induced signal and de novo synthesis of proteins in the cytoplasm are involved in the regulation. A fusion gene composed of the 5' upstream region of the gene for beta-amylase from Arabidopsis and the coding sequence of beta-glucuronidase showed the sugar-inducible expression in a light-dependent manner in rosette leaves of transgenic Arabidopsis.     

Two different novel cis-acting elements of erd1, a clpA homologous Arabidopsis gene function in induction by dehydration stress and dark-induced senescence

Many plant genes have been shown to be induced by water stress and function in stress tolerance. The erd1 gene has been shown to be upregulated in response to both water stress and etiolation. Promoter studies using the erd1 promoter region fused to the luciferase (LUC) reporter gene in Arabidopsis thaliana were performed to identify the putative cis elements involved. Results indicated that the cis elements, responsible for gene expression during dehydration and etiolation, are separately located in two discrete portions of the erd1 promoter. Base substitution analysis showed that a 14-bp region from -599 to -586, and a myc recognition motif from -466 to -461 are necessary for the induction of LUC activity in dehydrated plants. On the other hand, base substitution analysis revealed that both an abscisic acid responsive element (ABRE)-like sequence (from -199 to -195) and an ACGT sequence (from -155 to -152) are required for an etiolation-induced increase in LUC activity. LUC activity measurements from etiolated transgenic plants incubated in either water, N6-benzyleadenine (BA), or a 1% sucrose solution found that while BA was able to delay the increase in LUC activity seen in water-treated plants, no increase in LUC activity was seen in plants incubated in sucrose. These results indicate that the erd1 promoter contains two different regulatory systems that are involved in upregulation by dehydration stress and dark-induced senescence.     

四合木抗逆相关的转录因子TmAP2-1基因的克隆及功能分析

AP2/EREBP家族的转录因子在调控植物生长发育和应答环境胁迫方面具有重要作用。利用同源克隆结合RACE(rapid-amplification of cDNA ends)技术, 从四合木(Tetraena mongolica)中克隆了AP2/EREBP家族的基因, 将其命名为TmAP2-1(GenBank登录号: JQ676996)。序列分析结果表明, 该基因的开放阅读框长度为1 452 bp, 编码483个氨基酸; 比对结果显示TmAP2-1有2个AP2/ERF结构域, 属于AP2/EREBP转录因子家族的AP2亚家族。亚细胞定位实验结果表明, TmAP2-1定位在细胞核中。该基因编码的蛋白在酵母中没有转录激活活性。利用Real-time PCR检测发现该基因在根、茎、叶等器官中均表达, 且在叶中表达量最高。此外, TmAP2-1还受到NaCl、低温、PEG和ABA的强烈诱导, 推测TmAP2-1可能参与四合木的逆境胁迫响应。在四合木愈伤组织中过表达该基因能够降低四合木愈伤组织中油脂的含量, 同时提高可溶性糖的含量, 暗示该基因可能通过影响糖代谢过程参与逆境胁迫响应。