Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Localization Is Critical for DsbA-L Protein to Suppress ER Stress and Adiponectin Down-regulation in Adipocytes

Adiponectin is an adipokine with insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory functions. We previously reported that adiponectin multimerization and stability are promoted by the disulfide bond A oxidoreductase-like protein (DsbA-L) in cells and in vivo. However, the precise mechanism by which DsbA-L regulates adiponectin biosynthesis remains elusive. Here we show that DsbA-L is co-localized with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker protein disulfide isomerase and the mitochondrial marker MitoTracker. In addition, DsbA-L interacts with the ER chaperone protein Ero1-Lα in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In silico analysis and truncation mapping studies revealed that DsbA-L contains an ER targeting signal at its N terminus. Deletion of the first 6 residues at the N terminus greatly impaired DsbA-L localization in the ER. Overexpression of the wild type but not the ER localization-defective mutant of DsbA-L protects against thapsigargin-induced ER stress and adiponectin down-regulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In addition, overexpression of the wild type but not the ER localization-defective mutant of DsbA-L promotes adiponectin multimerization. Together, our results reveal that DsbA-L is localized in both the mitochondria and the ER in adipocytes and that its ER localization plays a critical role in suppressing ER stress and promoting adiponectin biosynthesis and secretion.     

Identification and Expression Analysis of a Novel HbCIPK2-Interacting Ferredoxin from Halophyte H. brevisubulatum

Ferredoxin is a small iron-sulfer protein involved in various one-eletron transfer pathways. Little is known about how ferredoxin is regulated to distribute electron under abiotic stress. Our previous study has showed that HbCIPK2 conferred salinity and drought tolerance. Thus, we hypothesized that HbCIPK2 could mediate the activities of interacting partners as a signal transducer. In this report, we identified a novel HbCIPK2-interacting ferredoxin (HbFd1) from halophyte Hordeum brevisubulatum by yeast two-hybrid screens, confirmed this interaction by BiFC in vivo and CoIP in vitro, and presented the expression pattern of HbFd1. HbFd1 was down-regulated under salinity and cold stress but up-regulated under PEG stress, its expression showed tissue-specific, mainly in shoot chloroplast, belonging to leaf-type subgroup. Moreover, HbCIPK2 could recruit HbFd1 to the nucleus for their interaction. The C-terminal segment in HbFd1 protein was involved in the interaction with HbCIPK2. These results provided insight into the connection between CBL-CIPK signaling network and Fd-dependent metabolic pathways.     

Patterns of gene duplication and functional diversification during the evolution of the AP1/SQUA subfamily of plant MADS-box genes

Members of the AP1/SQUA subfamily of plant MADS-box genes play broad roles in the regulation of reproductive meristems, the specification of sepal and petal identities, and the development of leaves and fruits. It has been shown that AP1/SQUA-like genes are angiosperm-specific, and have experienced several major duplication events. However, the evolutionary history of this subfamily is still uncertain. Here, we report the isolation of 14 new AP1/SQUA-like genes from seven early-diverging eudicots and the identification of 11 previously uncharacterized ESTs and genomic sequences from public databases. Sequence comparisons of these and other published sequences reveal a conserved C-terminal region, the FUL motif, in addition to the known euAP1/paleoAP1 motif, in AP1/SQUA-like proteins. Phylogenetic analyses further suggest that there are three major lineages (euAP1, euFUL, and AGL79) in core eudicots, likely resulting from two close duplication events that predated the divergence of core eudicots. Among the three lineages, euFUL is structurally very similar to FUL-like genes from early-diverging eudicots and basal angiosperms, whereas euAP1 might have originally been generated through a 1-bp deletion in the exon 8 of an ancestral euFUL- or FUL-like gene. Because euFUL- and FUL-like genes usually have broad expression patterns, we speculate that AP1/SQUA-like genes initially had broad functions. Based on these observations, the evolutionary fates of duplicate genes and the contributions of the frameshift mutation and alternative splicing to functional diversity are discussed.     

2008年中国植物科学若干领域重要研究进展

在国家各类重大研究计划的持续支持和推动下,2008年中国植物科学研究继续快速发展,中国科学家在植物科学各领域中取得了大量的原创性研究成果,尤其是在水稻株型功能基因组、水稻开花控制和种子发育、生殖隔离机制以及转基因生态安全研究等方面取得了一系列重大进展,受到了国内外的广泛关注。该文对2008年中国本土科学家在植物生命科学若干领域取得的重要研究进展进行概括性评述,旨在全面追踪当前中国植物科学领域发展的最新前沿和热点事件,并展现我国科学家所取得的杰出成就。     

高氯酸盐胁迫对水稻生长发育和养分吸收的影响

通过土培盆栽试验,研究了0.2、2.0和4.0mmol/kg 3种浓度下高氯酸盐胁迫对两个水稻品种的生长发育和吸收主要养分元素氮、磷、钾的影响。研究发现:(1)高氯酸盐对水稻生长的抑制程度随高氯酸盐处理浓度的增高而加重,且随着处理时间的延长,水稻的受害症状也越来越明显,到分蘖期时,3个浓度组对赣糯香生长的抑制率分别为3.08%、33.39%和39.03%,对IR65598-112-2生长的抑制率分别为9.18%、21.07%和34.97%。(2)各浓度处理组(赣糯香0.2mmol/kg组除外)都显著抑制了两品种水稻的分蘖。(3)各浓度处理组水稻始穗时间都比对照组晚,其中高浓度处理组晚了1个月。(4)IR65598-112-2对高氯酸盐的胁迫表现出更早的反应和对低浓度污染物的敏感性,而赣糯香表现出相对较强的抗性。(5)高氯酸盐对水稻根部的伤害比对地上部的伤害更严重。(6)高氯酸盐处理减少了水稻各器官的生物量,降低了水稻各器官中养分元素总氮和总磷的总积累量。研究表明,高氯酸盐污染可抑制两品种水稻的生长和分蘖,延迟其发育,降低水稻对养分元素的积累,其植物毒性效应与污染物的浓度、处理的延续时间、水稻品种及不同植物器官都有关系。     

杨树主要营养元素内循环及外循环研究Ⅱ.落叶前后养分在植株体内外的迁移和循环

杨树落叶时N、P的迁移主要发生在叶和干枝根之间,落叶时叶中2/3的N和1/2的P可迁移至干枝根的皮层和木材之中。皮层和木材中的K在落叶时可能部分向体外排出,叶中的K贮量则几乎保持不变。落叶前后杨树体内N的总循环率可高达62—67％,且以内循环为主;P的总循环率为31—36％,内外循环各占一半,K、Ca、Mg、Si的总循环率均为50％左右,几乎全部为外循环。     

SDS-CTAB结合法提取棉花总DNA

根据以往提取棉花总DNA的经验 ,并参考了几种相关的植物总DNA提取方法 ,得到一种更适合棉花 (GossypiumL .)总DNA提取的方法。该提取方法综合了SDS法与CTAB法的优点 ,使获得的棉花总DNA纯度高 ,得率大 ,完整性较好 ,可用于PCR检测 ,Southern杂交 ,RAPD ,染色体步移等分子生物学操作。