Structure,variation and expression analysis of glutenin gene promoters from Triticum aestivum cultivar Chinese Spring shows the distal region of promoter 1Bx7 is key regulatory sequence

In this study, ten glutenin gene promoters were isolated from model wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Chinese Spring) using a genomic PCR strategy with gene-specific primers. Six belonged to high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) gene promoters, and four to low-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (LMW-GS). Sequence lengths varied from 1361 to 2554 bp. We show that the glutenin gene promoter motifs are conserved in diverse sequences in this study, with HMW-GS and LMW-GS gene promoters characterized by distinct conserved motif combinations. Our findings show that HMW-GS promoters contain more functional motifs in the distal region of the glutenin gene promoter (> − 700 bp) compared with LMW-GS. The y-type HMW-GS gene promoters possess unique motifs including RY repeat and as-2 box compared to the x-type. We also identified important motifs in the distal region of HMW-GS gene promoters including the 5′-UTR Py-rich stretch motif and the as-2 box motif. We found that cis-acting elements in the distal region of promoter 1Bx7 enhanced the expression of HMW-GS gene 1Bx7. Taken together, these data support efforts in designing molecular breeding strategies aiming to improve wheat quality. Our results offer insight into the regulatory mechanisms of glutenin gene expression.     

ChAy/Bx, a novel chimeric high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit gene apparently created by homoeologous recombination in Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides

High-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs) are of considerable interest, because they play a crucial role in determining dough viscoelastic properties and end-use quality of wheat flour. In this paper, ChAy/Bx, a novel chimeric HMW-GS gene from Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides (AABB, 2n = 4x = 28) accession D129, was isolated and characterized. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis revealed that the electrophoretic mobility of the glutenin subunit encoded by ChAy/Bx was slightly faster than that of 1Dy12. The complete ORF of ChAy/Bx contained 1671 bp encoding a deduced polypeptide of 555 amino acid residues (or 534 amino acid residues for the mature protein), making it the smallest HMW-GS gene known from Triticum species. Sequence analysis showed that ChAy/Bx was neither a conventional x-type nor a conventional y-type subunit gene, but a novel chimeric gene. Its first 1305 nt sequence was highly homologous with the corresponding sequence of 1Ay type genes, while its final 366 nt sequence was highly homologous with the corresponding sequence of 1Bx type genes. The mature ChAy/Bx protein consisted of the N-terminus of 1Ay type subunit (the first 414 amino acid residues) and the C-terminus of 1Bx type subunit (the final 120 amino acid residues). Secondary structure prediction showed that ChAy/Bx contained some domains of 1Ay subunit and some domains of 1Bx subunit. The special structure of this HMW glutenin chimera ChAy/Bx subunit might have unique effects on the end-use quality of wheat flour. Here we propose that homoeologous recombination might be a novel pathway for allelic variation or molecular evolution of HMW-GSs.     

Gram negative shuttle BAC vector for heterologous expression of metagenomic libraries

Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors enable stable cloning of large DNA fragments from single genomes or microbial assemblages. A novel shuttle BAC vector was constructed that permits replication of BAC clones in diverse Gram-negative species. The "Gram-negative shuttle BAC" vector (pGNS-BAC) uses the F replicon for stable single-copy replication in E. coli and the broad-host-range RK2 mini-replicon for high-copy replication in diverse Gram-negative bacteria. As with other BAC vectors containing the oriV origin, this vector is capable of an arabinose-inducible increase in plasmid copy number. Resistance to both gentamicin and chloramphenicol is encoded on pGNS-BAC, permitting selection for the plasmid in diverse bacterial species. The oriT from an IncP plasmid was cloned into pGNS-BAC to enable conjugal transfer, thereby allowing both electroporation and conjugation of pGNS-BAC DNA into bacterial hosts. A soil metagenomic library was constructed in pGNS-BAC-1 (the first version of the vector, lacking gentamicin resistance and oriT), and recombinant clones were demonstrated to replicate in diverse Gram-negative hosts, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Salmonella enterica, Serratia marcescens, Vibrio vulnificus and Enterobacter nimipressuralis. This shuttle BAC vector can be utilized to clone genomic DNA from diverse sources, and then transfer it into diverse Gram-negative bacterial species to facilitate heterologous expression of recombinant pathways.     

Redox regulation of glutenin subunit assembly in the plant endoplasmic reticulum

The glutenin fraction of wheat storage proteins consists of large polymers in which high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight subunits are connected by inter‐chain disulfide bonds. We found that assembly of a low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunit in the endoplasmic reticulum is a rapid process that leads to accumulation of various oligomeric forms, and that this assembly is sensitive to perturbation of the cellular redox environment. In endoplasmic reticulum‐derived microsomes, low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunits are subjected to hyper‐polymerization, indicating that cytosolic factors play an important role in limiting polymer size. Addition of physiological concentrations of reduced glutathione is sufficient to maintain the original polymerization pattern of the glutenin subunits upon cytosol dilution. Furthermore, we show that a low‐molecular‐weight glutenin subunit can be glutathionylated in endoplasmic reticulum‐derived microsomes, and that it can be directly reduced by glutathione in vitro. These results indicate that glutenin polymerization is sensitive to changes in the redox state of the cell, and suggest that the presence of a reducing cytosolic environment plays an important role in regulating disulfide bond formation in the endoplasmic reticulum of plant cells.     

Omega-3 phospholipids from fish suppress hepatic steatosis by integrated inhibition of biosynthetic pathways in dietary obese mice

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) accompanies obesity and insulin resistance. Recent meta-analysis suggested omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA and EPA to decrease liver fat in NAFLD patients. Anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and insulin-sensitizing effects of DHA/EPA depend on their lipid form, with marine phospholipids showing better efficacy than fish oils. We characterized the mechanisms underlying beneficial effects of DHA/EPA phospholipids, alone or combined with an antidiabetic drug, on hepatosteatosis. C57BL/6N mice were fed for 7 weeks an obesogenic high-fat diet (cHF) or cHF-based interventions: (i) cHF supplemented with phosphatidylcholine-rich concentrate from herring (replacing 10% of dietary lipids; PC), (ii) cHF containing rosiglitazone (10 mg/kg diet; R), or (iii) PC + R. Metabolic analyses, hepatic gene expression and lipidome profiling were performed. Results showed that PC and PC + R prevented cHF-induced weight gain and glucose intolerance, while all interventions reduced abdominal fat and plasma triacylglycerols. PC and PC + R also lowered hepatic and plasma cholesterol and reduced hepatosteatosis. Microarray analysis revealed integrated down-regulation of hepatic lipogenic and cholesterol biosynthesis pathways by PC, while R-induced lipogenesis was fully counteracted in PC + R. Gene expression changes in PC and PC + R were associated with preferential enrichment of hepatic phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine fractions by DHA/EPA. The complex down-regulation of hepatic lipogenic and cholesterol biosynthesis genes and the antisteatotic effects were unique to DHA/EPA-containing phospholipids, since they were absent in mice fed soy-derived phosphatidylcholine. Thus, inhibition of lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis associated with potent antisteatotic effects in the liver in response to DHA/EPA-containing phospholipids support their use in NAFLD prevention and treatment.     

小麦低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基组成研究

利用改良的两步一向SDS—PAGE(two—step one—dimensional SDS—PAGE)分析了几种小麦低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(LMW-GS)组成。70％热乙醇提取总谷蛋白,11％分离胶进行第一步SDS—PAGE分离．电泳1h后切取顶端1cm胶条并置于巯基乙醇溶液进行还原,还原后的胶条于11%～16．5％的梯度胶进行第二步SDS—PAGE分离。结果显示。两步一向SDS—PAGE可以彻底除去清蛋白、球蛋白和醇溶蛋白对LMW—GS分离的背景干扰。提高LMW—GS的分辨率。对几种小麦低分子量麦谷蛋白亚基分析表明：LMW-GS组合比HMW—GS更为丰富,每种小麦含有2～5种B亚基,2～4种C亚基．B、C亚基的总数量为4～8种。     

小麦高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基1Dx5启动子驱动外源基因的表达

将小麦高分子量麦谷蛋白亚基(HMW-GS)基因的胚乳组织特异性表达启动子驱动的外源突变型1Dx5基因和gus基因导入小麦中.对其转基因植株连续3代的跟踪研究表明,突变型1Dx5基因的重复序列导致其表达蛋白分子量增大,并影响其它1Bx17 1By18亚基基因的表达.组织化学分析观察到gus基因在1Dx5基因启动子驱动下的表达表现出胚乳组织特异性,在开花2周后开始表达,表达量呈持续上升,至腊熟期达到最高,其次为籽粒成熟期.     

两种HMW-GS基因启动子片段的克隆及分析

利用聚合酶链反应(PCR)技术从小偃6号中获得400bp左右的扩增产物,将其与pGEM-T Easy载体连接后转入大肠杆菌,经过筛选获得HMW-8-P和HMW-38-P两种类型克隆。序列分析表明：HMW-38-P包括了HMW-GS14基因上游启动子及信号肽对应编码区,而另一段(HMW-8-P)为一未知HMW-GS基因启动子区及信号肽对应的编码区。将两序列和GenBank中已知的35种HWM-GS基因启动子区序列进行多序列比对,最后获得HMW-GS启动子的系统发生树。通过系统发生树可以清晰地看出位于不同染色体上的不同亚基类型的HMW-GS基因的进化关系,并可确定HMW-8-P为Glu-D-1类型HMW-GS的启动子区,小偃6号中Glu-D-1类型的亚基为2亚基,所以HMW-6-P为2亚基启动子区序列。     

中国特有小麦Gli-1、Gli-2和Glu-1位点的遗传多样性(英文)

运用APAGE和SDS_PAGE方法 ,研究了 32份中国特有小麦Gli_1、Gli_2和Glu_1位点的遗传多样性。在 1 4份云南铁壳麦 (Triticumaestivumssp .yunnaneseKing)中 ,共出现 8种醇溶蛋白带型和 3种高分子谷蛋白带型。在 9份西藏半野生小麦 (T .aestivumssp .tibetanumShao )中 ,发现 9种醇溶蛋白带型和 4种高分子谷蛋白带型。在 9份新疆稻麦 (T .petropavlovskyiUdacz.etMigusch .)中 ,观察到 9种醇溶蛋白带型和 5种高分子谷蛋白带型 ,其中 1份新疆稻麦 (稻麦 2 )具有Glu_D1编码的新亚基 2 .1 1 0 .1。在这 3种中国特有小麦群体中 ,Gli_1位点分别检测出 1 0、1 4和1 1个等位基因 ;Gli_2位点各具有 1 1、1 4和 1 2个等位基因 ;Glu_1位点也分别出现 5、6和 8个等位基因。云南铁壳麦、西藏半野生小麦和新疆稻麦群体内的Nei’s遗传变异系数分别为 0 .3798、0 .56 2 5和 0 .56 93。这些结果说明 ,与云南铁壳麦相比 ,西藏半野生小麦和新疆稻麦群体内的遗传变异相对较大。     

Immunochemical Assay for Quality and Immunological Homology of Storage Proteins in Different Closely Related Genera and Species of Wheat

An immunochemical assay using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies of high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) in Triticum aestivum L. was carried out to determine the quality of wheat and to investigate the immunological homology of the storage proteins in cereal endosperms in different closely related wheat genera and species. The results showed that correlation between the antigen-antibody reaction and the wheat quality varied with the type of antibodies used and the quality. The correlation coeffecient was slightly higher when the polyclonal antibodies were used than monoclonal antibodies were used. The correlation coeffecient was high between the antibody binding and the protein content, and wet/dry gluten coment, with Zeleny sedimentation value, while that between antibody binding and bread characters was lower. The highest correlation coeffecient between the polyclonal antibody binding and the protein content in grains, wet and dry gluten contents, bread volume and bread ratio volume was 0. 762 0, 0. 894 2, 0. 887 3, 0.610 3, 0.459 8 and 0.474 4 respectively, while the highest correlation coeffecient between the monoclonal antibody binding and the above parameters was 0. 783 7, 0. 774 5, 0.782 2, 0. 684 1, 0. 687 3 and 0. 598 2 respectively. The immunological homologies between I-IMW-GS 1Dyl0 in common wheat and endosperm storage protein in wheat grains of different genera and species were noticed. The cross-reac-tion among Triticum aestivum L., Secale cereale, T. spelta L., Aegilops squearrosa L. and T. Turgidtan L. was stronger than that among other cereals.