Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因转化马铃薯的研究

为获得抗旱性强、生长正常的转基因马铃薯植株,以野生拟南芥生态型(Col-0)为材料,利用PCR和DNA重组技术,克隆了拟南芥Rd29A(responsive to dehydration)基因ATG上游+83bp至-1 441bp共1 524bp的启动子区域,其DNA序列与已知拟南芥Rd29A 5'端启动子序列同源性为100%;构建了Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因表达的植物表达载体pCHFRd-CDPK1。以马铃薯品种‘费乌瑞它’的试管微型薯为材料,利用农杆菌介导法,将构建成功的pCHFRd-CDPK1载体转入马铃薯中,经筛选与植株再生,获得抗性再生植株。通过PCR和Southern blot检测显示,Rd29A启动子驱动的AtCDPK1基因已整合在马铃薯的基因组中。利用PEG模拟干旱胁迫后,经RT-PCR分析证实,当用20%的PEG胁迫转基因马铃薯植株时,Rd29A启动子驱动AtCDPK1基因表达的转基因马铃薯各个株系中AtCDPK1基因表达量明显增强,而在无胁迫的条件下,植株中AtCDPK1基因基本不表达;同时发现35S控制AtCDPK1转基因植株在PEG胁迫前后,基因转录未见明显差异。形态学观察还表明,在30%PEG胁迫下,转基因植株能正常生长,其长势优于未转基因的对照,且对照植株略有萎焉。该结果可为进一步利用逆境诱导型启动子驱动抗逆基因在农作物中的表达研究及其遗传改良提供依据。     

Regulation of the human prostacyclin receptor gene by the cholesterol-responsive SREBP1

Prostacyclin and its prostacyclin receptor, the I Prostanoid (IP), play essential roles in regulating hemostasis and vascular tone and have been implicated in a range cardio-protective effects but through largely unknown mechanisms. In this study, the influence of cholesterol on human IP [(h)IP] gene expression was investigated in cultured vascular endothelial and platelet-progenitor megakaryocytic cells. Cholesterol depletion increased human prostacyclin receptor (hIP) mRNA, hIP promoter-directed reporter gene expression, and hIP-induced cAMP generation in all cell types. Furthermore, the constitutively active sterol-response element binding protein (SREBP)1a, but not SREBP2, increased hIP mRNA and promoter-directed gene expression, and deletional and mutational analysis uncovered an evolutionary conserved sterol-response element (SRE), adjacent to a known functional Sp1 element, within the core hIP promoter. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed direct cholesterol-regulated binding of SREBP1a to this hIP promoter region in vivo, and immunofluorescence microscopy corroborated that cholesterol depletion significantly increases hIP expression levels. In conclusion, the hIP gene is directly regulated by cholesterol depletion, which occurs through binding of SREBP1a to a functional SRE within its core promoter. Mechanistically, these data establish that cholesterol can regulate hIP expression, which may, at least in part, account for the combined cardio-protective actions of low serum cholesterol through its regulation of IP expression within the human vasculature.     

Characterization of two genes for the biosynthesis of the labdane diterpene Z-abienol in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) glandular trichomes

Leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) are covered with glandular trichomes that produce sucrose esters and diterpenoids in varying quantities, depending on cultivar type. The bicyclic diterpene Z‐abienol is the major labdanoid present in some oriental tobacco cultivars, where it constitutes a precursor of important flavours and aromas. We describe here the identification and characterization of two genes governing the biosynthesis of Z‐abienol in N. tabacum. As for other angiosperm labdanoid diterpenes, the biosynthesis of Z‐abienol proceeds in two steps. NtCPS2 encodes a class‐II terpene synthase that synthesizes 8‐hydroxy‐copalyl diphosphate, and NtABS encodes a kaurene synthase‐like (KSL) protein that uses 8‐hydroxy‐copalyl diphosphate to produce Z‐abienol. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that NtABS belongs to a distinct clade of KSL proteins that comprises the recently identified tomato (Solanum habrochaites) santalene and bergamotene synthase. RT‐PCR results show that both genes are preferentially expressed in trichomes. Moreover, microscopy of NtCPS2 promoter‐GUS fusion transgenics demonstrated a high specificity of expression to trichome glandular cells. Ectopic expression of both genes, but not of either one alone, driven by a trichome‐specific promoter in transgenic Nicotiana sylvestris conferred Z‐abienol formation to this species, which does not normally produce it. Furthermore, sequence analysis of over 100 tobacco cultivars revealed polymorphisms in NtCPS2 that lead to a prematurely truncated protein in cultivars lacking Z‐abienol, thus establishing NtCPS2 as a major gene controlling Z‐abienol biosynthesis in tobacco. These results offer new perspectives for tobacco breeding and the metabolic engineering of labdanoid diterpenes, as well as for structure–function relationship studies of terpene synthases.     

高效启动子在微生物生产4-羟基丁酸中的应用

4-羟基丁酸(4HB)是一种精神类药物,还可用于合成聚-4-羟基丁酸酯(P4HB)、聚(3-羟基丁酸酯-co-4-羟基丁酸酯)(P3HB4HB)等聚合物。在醇脱氢酶(DhaT)和醛脱氢酶(AldD)的共同作用下,1,4-丁二醇(BD)可转化为4-羟基丁酸。通过引入T7和PRe两种高效启动子,加强了dhaT和aldD基因的表达,促进合成4-羟基丁酸的反应进行。同时还研究了底物1,4-丁二醇的浓度对4HB生产的影响。结果表明:提供10 g/L的1,4-丁二醇,受PRe启动子调控的重组菌A.hydrophila 4AK4(pZQ01)可生产6.00 g/L的4-羟基丁酸,比对照组提高43.20%;而受T7启动子调控的重组菌A.hydrophila 4AK4(pZQ04)可生产4.87 g/L 4-羟基丁酸,比对照组提高16.23%。意味着T7和PRe这两种启动子确实发挥了提高基因表达水平的作用,加速了4-羟基丁酸的生物合成。     

脊髓水平iNOS在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用

目的:探讨脊髓水平诱导型一氧化氮合酶在吗啡依赖大鼠戒断反应中的作用。方法:健康雄性SD大鼠72只,体重200~250 g,吗啡剂量每次10 mg/kg,每日2次,隔日每次增加10 mg/kg,至第6天末次注射50 mg/kg,大鼠腹腔注射纳洛酮4 mg/kg建立吗啡依赖及戒断模型,在纳洛酮激发戒断前30 min鞘内注射iNOS特异性抑制剂氨基胍(AG)150μg。分为正常对照组、吗啡依赖组、吗啡戒断组、AG组。采用行为学(n=8)、免疫组织化学(n=6)和Western blot(n=4)方法观察鞘内应用iNOS特异性抑制剂氨基胍对吗啡依赖大鼠纳洛酮催促戒断反应和脊髓神经元iNOS表达的影响。结果:AG组戒断症状评分和戒断组促诱发痛评分均低于戒断组(P<0.05)。免疫组织化学和Western blot显示戒断组大鼠脊髓iNOS阳性神经元的数目和蛋白的表达增高,而AG组大鼠脊髓iNOS阳性神经元的数目和iNOS蛋白的表达低于戒断组(P<0.05)。结论:脊髓水平iNOS表达上调可能参与介导吗啡戒断反应。     

Antimicrobial activity of recombinant Pg-AMP1, a glycine-rich peptide from guava seeds

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are compounds that act in a wide range of physiological defensive mechanisms developed to counteract bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. These molecules have become increasingly important as a consequence of remarkable microorganism resistance to common antibiotics. This report shows Escherichia coli expressing the recombinant antimicrobial peptide Pg-AMP1 previously isolated from Psidium guajava seeds. The deduced Pg-AMP1 open reading frame consists in a 168bp long plus methionine also containing a His6 tag, encoding a predicted 62 amino acid residue peptide with related molecular mass calculated to be 6.98kDa as a monomer and 13.96kDa at the dimer form. The recombinant Pg-AMP1 peptide showed inhibitory activity against multiple Gram-negative (E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermides) bacteria. Moreover, theoretical structure analyses were performed in order to understand the functional differences between natural and recombinant Pg-AMP1 forms. Data here reported suggest that Pg-AMP1 is a promising peptide to be used as a biotechnological tool for control of human infectious diseases.     

獐茅HAK基因表达调控区的分离及其在水稻中的功能分析

獐茅高亲和性K+转运蛋白基因(AlHAK1)是从单子叶禾本科盐生植物獐茅(Aeluropus littoralis(Gouan)Parl)中克隆,对于细胞营养和离子渗透调节起关键作用。为了进一步了解AlHAK1基因的表达调控机制,文章采用基因组步移法分离了AlHAK1基因转录起始位点上游长度约1.3 kb的启动子区域。启动子顺式元件分析显示该序列具有典型的TATA和CAAT盒,以及一些与植物生长发育和环境响应相关的顺式元件。为了明确AlHAK1启动子的功能,将其与GUS基因融合构建到植物表达载体pCAMBIA1301上,通过农杆菌介导转化法导入水稻中。对转基因植株进行GUS组织化学染色,结果显示在转化AlHAK1启动子水稻的根、茎、叶、花药和内外稃部位均检测到GUS活性。GUS荧光定量分析显示AlHAK1启动子调节GUS表达活性低于组成型启动子CaMV35S和Ubiquitin,但其根部和茎部的GUS活性相对较高。对转化植株进行不同胁迫处理后检测GUS活性,结果表明受到ABA、干旱、高温的诱导后其茎部和根部GUS活性有所提高,推测位于该启动子-682 bp的HSE元件和-1 268 bp的MybBS元件可能在高温、ABA和干旱诱导的表达调控中起作用。