Embryo-lethal mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana: Evidence for gametophytic expression of the mutant genes

Summary Normal and aborted seeds from two recessive embryo-lethal mutants (79A and 124D) of Arabidopsis thaliana were shown to be distributed nonrandomly along the length of heterozygous siliques. Significantly more than half of the aborted seeds in these two mutants were located in the top half of the silique, in the region closest to the stigma surface. Segregation ratios (percent aborted seeds) were unusually low at the base of the silique, and slightly higher than expected at the tip. In contrast, aborted seeds from four other embryo-lethal mutants (87A, 123B, 50B, and 71E) were distributed randomly along the length of the silique. These results suggest that the mutant genes in 79A and 124D are expressed during both the gametophytic (n) and sporophytic (2n) phases of development. These two mutants provide further evidence for the hypothesis that many genes expressed prior to fertilization also perform a critical function during growth and development of the sporophyte. Embryo-lethal mutants of Arabidopsis may therefore be useful in future studies of gametophytic gene expression and the regulation of pollen-tube growth in higher plants.     

An endo-1,4-β-glucanase expressed at high levels in rapidly expanding tissues

Plant developmental processes involving modifications to cell wall structure, such as cell expansion, organ abscission and fruit ripening, are accompanied by increased enzyme activity and mRNA abundance of endo-1,4--glucanases (EGases). An EGase cDNA clone, Ce14, isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) has been shown to be identical to a tomato pistil-predominant EGase cDNA, TPP18. In addition to its previously reported expression during certain stages of early pistil development, Ce14 mRNA was also detected at high levels in the growing zones of etiolated hypocotyls (about 2.5-fold less than in pistils) and in young expanding leaves (about 3.5-fold less than in pistils). The abundance of Ce14 mRNA declined precipitously in older tissues as cells became fully expanded, and was barely detectable in mature vegetative tissues. Ce14 mRNA abundance was also low in abscission zones, and did not increase as abscission progressed. In fruit, Ce14 mRNA was present at low levels during fruit expansion, but was essentially absent during subsequent fruit development and ripening. Treatment of etiolated hypocotyls with ethylene or high concentrations of auxin sufficient to induce rapid lateral cell expansion and hypocotyl swelling also brought about an approximate doubling of Ce14 mRNA abundance, suggesting that Ce14 mRNA accumulation may be promoted directly or indirectly by ethylene. Thus, accumulation of Ce14 mRNA was found to be correlated with rapid cell expansion in pistils, hypocotyls and leaves.     

Expression of putative virulence factors in the potato pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus during infection

The Gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus is the causal agent of bacterial wilt and ring rot of potato. So far, only two proteins have been shown to be essential for virulence, namely a plasmid-encoded cellulase CelA and a hypersensitive response-inducing protein. We have examined the relative expression of CelA and eight putative virulence factors during infection of potato and in liquid culture, using quantitative real-time PCR. The examined putative virulence genes were celB, a cellulase-encoding gene and genes encoding a pectate lyase, a xylanase and five homologues of the Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis pathogenicity factor Pat-1 thought to encode a serine protease. Six of the nine assayed genes were up-regulated during infection of potato, including celA, celB, the xylanase gene, and two of the pat genes. The pectate lyase gene showed only slightly elevated expression, whereas three of the five examined pat genes were down-regulated during infection in potato. Interestingly, the two up-regulated pat genes showed a noticeable sequence difference compared to the three down-regulated pat genes. These results reveal several new proteins that are likely to be involved in Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus pathogenicity.     

Differential accumulation of mRNAs in drought-tolerant and susceptible common bean cultivars in response to water deficit

The physiological response to drought was measured in two common bean varieties with contrastive susceptibility to drought stress. A subtractive cDNA library was constructed from the two cultivars, Phaseolus vulgaris'Pinto Villa' (tolerant) and 'Carioca' (susceptible). 18 cDNAs displayed protein-coding genes associated with drought, cold and oxidative stress, signal transduction, plant defense, chloroplast function and unknown function. A cDNA coding for an aquaporin (AQP) was selected for further analyses. The open reading frames (ORFs) of AQPs from 'Pinto Villa' and 'Carioca' were compared and despite their similarity, accumulated differentially in the plant organs, as demonstrated by Northern blot and in situ hybridization. A phylogenetic analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence with other AQPs suggested a tonoplast-located protein. Under drought conditions, the levels of AQP mRNA from the susceptible cultivar decreased to undetectable levels; by contrast, 'Pinto Villa' mRNA was present and restricted the phloem tissue. This would allow 'Pinto Villa' to maintain vascular tissue functions under drought stress.     

家蚕墨蝶呤还原酶基因的体外表达及酶活性研究

家蚕（Bombyx mori）黄体色突变体（lem）的幼虫体壁富含墨蝶呤（SP）,SP经墨蝶呤还原酶（SPR）的催化作用合成四氢生物蝶呤（BH4）。作为芳香族氨基酸羟化酶的重要辅酶,BH4的缺乏会导致多种神经性代谢综合症。前期研究已克隆获得家蚕SPR基因（BmSpr）,确定了BmSpr为lem突变体的遗传本质。本实验将重组质粒 pET-24b-BmSpr转化至 E．coli 不同菌株的感受态细胞,对 BmSpr的体外表达条件进行了优化。SDS-PAGE和Western Blot的检测结果表明BmSPR融合蛋白能够在原核表达系统中得到稳定表达,酶活性分析结果显示体外表达的重组BmSPR对其底物SP有较好的催化活性。本研究为进一步以从家蚕lem突变体资源大量提纯的SP为底物,利用原核表达BmSPR,开展体外合成 BH4的应用基础研究奠定了实验基础。     

Seasonal variation in expression pattern of genes under HSP70

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is one of the most abundant and best characterized heat shock protein family that consists of highly conserved stress proteins, expressed in response to stress, and plays crucial roles in environmental stress tolerance and adaptation. The present study was conducted to identify major types of genes under the HSP70 family and to quantify their expression pattern in heat- and cold-adapted Indian goats (Capra hircus) with respect to different seasons. Five HSP70 gene homologues to HSPA8, HSPA6, HSPA1A, HSPA1L, and HSPA2 were identified by gene-specific primers. The cDNA sequences showed high similarity to other mammals, and proteins have an estimated molecular weight of around 70 kDa. The expression of HSP70 genes was observed during summer and winter. During summer, the higher expression of HSPA8, HSPA6, and HSPA1A was observed, whereas the expression levels of HSPA1L and HSPA2 were found to be lower. It was also observed that the expression of HSPA1A and HSPA8 was higher during winter in both heat- and cold-adapted goats but downregulates in case of other HSPs. Therefore, both heat and cold stress induced the overexpression of HSP70 genes. An interesting finding that emerged from the study is the higher expression of HSP70 genes in cold-adapted goats during summer and in heat-adapted goats during winter. Altogether, the results indicate that the expression pattern of HSP70 genes is species- and breed-specific, most likely due to variations in thermal tolerance and adaptation to different climatic conditions.     

小鼠紧密连接蛋白ZO-2 真核表达载体的构建和表达

目的:克隆小鼠紧密连接蛋白ZO-2(zonula occludens protein2)基因构建其真核表达载体,并验证其在293T细胞系中的表达,为进一步研究其功能奠定基础。方法:从小鼠淋巴结来源的cDNA中分三段分别扩增,通过基因克隆方法获得紧密连接蛋白ZO-2基因全长,连接至pMD-18T载体中,酶切测序正确后,插入pEGFP-C2载体中,构建真核表达载体pEGFP-C2-ZO2。酶切正确后,瞬时转染入293T细胞中,48h后荧光显微镜观察其绿色荧光GFP融合蛋白的表达,并用Western blot检测其在转染细胞中的蛋白水平表达。结果:通过酶切鉴定和测序结果证明成功克隆了ZO-2基因,western blot结果表明成功构建了真核表达载体pEGFP-C2-ZO2。结论:小鼠紧密连接蛋白ZO-2基因的获得和真核表达载体pEGFP-C2-ZO2的成功构建为下一步研究其生物学功能奠定了基础。