An antioxidant redox system in the nucleus of wheat seed cells suffering oxidative stress

Cereal seed cells contain different mechanisms for protection against the oxidative stress that occurs during maturation and germination. One such mechanism is based on the antioxidant activity of a 1-Cys peroxiredoxin (1-Cys Prx) localized in the nuclei of aleurone and scutellum cells. However, nothing is known about the mechanism of activation of this enzyme. Here, we describe the pattern of localization of NADPH thioredoxin reductase (NTR) in developing and germinating wheat seeds using an immunocytochemical analysis. The presence of NTR in transfer cells, vascular tissue, developing embryo and root meristematic cells, agrees with the localization of thioredoxin h (Trx h ), and supports the important function of the NTR/Trx system in cell proliferation and communication. Interestingly, NTR is found in the nuclei of seed cells suffering oxidative stress, thus showing co-localization with Trx h and 1-Cys Prx. To test whether the NTR/Trx system serves as a reductant of the 1-Cys Prx, we cloned a full-length cDNA encoding 1-Cys Prx from wheat, and expressed the recombinant protein in Escherichia coli . Using the purified components, we show NTR-dependent activity of the 1-Cys Prx. Mutants of the 1-Cys Prx allowed us to demonstrate that the peroxidatic residue of the wheat enzyme is Cys46, which is overoxidized in vitro under oxidant conditions. Analysis of extracts from developing and germinating seeds confirmed 1-Cys Prx overoxidation in vivo . Based on these results, we propose that NADPH is the source of the reducing power to regenerate 1-Cys Prx in the nuclei of seed cells suffering oxidative stress, in a process that is catalyzed by NTR.     

Independent evolution of functional Pm3 resistance genes in wild tetraploid wheat and domesticated bread wheat

The Pm3 alleles of cultivated bread wheat confer gene for gene resistance to the powdery mildew fungus. They represent a particular case of plant disease resistance gene evolution, because of their recent origin and possible evolution after the formation of hexaploid wheat. The Pm3 locus is conserved in tetraploid wheat, thereby allowing the comparative evolutionary study of the same resistance locus in a domesticated species and in one of its wild ancestors. We have identified 61 Pm3 allelic sequences from wild and domesticated tetraploid wheat subspecies. The Pm3 sequences corresponded to 24 different haplotypes. They showed low sequence diversity, differing by only a few polymorphic sequence blocks that were further reshuffled between alleles by gene conversion and recombination. Polymorphic sequence blocks are different from the blocks found in functional Pm3 alleles of hexaploid wheat, indicating an independent evolution of the Pm3 loci in the two species. A new functional gene was identified in a wild wheat accession from Syria. This gene, Pm3k , conferred intermediate race-specific resistance to powdery mildew, and consists of a mosaic of gene segments derived from non-functional alleles. This demonstrates that Pm3 -based resistance is not very frequent in wild tetraploid wheat, and that the evolution of functional resistance genes occurred independently in wild tetraploid and bread wheat. The Pm3 sequence variability and geographic distribution indicated that diversity was higher in wild emmer wheat from the Levant area, compared with the accessions from Turkey. Further screens for Pm3 functional genes in wild wheat should therefore focus on accessions from the Levant region.     

NMR‐based characterization of a refolding intermediate of β2‐microglobulin labeled using a wheat germ cell‐free system

In patients with dialysis‐related amyloidosis, β2‐microglobulin (β2‐m) is a major structural component of amyloid fibrils. It has been suggested that the partial unfolding of β2‐m is a prerequisite to the formation of amyloid fibrils, and that the folding intermediate trapped by the non‐native trans‐Pro32 isomer leads to the formation of amyloid fibrils. Although clarifying the structure of this refolding intermediate by high resolution NMR spectroscopy is important, this has been made difficult by the limited lifetime of the intermediate. Here, we studied the structure of the refolding intermediate using a combination of amino acid selective labeling with wheat germ cell‐free protein synthesis and NMR techniques. The HSQC spectra of β2‐ms labeled selectively at either phenylalanine, leucine, or valine enabled us to monitor the structures of the refolding intermediate. The results suggested that the refolding intermediate has an overall fold and cores similar to the native structure, but contains disordered structures around Pro32. The fluctuation of the β‐sheet regions especially the last half of the βB strand and the first half of the βE strand, both suggested to be important for amyloidogenicity, may transform β2‐m into an amyloidogenic structure.     

A wheat embryo cell‐free protein synthesis system not requiring an exogenous supply of GTP

Most in vitro protein synthesis systems require a supply of GTP for the formation of translation initiation complexes, with two GTP molecules per amino acid needed as an energy source for a peptide elongation reaction. In order to optimize protein synthesis reactions in a continuous‐flow wheat embryo cell‐free system, we have examined the influence of adding GTP and found that the system does not require any supply of GTP. We report here the preparation of a wheat embryo extract from which endogenous GTP was removed by gel filtration, and the influence of adding GTP to the system on protein synthesis reactions. Using Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a reporter, higher levels of production were observed at lower concentrations of GTP, with the optimal level of production obtained with no supply of GTP. A HPLC‐based analysis of the extract and the translation mixture containing only ATP as an energy source revealed that GTP was not detectable in the extract, however, 35 μM of GTP was found in the translation mixture. This result suggests that GTP could be generated from other compounds, such as GDP and GMP, using ATP. A similar experiment with a C‐terminally truncated form of human protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (hPTP1B_1‐320) gave almost the same result. The wheat embryo cell‐free translation system worked most efficiently without exogenous GTP, producing 3.5 mg/mL of translation mixture over a 48‐h period at 26°C. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009     

野生二粒小麦籽粒含硒量的差异分析

采用氢化物-原子荧光法,对种植于黔中的来自以色列15个野生二粒小麦群体110个基因型籽粒含硒量进行检测分析.结果表明,15个群体含硒量差异极显著(P≤0.001);110个基因型籽粒硒含量和单粒硒含量分别为0.043～0.409 mg kg-1和0.008～0.125 mg seed-1,平均值分别为0.180 mg kg-1和0.046 mg seed-1.籽粒硒含量和单粒硒含量最低的基因型分别是Gamla群体的TZ120和Mt.Hermon群体的TZ8,最高的基因型分别为Bat-Shelomo群体的TZ36和TZ34.在群体水平上硒浓度差异明显,变异系数CV为9%～74%;斯皮尔曼秩相关分析表明,籽粒硒含量分别与该群体起源地海拔、年平均降雨量、平均干旱天数呈显著负相关,与年均温、8月均温、1月均温呈显著正相关.单粒硒含量的相关分析与籽粒硒含量的相似.野生二粒小麦籽粒含硒量的差异是长期适应环境的结果,其遗传多样性将为小麦硒营养机理研究和育种利用提供材料.     

斜卧青霉原生质体制备和再生的研究

研究了斜卧青霉原生质体制备和再生的条件,确定了培养方式、菌龄、渗透压稳定剂、酶的配比、酶解时间等因素对原生质体制备和再生的影响。最佳条件：菌丝体培养12h,用1％溶壁酶＋1％纤维素酶＋1％蜗牛酶的混合酶液酶解,将NaCl作为渗透压稳定剂,酶解时间为1．5h。在此条件下原生质体的形成量达到5．3×10^5个／mL,再生率为19．4％。     

Assembly of the subcellular parts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bryopsis hypnoides</Emphasis> Lamouroux into new protoplasts

The chloroplasts, mitochondria, and protoplasm devoid of mature chloroplasts (PMC) of Bryopsis hypnoides Lamouroux were isolated by low-speed and sucrose density centrifugation. The PMC aggregated in artificial seawater, and then protoplasts without mature chloroplasts (PtMCs) were formed. Transmission electron microscopy and cytochemical studies indicated that there were mitochondria, nuclei, vesicles, and other small cell organelles in the PtMCs. Scanning electron microscopy showed that there were holes on the surface of 1-h PtMCs and then fewer holes on the surface of 24-h PtMCs, suggesting that a healing process occurred. The plasma membrane was formed over the surface of the PtMCs. However, the cell wall was not regenerated, and the newly formed PtMCs were ruptured and died in 3 days. Light intensity during alga maintenance before use influenced significantly (one-way ANOVA, P < 0.0001) on the number of PtMCs formed; the highest number of PtMCs was formed at 20μmol/(m² s). When isolated chloroplasts were transferred into seawater, there were only two or three chloroplasts aggregated together. However, isolated mitochondria and the mixed six layers of cell organelles (separated by sucrose density centrifugation) could not aggregate in the artificial seawater. This indicates that the conjunction of cell organelles is important for their aggregation. Published in Russian in Fiziologiya Rastenii, 2009, Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 123–130. The text was submitted by the autors in English.