Cloning and characterization of a salt stress-inducible small GTPase gene from the model grass species Lolium temulentum

A gene encoding a small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein (smGTP) related to the Rab2 gene family of GTPases was identified during the analysis of a salt stress suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) expression library from the model grass species Lolium temulentum L. (Darnel ryegrass). The smGTP gene was found to have a low-level constitutive expression and was strongly induced by salt stress in root, crown and leaf tissues. The expression pattern of the smGTP gene was compared against two additional stress genes identified in the SSH expression library, the well-characterized dehydration stress tolerance gene, delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) encoding for a key enzyme in proline biosynthesis, and the cold response gene COR413. The genes were analyzed for their response to salinity as well as their responses to 7 different forms of abiotic stress in L. temulentum plants. The smGTP gene displayed an expression pattern similar to the P5CS gene, suggesting a role in dehydration stress. In contrast, the COR413 gene was found to be up-regulated in response to all stresses tested and has utility as a general stress marker in grass plants.     

& 转录因子CBF在植物抗寒中的重要作用

低温能够诱导植物许多基因的表达,从而使植物具有抗寒性,这种现象称为冷驯化。对于植物冷驯化的分子机理,目前研究的最多的是CBF转录因子调控的信号转导途径,其作用途径可归纳为：CBF(C-repeat Binding Factor)转录因子→CRT/DRE(C-repeat /Dehydration Responsive Element)基序→COR基因表达→植物抗寒性增加。研究CBF转录因子在抗寒中的作用机制,能为提高植物的抗寒性,培育抗寒作物品种提供新方向。      

General Information

A novel cDNA clone encoding a COR413-like gene was isolated by suppression subtraction hybridization and cDNA library screening from sea-island cotton (Gossypium barbadense). This gene (designated as GbCOR413, Accession number: AY761065) has a total length of 893 bp with an open reading frame of 600 bp, encoding a predicated polypeptide of 200 amino acids with a molecular weight of 22.74 kDa and a predicated pI of 9.2. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that this gene belonged to a novel stress-regulated multi-spanning transmembrane protein family without signal peptide. By means of semi-quantities RT-PCR analysis, the expression of GbCOR413 under short-term cold treatment at 4°C, water submergence and abscic acid treatment was investigated. Our studies suggested that the cloned gene was a new member of COR gene family which was slowly responsive to cold stress in cotton. Jin Wang and Kai-Jing Zuo are co-first authors of this paper.     

Isolation and characterization of cold-regulated transcriptional activator <Emphasis Type="Italic">LpCBF3</Emphasis> gene from perennial ryegrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium perenne</Emphasis> L.)

In plants, low temperatures can activate the CBF cold response pathway playing a prominent role in cold acclimation by triggering a set of cold-related gene expressions. CBF homologous gene, designated as LpCBF3, from a cold-tolerant perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) accession was identified. It carries the sequences for nuclear localization signal (NLS), AP2 DNA-binding domains and an acidic activation present in most of the plant CBF proteins. Southern analysis indicated the presence of three homologs of LpCBF3 gene in perennial ryegrass genome, and only one amino acid variation in LpCBF3 protein between cold-tolerant and -sensitive perennial ryegrass accessions. In their putative promoter regions, some differential regions were found. Northern blotting and RT-PCR analysis found that LpCBF3 reached the highest expression after 1.5 h of cold treatment (4 degrees C). The COR homologous gene, a downstream gene of CBF, can be expressed in the plant stem of cold-tolerant perennial ryegrass accessions without cold treatment. Without cold treatment, the COR gene cannot be activated in cold-sensitive perennial ryegrass accessions. Cold treatment can prompt expression levels of COR homologous genes in both perennial ryegrass accessions. In transgenic Arabidopsis, the overexpression of LpCBF3 with the 35S promoter resulted in dwarf-like plants, later flowering and greater freezing tolerance.     

Overexpression of a TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 enhances drought and salt tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

We previously identified a salt and drought stress-responsive TFIIIA-type zinc finger protein gene ZFP252 from rice. Here we report the functional analysis of ZFP252 using gain- and loss-of-function strategies. We found that overexpression of ZFP252 in rice increased the amount of free proline and soluble sugars, elevated the expression of stress defense genes and enhanced rice tolerance to salt and drought stresses, as compared with ZFP252 antisense and non-transgenic plants. Our findings suggest that ZFP252 plays an important role in rice response to salt and drought stresses and is useful in engineering crop plants with enhanced tolerance to salt and drought stresses.     

油菜抗冷相关基因BnCOR14的克隆及序列分析

以油菜沪油15幼叶为材料,采用RACE技术克隆获得1条新的抗冷相关基因(BnCOR14,GenBank登录号AY456378).该基因全长为564bp,含有1个387bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码129个氨基酸的多肽,其理论分子量约为14kD.序列分析表明BnCOR14与拟南芥及荠菜等COR蛋白具有较高的相似性,且BnCOR14具有典型的LEA蛋白序列特征,表明BnCOR14可能在油菜抵抗冷胁迫的过程中具有重要的作用.     

后腹腔镜肾脏手术对机体应激的影响

目的:探讨后腹腔镜肾脏手术对机体应激的影响。方法:选取2011年1月~2013年12月本院泌尿外科住院拟行肾脏手术的患者69例,分为后腹腔镜肾脏手术组(39例)与开放性肾脏手术组(30例),分别检测两组患者术前、术后1 h、术后24 h、术后72h术后120 h体内促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、皮质醇(COR)、C反应蛋白(CRP)的含量,进行对比分析。结果:后腹腔镜肾脏手术组、开放性肾脏手术组两组ACTH和COR水平差异均有统计学意义(F_(分组)=107.286,P=0.000;F_(分组)=9.092,P=0.004);各个时间点的ACTH和COR差异也有统计学意义(F_(时间)=221.454,P=0.000;F_(时间)=94.257,P=0.000),术后1 h两组的ACTH和COR均明显增高,术后24 h、术后72 h及术后120 h两组的ACTH和COR均明显降低,后腹腔镜肾脏手术组术后72 h ACTH和COR降至术前水平,开放性肾脏手术组术后120 h ACTH和COR降至术前水平;后腹腔镜肾脏手术组不同时间点ACTH和COR的变化幅度小于开放性肾脏手术组(F_(交互)=36.446,P=0.000;F_(交互)=7.271,P=0.000)。CRP比较,两组差异也有统计学意义(F_(分组)=41.526,P=0.000);各个时间点的CRP差异也有统计学意义(F_(时间)=405.201,P=0.000),术后1 h、术后24 h、术后72 h CRP持续升高,术后120 h CRP明显降低;后腹腔镜肾脏手术组不同时间点COR升高幅度小于开放性肾脏手术组(F_(交互)=14.111,P=0.000)。结论:后腹腔镜肾脏手术对机体应激反应的影响程度小于开放性肾脏手术,能较大程度地维护机体神经系统及内分泌系统的稳定,更有利于机体的恢复。