OsmiR167a‐targeted auxin response factors modulate tiller angle via fine‐tuning auxin distribution in rice

Rice tiller angle determines plant growth density and further contributes grain production. Although a few genes have been characterized to regulate tiller angle in rice, the molecular mechanism underlying the control of tiller angle via microRNA is poorly understood. Here, we report that rice tiller angle is controlled by OsmiR167a‐targeted auxin response factors OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25. In the overexpression of OsMIR167a plants, the expression of OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25 was severely repressed and displayed larger tiller angle as well as the osarf12/osarf17 and osarf12/ osarf25 plants. In addition, those plants showed compromised abnormal auxin distribution and less sensitive to gravity. We also demonstrate that OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25 function redundantly and might be involved in HSFA2D and LAZY1‐dependent asymmetric auxin distribution pathway to control rice tiller angle. Our results reveal that OsmiR167a represses its targets, OsARF12, OsARF17 and OsARF25, to control rice tiller angle by fine‐tuning auxin asymmetric distribution in shoots.     

NADPH oxidase 5 (NOX5) interacts with and is regulated by calmodulin

Superoxide generation by NADPH oxidase 5 (NOX5) is regulated by Ca(2+) through intramolecular activation of the C-terminal catalytic domain by the EF-hand-containing N-terminal regulatory domain. The C terminus contains a consensus calmodulin-binding domain (CaMBD), which, however, is not the binding site of the N-terminal regulatory domain. Here we show by pull down, cross-linking, fluorimetry and by enzymatic assays, that calmodulin binds to this CaMBD in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner, changes its conformation and increases the Ca(2+) sensitivity of the N terminus-regulated enzymatic activity. This mechanism represents an additional sophistication in the regulation of superoxide production by NOX5.     

Secondary structural and “active site” momologies between nerve growth factor and insulin

Secondary structural elements, α-helix, β-sheet and turns, of nerve growth factor (NGF) were predicted by the method of Chou and Fasman. Analysis of the prediction results showed the presence of domain structure in NGF; the second half of the polypeptide chain showed a secondary structural “pattern” very similar to the first half. Comparison of the secondary structure of NGF and proinsulin showed significant homology between the B-chain, which has the “active site”, and NGF^25–54 The homology is reinforced by the identification of a pentapeptide sequence in NGF which is very similar to the “active site” sequence of insluin essential for receptor binding and agonist activity. The present alignment of insulin and NGF is however different from that proposed earlier on the basis of sequence data alone.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of Bin1/Amphiphysin II in human tissues: diverse sites of nuclear expression and losses in prostate cancer

The Bin1/Amphiphysin II gene encodes at least seven alternately spliced adapter proteins that have been implicated in membrane dynamics and nuclear processes. Nuclear localized Bin1 polypeptides have tumor suppressor and proapoptotic activities, suggesting that Bin1 may suppress cancer in tissues where nuclear expression may occur. One question is the extent to which human tissues express nuclear Bin1 isoforms. A secondary issue has been the need for a specific antibody that can detect all the splice isoforms expressed by the human, mouse, and rat Bin1 genes. Using a novel mouse monoclonal antibody with these characteristics, we performed an immunohistochemical analysis of Bin1 expression in a panel of normal human tissues. We also compared the expression profile of Bin1 in normal or malignant tissues derived from human prostate, where Bin1 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene. In brain, a distinct nuclear staining pattern overlapped with a cytosolic staining pattern present in certain layers of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Bone marrow cells displayed mainly nuclear localization whereas peripheral lymphoid cells exhibited mainly cytosolic localization. In several epithelial tissues, nuclear or nucleocytosolic staining patterns were displayed by basal cells in skin, breast, or prostate, whereas cytosolic or plasma membrane-associated staining patterns were noted in gastrointestinal cells. Interestingly, a striking gradient of expression was observed in gastrointestinal epithelia, particularly in the large intestine, with the strongest staining displayed by cells destined to undergo apoptosis at the villus tip. In prostate, Bin1 staining was frequently absent in cases of primary prostate adenocarcinoma. This study used a novel reagent to document the extent of expression of nuclear Bin1 isoforms, which exhibit cancer suppression and proapoptotic activity in human cells.     

Evidence for the adaptive significance of enzyme activity levels: Interspecific variation in α-GPDH and ADH in Drosophila

The activity levels of alcohol dehydrogenase and -glycerophosphate dehydrogenase were compared among nine species of Drosophila representing three phylogenetic groups. For any given life stage, interspecific variability in activity level was much greater for ADH than for -GPDH. Patterns of ontogenetic expression of enzyme activity were also much more variable among species for ADH than for -GPDH. These results are consistent with the interpretation that -GPDH is involved with a relatively uniform adaptive function among species, whereas ADH levels may reflect variable adaptive capabilities. There is a significant correlation between ADH activities and survivorship on alcohol-treated media for these nine species.This research was supported by Contract AT(04-3)-34 200 with ERDA. The authors are supported by an NIH training grant in genetics.     

Lovastatin biosynthesis by Aspergillus terreus with the simultaneous use of lactose and glycerol in a discontinuous fed-batch culture

The influence of various combinations of glycerol and lactose feed on the biosynthesis of two polyketide metabolites, lovastatin and (+)-geodin, by Aspergillus terreus ATCC20542 in a discontinuous fed-batch culture was presented. In these experiments lactose and/or glycerol were also used as the initial carbon substrates in the cultivation media. The application of glycerol feed, when lactose is the initial substrate, leads to the appreciable lovastatin concentration in the broth (122.4 mg l⁻¹), nevertheless the abundant (+)-geodin level is at the same time obtained (255.5 mg l⁻¹). The cultures with glycerol as the initial substrate and fed with lactose produce less lovastatin and (+)-geodin. The application of the various combined glycerol and/or lactose feeds allows for improving lovastatin production up to 161.8 mg l⁻¹ and decreases (+)-geodin concentration to 98.7 mg l⁻¹. The analysis of product formation rates and yield coefficients indicates that lovastatin is more efficiently produced on lactose, especially in the initial stages of the cultivation. Glycerol efficiently sustains fungal activity to form these polyketides in the late idiophase but it mainly favours (+)-geodin formation, if solely used in the feed. The feeds performed both with lactose and glycerol occur to be the most desired to maximise lovastatin and minimise (+)-geodin formation.     

番茄Sly-MIR167的抗冷性研究

以番茄为材料,采用Northern杂交技术,分析番茄MIR167(Sly-MIR167)在低温胁迫下的表达模式,以明确Sly-MIR167在冷胁迫下的分子调控机制,为基因工程在改良番茄品种中的实际应用提供依据。结果显示:(1)25℃下Sly-MIR167在番茄根、茎、花瓣、果实、叶片都有表达,4℃低温胁迫下的表达量均增加,表明Sly-MIR167表达受低温诱导。(2)采用农杆菌侵染构建表达载体并转化番茄获得转基因植株,冷胁迫实验结果显示:转基因植株在冷胁迫处理的生长状况明显优于对照;另外,冷胁迫下2个转基因株系(T2-5和T2-19)的最大光化学效率、叶绿素含量下降幅度明显低于野生型;脯氨酸含量高于野生型;MDA含量低于野生型,表明Sly-MIR167能够提高番茄对冷胁迫的耐受性。(3)通过miRU在线软件预测Sly-MIR167的靶基因为NF-YA1、NF-YA2,利用RT-PCR技术分析其表达下调,证明它们被MIR167负调控。     

中华蜜蜂气味受体基因AcerOr167的克隆及表达分析

本研究通过RT-PCR获得中华蜜蜂气味受体基因Or167的cDNA序列,并采用多种生物信息学软件对其结构特征进行预测分析;利用荧光定量PCR检测Acer Or167 m RNA在工蜂羽化后不同发育阶段(1、5、10、15、20、25和30日龄)和不同组织(触角、头、胸、腹、足、翅)中的相对表达量。克隆获得中华蜜蜂Or167的c DNA序列,命名为Acer Or167(Gen Bank登录号为KF239369),其全长1311 bp,编码436个氨基酸,预测有5个跨膜结构域;多序列比对结果显示,中华蜜蜂Acer Or167与西方蜜蜂Amel Or167的一致性最高,达94%,而与毕氏粗角蚁Cbir Or4-like的一致性最低,为49%;荧光定量结果显示,Acer Or167 m RNA在成蜂不同发育期的各个组织中均有表达,且触角中的表达量极显著高于其它各个组织(P0.01),在头、胸、腹、足、翅中有少量表达;从触角不同发育阶段的表达情况来看,1日龄表达量最低,5日龄表达量显著升高,20日龄表达量最高,且极显著高于其它各日龄(P0.01)。推测Acer Or167可能在中华蜜蜂的嗅觉识别系统中起着重要的作用,与中华蜜蜂外出采集,识别花香气味有关。本研究为进一步深入研究中华蜜蜂传统气味受体的功能奠定理论基础。