Common evolutionary origin of the central portions of the Ri TL-DNA of Agrobacterium rhizogenes and the Ti T-DNAs of Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Analysis of published sequences for Ri TL-DNA (root-inducing left-hand transferred DNA) of Agrobacterium rhizogenes revealed several unsuspected structural features. First, Ri TL-DNA genes are redundant. Using redundancy as a criterion, three regions (left, middle and right) were discerned. The left one, ORFs (open reading frames) 1–7, contains no detectable redundancy. In the middle region a highly diverged gene family was detected in ORFs 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14. The right region contains an apparently recent duplication (ORF 15 =18+17). We interpret the phenomenon of redundancy, particularly in the central region that encodes the transformed phenotype, to be an adaptation that ensures function in a variety of host species. Comparison of Ri TL-DNA and Ti T-DNAs from Agrobacterium tumefaciens revealed common structures, unpredicted by previous nucleic acid hybridization studies. Ri TL-DNA ORF 8 is a diverged Ti T-DNA tms1. Both Agrobacterium genes consist of a member of the diverged gene family detected in the central part of the Ri TL-DNA, but fused to a sequence similar to iaaM of Pseudomonas savastonoi. Other members of this gene family were found scattered throughout Ti T-DNA. We argue that the central region of Ri and the part of Ti T-DNA including ORFs 5–10 evolved from a common ancestor. We present the hypothesis that the gene family encodes functions that alter developmental plasticity in higher plants.     

Multiple transformation of plant cells by Agrobacterium may be responsible for the complex organization of T-DNA in crown gall and hairy root

Summary Inoculation of carrot discs and Lotus corniculatus plantlets with mixtures of different Agrobacterium rhizogenes or of A. rhizogenes and A. tumefaciens or with Agrobacterium strains harboring both an Ri and a modified Ti plasmid resulted in frequent multiple (pluribacterial) transformation of cells, as revealed by the mixed opine-type of hairy roots arising from them. Multiple transformation may account for the presence of dispersed T-DNA inserts in crown gall and hairy root lines. A plant genetic engineering strategy based on segregation of T-DNA inserts in the progeny of multiple transformants is proposed.     

用农杆菌Ri诱导蒙古黄芪发根培养的研究

用蒙古黄芪(Astragalus membranaceus Bunge var mongolicus (Bunge) Hsiao) 无菌籽苗的不同部位作为外植体, 用发根农杆菌(Agrobacterium rhizogenes) R1601进行感染, 该品系对不同外植体诱导毛状根的能力是不同的。由下胚轴成功的诱导出毛状根。在附加100μmol/L乙酰丁香酮(acetosyringone)、0 3 mg/L IBA的条件下, 诱导率达42 2%。用硅胶薄层层析法检测到毛状根中含有冠瘿碱, 用硅胶薄层扫描法(TLCS) 测定了蒙古黄芪野生根、栽培根及毛状根中的黄芪甲甙( astragaloside IV) 含量, (用黄芪甲甙标准品作对照), 它们分别为0 2654% (DW), 0 2071% (DW) 和0 2535% (DW)。     

发根土壤杆菌在植物次生代谢物生产中的应用与进展

发根土壤杆菌 (Agrobacteriumrhizogenes)是一类极具应用前景的微生物资源 ,就发根土壤杆菌Ri质粒结构、功能、侵染和致病过程及其宿主、转化体特性进行了概述 ,并详细讨论了发根土壤杆菌在生产植物次级代谢产物方面的应用与进展及相关影响因素 ,同时还简单介绍了工业化生产的培养方法、生物反应器种类及存在的问题与困难。     

High prevalence of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) as presentation of cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency in childhood: Molecular and clinical findings of Turkish probands

Classical homocystinuria is the most commonly inherited disorder of sulfur metabolism, caused by the genetic alterations in human cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) gene. In this study, we present comprehensive clinical findings and the genetic basis of homocystinuria in a cohort of Turkish patients. Excluding some CBS mutations, detailed genotype–phenotype correlation for different CBS mutations has not been established in literature. We aimed to make clinical subgroups according to main clinical symptoms and discussed these data together with mutational analysis results from our patients. Totally, 16 different mutations were identified; twelve of which had already been reported, and four are novel (p.N93Y, p.L251P, p.D281V and c.829−2A>T). The probands were classified into three major groups according to the clinical symptoms caused by these mutations. A psychomotor delay was the most common diagnostic symptom (n = 12, 46.2% neurological presentation), followed by thromboembolic events (n = 6, 23.1% vascular presentation) and lens ectopia, myopia or marfanoid features (n = 5, 19.2% connective tissue presentation). Pyridoxine responsiveness was 7.7%; however, with partial responsive probands, the ratio was 53.9%.     

Structure of T-DNA in plants regenerated from roots transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain A4

Summary The structure of the T-DNA in Ri-transformed plants of Brassica napus, Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana tabacum was analysed. All the plants studied present a particular phenotype with wrinkled leaves. The T-DNA is composed of two parts: TL and TR. The size of the TL-DNA (19–20 kb) seems to be almost constant, except in N. tabacum where it is shorter. The TR-DNA can be absent, and its size varies from about 5–28 kb, with two predominant lengths. The smaller size does not include the region homologous to the tms genes of the pTi T-DNA. The copy number varies from one to four copies per plant genome. TL and TR-DNA are not always present in the same copy number, but in some cases are linked together.     

Ri T-DNA对盾叶薯蓣的遗传转化及薯蓣皂甙元产生的影响

利用农杆菌介导法成功地将Pd T-DNA转入药用植物盾叶薯蓣,产生了毛状根,经分子信标探针检测农杆菌Pd质粒上的T-DNA已整合进植物基因组中。研究建立了毛状根大量快速繁殖技术,基本技术要求为：1／2 MS液体培养基,28℃培养温度,350lux弱光条件下有利于毛状根的增殖培养,提高生物量。HPLC测定结果显示,转基因获得的毛状根其薯蓣皂甙元的含量分别是微块茎、愈伤组织和植物体合成量的5．68倍、6．12倍和2．68倍。     

Regenerants from Ajuga hairy roots with high productivity of 20-hydroxyecdysone

Summary Regenerants derived from hairy roots of Ajuga reptans var. atropurpurea induced by infection with Agrobacterium rhizogenes MAFF03-01724 harboring pRi revealed a dwarfing response, i.e. decrease in leaf size, reduction in internode distance, and increase in leaf number. These morphogenic alterations were accompanied by an increase in root mass and lack of floral differentiation. In the pRi-transformed regenerants, the proportion of root mass to whole plant mass was higher than that of the untransformed ones, although both kinds of regenerants were comparable on a fresh weight basis. High capacity of rooting and 20-hydroxyecdysone production associated with the original hairy root line were stably maintained in clonal regenerants.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal phosphate transport under monoxenic conditions using radio-labelled inorganic and organic phosphate

Compartmented monoxenic cultures of Ri T-DNA transformed carrot roots and a symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus demonstrated for the first time that phosphate in an organic form (³²P-labelled AMP) may be hydrolysed by extra-radical mycorrhizal hyphae in the absence of other organisms, and subsequently utilized as a mineral nutrient source by the host plant after fungal transport.