玉米苗期SR蛋白基因家族的干旱胁迫应答

基因表达的选择性剪接(Alternative splicing, AS)调控与植物对逆境胁迫应答密切相关, SR蛋白(Serine/ arginine-rich proteins)是其中关键的调节因子。文章对玉米B73参考基因组进行分析显示: 多数SR蛋白家族基因成员启动子区域含有3~8种与发育或胁迫相关的顺式调控元件; 27个基因成员编码碱性蛋白, 其中23个成员的编码蛋白依照其N′端的首个RRM(RNA recognition motif)结构域特征大体上可划分为5个亚组。利用双向分级聚类方法, 对三叶期干旱胁迫下玉米杂交种郑单958及其亲本郑58和昌7-2的SR蛋白基因家族的分析显示, 该基因家族的表达模式具有明显的组织表达特异性和基因型依赖性特征; 其中在干旱胁迫下地下组织以下调表达模式为主, 而地上组织中以上调表达模式为主。在重度干旱胁迫后的3个不同时段复水过程中, 地上和地下组织中SR蛋白基因家族的表达皆以下调表达模式为主。另外, 尽管不同基因成员的表达模式在干旱胁迫及其后的复水过程中存在明显差异, 但普遍存在自身选择性剪接现象。SR蛋白基因家族在玉米干旱胁迫的应答规律, 为从AS-network视角解析玉米的抗逆分子机制提供了新思路。

Response of maize serine/arginine-rich protein gene family in seedlings to drought stress

Alternative splicing (AS) in eukaryotic organisms is closely related to the gene regulation in plant abiotic stress responses, in which serine/arginine-rich proteins (SR proteins) act as key regulators. The genome sequence of maize inbred line B73 was analyzed, showing that the promoter regions of SR genes possess about three to eight kinds of cis-acting regulatory elements. Twenty-seven SR genes encode alkaline proteins, and 23 of which are divided into five subgroups in terms of the first RNA recognition motif (RRM) at the amino terminal. The expression of SR genes showed tissue-specific and genotype-dependent features under drought stress in the hybrid Zhengdan-958 and its parents, Zheng-58 and Chang-7-2 via bidirectional hierarchical clustering. SR genes were down-regulated in roots while they were up-regulated in shoots under drought stress. However, SR genes were down-regulated in both roots and shoots in three different rehydration stages after severe drought stress. Additionally, a widespread alternative splicing exists in all SR genes although SR genes showed differential expression tendency under drought stress and/or during rehydration stages. Results above will deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant response to abiotic stress from the perspective of AS-network.