Rhizobium--plant signal exchange.

Initial stages in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis can be thought of as a reciprocal molecular conversation: transmission of a gene inducer from legume host to bacterium, with ensuing bacterial synthesis of a morphogen that is transmitted to the plant, switching the developmental fate of the legume root. These signal molecules have a key role in determining bacterium-host specificity and the purified Nod factor compounds provide useful new tools to probe plant cell function.     

水稻Os05g0442400基因启动子分析以及由Os05g0442400基因启动子引导GUS报告基因在转基因水稻中的表达

采用Plant CARE和PLACE软件分析预测水稻Os05g0442400基因启动子序列中可能存在的顺式作用元件.结果显示,在起始密码子ATG上游1500bp区域内,除了启动子基本的核心作用元件外,还存在一些与植物抵御非生物胁迫过程有关的作用元件、脱落酸应答元件、光诱导启动子作用元件、病原菌诱发因子作用元件,以及根特异性结合位点.采用根癌农杆菌介导法成功将Os05g0442400 promoter::gus构建导入"中花11"水稻.由不同组织部位GUS染液检测表明:在水稻苗期,内源Os05g0442400基因可能主要在根部表达;随着水稻生殖期的延续,水稻内源Os05g0442400基因在颖壳中的表达区域由上向下面积增大,并在抽穗后达到最大表达区域.这些结果可能与Os05g0442400基因启动子上分别存在根特异性结合位点和光诱导启动子作用元件具有一定的联系.     

百脉根Rac1基因启动子的克隆与表达分析

百脉根小G蛋白Rac1基因促进共生结瘤过程,但其转录调控机制尚不明确.采用生物信息学方法对百脉根Rac1基因的启动子序列进行了预测,并对该启动子中含有的顺式调控元件进行了统计分析.克隆了约1.8kb的启动子片段,并构建了GUS融合的重组质粒p1391Z-Rac1Pro.通过百脉根毛根转化法获得转基因毛根,进一步利用组织化学染色法对Rac1基因在阳性毛根中的表达部位进行了研究.结果显示:该启动子除含有常见的转录调控保守元件TATA-box和CAAT-box外,还含有调控防御和胁迫、激素、光照等信号的应答元件.组织化学染色发现,Rac1基因在接种根瘤菌的根毛、根尖、根瘤原基皮层中表达量较高.     

OsNAC2转录因子介导生长素代谢通路调节水稻早期根的发育

NAC家族是植物特有的一类转录因子,在植物的生长发育和逆境胁迫等方面具有重要的功能.研究发现,OsNAC2基因的过表达(ON11)和RNAi(RNAi31)转基因株系,早期主根的长度有显著变化的特征.与野生型日本晴水稻(WT)相比,ON11植株的主根变短,而RNAi31的主根变长.通过对早期OsNAC2pro∶∶GUS株系根尖染色结果表明OsNAC2在根尖具有时序性表达.不同激素诱导OsNAC2表达谱和OsNAC2pro∶∶GUS株系对激素响应结果显示OsNAC2受生长素显著性诱导.结合芯片数据和qRT-PCR分析,OsNAC2转基因株系中生长素合成代谢及信号通路相关基因表达量变化较为明显.同时,ON11根尖淀粉粒发育及其向重力性受到抑制.因此,推测OsNAC2可能通过抑制生长素的合成代谢及信号通路相关基因的表达,降低生长素含量,并参与生长素响应通路,最终影响水稻根的生长.     

Expression analysis ofgdcsP promoter from C3-C4 intermediate plantFlaveria anomala in transgenic rice

ThegdcsP promoter isolated from C₃-C₄ intermediate plantFlaveria anomala was fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene. The chimeric gene was inserted into the binary vector pBin19 and introduced into the rice (Oryza sativa L.) cv. 8706 byAgrobacteriummediated gene transfer. GUS activity can be detected in leaf, leaf sheath, stem and root tissues via fluorometric GUS assay. However, no GUS activity was found in mature endosperm. Histochemical localization revealed that GUS expression was exclusively restricted to vascular tissues in transgenic plants. This promoter also showed spatial-temporal expression patterns that GUS expression declined significantly with the maturity of plants. These expression patterns make thegdcsP promoter extremely valuable in the applied biotechnology that needs target gene expression restricted to vascular tissues.     

Sinorhizobium meliloti nifA gene exerts a pleiotropic effect on nodulation through the enhanced plant defense response

Sinorhizobium meliloti nifA gene is required for the expression of a bunch of nif and fix genes. Here, we report its pleiotropic effects on the nodule formation. Compared with wild type strain, nifA mutant sig- nificantly reduced nodule suppression rate in split-root system. The plants inoculated with mutant strain produced lower amount of daidzein and less necrotic cells on their roots. In addition, the defense genes failed to be evoked by nifA mutant at the early nodulation stage. These findings indicated that host defense response was one of the mechanisms mediated by nifA gene to regulate nodule formation during symbiosis. Even though nifA mutant could increase the number of nodules in host plant, it synthesized lower Nod factors than wild type. This suggested that nifA gene mediated multiple and diverse instances in nodulation formation.     

MtROP8 is involved in root hair development and the establishment of symbiotic interaction between Medicago truncatula and Sinorhizobium meliloti

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that ROP GTPases play important roles in symbiosis, but the molecular mechanisms on their regulation in symbiosis are largely unknown. In this study, we showed that MtROP8 is involved in the symbiotic interaction between Medicago truncatula and Sinorhizobium meliloti. Expression analyses showed that MtROP8 was down-regulated in the early infected roots, but significantly up-regulated in nodules compared to the roots. Phenotypic analysis of RNA inter- ference （RNAi）-mediated silencing of MtROP8 revealed that knock-down of MtROP8 expression resulted in various developmental defects of root hairs, including branched hairs, short bulbous root hairs, and even root hairs with apparent swollen bases, which were caused by the modi- fication of the distribution and the levels of reactive oxygen species （ROS）. Moreover, infection events were increased in transgenic roots harboring the MtROP8 RNAi construct in response to S. meliloti inoculation, concomitant with enhanced nodulation. These results indicate that MtROP8 participates in root hair development and the establishmentof the symbiotic interaction by regulating ROS production and distribution.     

GUS和HPT基因的基因枪法转化水稻

以水稻（丹粳－５号）愈伤组织为受体材料，采用基因枪法将含有ＧＵＳ和ＨＰＴ基因的ＣＭ２质粒导入水稻细胞．经过５０ｍｇ／Ｌ的潮霉素筛选，获得抗性愈伤组织，并在同样筛选压力下诱导分化成苗，获得抗性苗．共获得１７个抗性克隆．ＧＵＳ组织化学检测表明，有１２个克隆为ＧＵＳ阳性，ＧＵＳ和ＨＰＴ基因共表达率为７０％左右．Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ分子检测证明ＨＰＴ基因已整合到水稻基因组中．     

A receptor kinase gene regulating symbiotic nodule development

Leguminous plants are able to establish a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with soil bacteria generally known as rhizobia. Metabolites exuded by the plant root activate the production of a rhizobial signal molecule, the Nod factor, which is essential for symbiotic nodule development. This lipo-chitooligosaccharide signal is active at femtomolar concentrations, and its structure is correlated with host specificity of symbiosis, suggesting the involvement of a cognate perception system in the plant host. Here we describe the cloning of a gene from Medicago sativa that is essential for Nod-factor perception in alfalfa, and by genetic analogy, in the related legumes Medicago truncatula and Pisum sativum. The identified 'nodulation receptor kinase', NORK, is predicted to function in the Nod-factor perception/transduction system (the NORK system) that initiates a signal cascade leading to nodulation. The family of 'NORK extracellular-sequence-like' (NSL) genes is broadly distributed in the plant kingdom, although their biological function has not been previously ascribed. We suggest that during the evolution of symbiosis an ancestral NSL system was co-opted for transduction of an external ligand, the rhizobial Nod factor, leading to development of the symbiotic root nodule.     

水稻花期干旱胁迫应答基因Os07g0422100启动子的克隆及鉴定

水稻作为需水量最大的作物之一,对于水分的胁迫异常敏感.对处于花期的水稻进行干旱胁迫处理,利用基因芯片技术筛选出在水稻花穗中特异性表达的应答干旱胁迫的基因Os07g0422100.在对该基因的研究中发现,该基因的表达图谱有较高的专一性,且该基因的启动子属于诱导型启动子,仅在受到干旱胁迫的水稻花穗中表达.利用Os07g04...     

拟南芥VHA-c3基因的特异性表达和调节

利用RT-PCR技术检测VHA-c基因在拟南芥中的表达，结果表明VHA-c3基因在拟南芥的果荚、花、叶、茎和根中都有表达，但是，在叶中的表达量远远高于其它的组织.以GUS基因作为报告基因构建了不同长度的VHA-c3基因启动子缺失突变体，利用农杆菌介导的瞬时表达系统检测GUS基因的表达，研究发现在VHA-c3基因起始密码子上游2812-2 234 bp之间的区域內存在着控制VHA-c3基因高表达的转录调控元件.     

Construction of chimeric inducible promoters by elicitors of rice fungal blast pathogen and their expression in transgenic rice

The promoter fragments of wheatGstA1 and potatoGst1 have been amplified by PCR, cloned and fused respectively to the minimal promoter sequence of rice actin gene (Act1)) and its 5′ untranslated leader sequence together withGUS. The constructs with 2 chimeric promoters (WGA and PGA) have been transferred into rice in order to analyze their inducibility patterns in transgenic rice plants. The results show that: WGA and PGA are both inducible by elicitors ofPyricularia oryzae in transgenic rice cells; the intron I of riceAct1 gene is important for the heterogenic expression of monocot and dicot promoter elements in rice; and theAct1 minimal promoter and its 5′ untranslated leader sequence produced low level background expression in rice.     

脱落酸对水稻根系生长素合成与运输的调控

利用一系列不同浓度的脱落酸(ABA)处理水稻幼苗根系,观察水稻初生根根长、冠根数目、侧根数目及长度、DR5::GUS转基因材料GUS活性、生长素的合成及运输相关基因表达水平等变化.结果表明,ABA可以抑制水稻初生根的伸长、冠根和侧根的发生和伸长,并且抑制效应呈现剂量效应.DR5::GUS活性在整个根系中随ABA处理浓度升高而减弱,但根尖部位的DR5::GUS活性经过ABA处理后表现增强;生长素合成相关基因YUCCA2、YUCCA4、YUCCA7,生长素运输载体基因AUX3、AUX5、PiN1b、PiN2、PiN5a、PiN9、PiN10a均显著下降表达.     

A phosphate transporter expressed in arbuscule-containing cells in potato.

Arbuscular mycorrhizas are the most common non-pathogenic symbioses in the roots of plants. It is generally assumed that this symbiosis facilitated the colonization of land by plants. In arbuscular mycorrhizas, fungal hyphae often extend between the root cells and tuft-like branched structures (arbuscules) form within the cell lumina that act as the functional interface for nutrient exchange. In the mutualistic arbuscular-mycorrhizal symbiosis the host plant derives mainly phosphorus from the fungus, which in turn benefits from plant-based glucose. The molecular basis of the establishment and functioning of the arbuscular-mycorrhizal symbiosis is largely not understood. Here we identify the phosphate transporter gene StPT3 in potato (Solanum tuberosum). Functionality of the encoded protein was confirmed by yeast complementation. RNA localization and reporter gene expression indicated expression of StPT3 in root sectors where mycorrhizal structures are formed. A sequence motif in the StPT3 promoter is similar to transposon-like elements, suggesting that the mutualistic symbiosis evolved by genetic rearrangements in the StPT3 promoter.     

Rice transformation with a senescence-inhibition chimeric gene

A senescence-inhibition chimeric gene containing the specific promoter of SAG₁₂ and IPT gene was transferred into rice with the biolistic method. Results of PCR, Dot blotting and Southern blotting indicated that the chimeric gene had been integrated into rice genome. Analyses of GUS activity and cytokinin content in transgenic plants of rice and the observation of T₁ generation plant at grain formation stage indicated that the foreign gene was expressed.     

A plant receptor-like kinase required for both bacterial and fungal symbiosis

Most higher plant species can enter a root symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in which plant carbon is traded for fungal phosphate. This is an ancient symbiosis, which has been detected in fossils of early land plants. In contrast, the nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbioses of plants with bacteria evolved more recently, and are phylogenetically restricted to the rosid I clade of plants. Both symbioses rely on partially overlapping genetic programmes. We have identified the molecular basis for this convergence by cloning orthologous SYMRK ('symbiosis receptor-like kinase') genes from Lotus and pea, which are required for both fungal and bacterial recognition. SYMRK is predicted to have a signal peptide, an extracellular domain comprising leucine-rich repeats, a transmembrane and an intracellular protein kinase domain. Lotus SYMRK is required for a symbiotic signal transduction pathway leading from the perception of microbial signal molecules to rapid symbiosis-related gene activation. The perception of symbiotic fungi and bacteria is mediated by at least one common signalling component, which could have been recruited during the evolution of root nodule symbioses from the already existing arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis.     

tritordeum花粉特异性表达的遗传分析

为明确转基因tritordeum中被外源uidA基因标记的启动子的调控特异性,对筛选到的一株标记材料进行了两代uidA基因的遗传表达分析,结果表明,后代材料基因组中都含有uidA基因,没有发生分离,且都只在花粉中检测到GUS活性,在其他组织没有检测到GUS活性.进一步RT-PCR分析显示uidA基因在根和叶中没有发生转录,说明该株材料为花粉特异性启动子被uidA基因标记的阳性纯合体,实验证明该特异性能稳定遗传.     

水稻RSSG8基因启动子与GUS融合基因的构建及在烟草中的瞬间表达

使用染色体步移(Genome walking)法，从籼稻(Oryza sativa subsp．indica)桂朝2号基因组中克隆到长度为471bp的水稻精细胞优势表达基因RSSG8的启动子片段R8PN，并进行了全序列测定和分析．该段序列中含有3个CAAT-box，6个Gobox和多种植物顺式作用元件，但没有发现典型的TATA-box，推测为一种特殊的启动子结构，为了鉴定RSSG8基因的基本启动子元件，将二条长度不同的5’端侧翼区缺失体(分别长471bp，260bp)定向插入载体pBI121中，取代原有的CaMV 35S启动子，构了驱动报告基因GUS的植物表达载体pRGUS1，pRGUS2，通过农杆菌介导的瞬时表达法转化烟草叶片和花粉，快速鉴定启动子片段中起关键作用的区域，结果显示两个缺失片段都能启动GUS的表达，可以初步判定这两个片段具有启动子功能。     

Characterization of enhancer trap and gene trap harboring Ac／Ds transposon in transgenic rice

Insertion mutagenesis has become one of the most popular methods for gene functions analysis.Here we report a two-element Ac/Ds transposon system containing enhancer trap and gene trap for gene tagging in rice.The excision of Ds element was examined by PCR amplification.The excision frequency of Ds element varied from 0% to 40% among 20 F2 populations derived from 11 different Ds parents.Southern blot analysis revealed that more than 70% of excised Ds elements reinserted into rice genome and above 70% of the reinserted Ds elements were located at different positions of the chromosome in rice.The result of histochemical GUS analysis indicated that 28% of enhancer trap and 22% of gene trap tagging plants displayed GUS activity in leaves, roots,flowers or seeds.The GUS positive lines will be useful for identifying gene function in rice.