Functional analysis of cis-acting sequences regulating root-specific expression in transgenic tobacco

Two different length fragments, RSF1 and RSF2 which contained the cis-acting sequences of root-spe- cific gene TobRB7, were isolated from tobacco genome. The abilities of these fragments to direct root-specific expression were studied by fusing them to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) report gene with different directions. After the recombined vectors were transformed into tobacco, the expression pattern was performed by histochemical staining and the quantitative analysis of GUS activity. The data suggested that the cis-acting element of TobRB7 gene direct GUS expression not only as root-specific but also as bidirectional. In our studies, the short fragment, RSF2, performed stronger activity than RSF1 with any direction. The stronger activity of GUS expression was determined by reverse inserting of RSF1 or RSF2 than positive inserting.     

Isolation of a strong matrix attachment region (MAR) and identification of its function in vitro and in vivo

Inclusion of MARs in transgene cassettes enhances their expression and reduces position-effect variations in the transgenic host. Four new MARs (TM2, TM3, AM1 and AM2) were isolated from tobacco and Arabidopsis by PCR method. The nuclei isolated from suspensioncultured cells of rice were used to prepare nuclear matrix. With a characterized MAR (TM1) as a positive control, the Matrix-MAR interactions were tested by an in vitro binding assay to identify the DNA sequences as MARs and their binding strength to nuclear matrix in vitro was compared. The results showed that TM2 and TM3 had stronger binding strength than TM1. To determine the functions of the four new MARs in vivo, binary vectors pBI121 carrying a uidA GUS reporter gene were modified with direct repeat MARs inserted on both sides of the reporter gene cassette and were transferred into tobaccos via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure. Quantitative GUS assays of the transgenic tobaccos showed that when flanking a GUS reporter gene TM1, TM2, TM3 and AM1 increased uidA GUS gene expression level approximately 1.5-fold, 5-fold, 1.35-fold, 1.3-fold respectively and AM2 has no effect on gene expression. TM2 was found to be a strong MAR that could effectively increase gene expression level and could be used as an effective enhancing element to construct high efficient expression vectors. In this note the relations among the sequence features, binding strength in vitro and function in vivo of the five MARs were analyzed, and the potential significance of TM2 in plant genetic engineering was discussed.     

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.     

Identification of a bi-directional promoter from Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus

A bi-directional promoter of Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) was obtained with the total DNA from TYLCCNV isolate Y10 infected tobacco leaves as a template. Plant expression vectors were constructed by fusing the amplified DNA fragment with the gus gene and nopaline terminator in different orientations. The vectors containing promoter fragments were transferred into leaf cells and plant stems of Nicotiana benthamiana by Agrobacterium-mediated method. Transient expression results showed that both the complementary and virion-sense promoters could drive the gus gene to express, and the GUS activity of the complementary-sense promoter was stronger than that of the virion-sense. Co-expression of the vector containing βC1 gene of TYLCCNV DNAβ with the vector containing a bi-directional promoter revealed that the βC1 protein has no impact on expression of either the virion- or the complementary-sense promoter.     

Function of resveratrol derived from transgenic plant expressing resveratrol synthase gene

Two genes from grapevine coding for resveratrol synthase, named RS1 and RS2, were cloned by RT-PCR. AnEscherichia coli expression vector was constructed by insertion of RS1 into pBV221. A specific protein with the same molecular weight (42 ku) as the resveratrol synthase was expressed and used to prepare the rabbit antiserum. A plant expression vector was constructed by inserting the RS1 gene into pBin438 downstream of the doubled CaMV 35S promoter and TMV-Ω fragment. PCR-positive transgenic tobacco plants were obtained after transformation withAgrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 harboring the plant expression vector. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that the foreign gene was integrated into the tobacco genome. The results of RT-PCR and Western blot indicated that the RS1 gene was transcribed and expressed. Formation of resveratrol in transgenic tobacco was further determined by thin-layer chromatography of silica gel and HPLC. Increased accumulation of human breast adenocarcinoma cells in G₀ and G₁ phases of cell cycle was observed in cells treated with resveratrol purified from transgenic tobacco as compared to the untreated cells.     

Isolation of a strong matrix attachment region (MAR) and identification of its function in vitro and in vivo

Inclusion of MARs in transgene cassettes enhances their expression and reduces position-effect variations in the transgenic host. Four new MARs (TM2, TM3, AM1 and AM2) were isolated from tobacco and Arabidopsis by PCR method. The nuclei isolated from suspension- cultured cells of rice were used to prepare nuclear matrix. With a characterized MAR (TM1) as a positive control, the Matrix-MAR interactions were tested by an in vitro binding assay to identify the DNA sequences as MARs and their binding strength to nuclear matrix in vitro was compared. The results showed that TM2 and TM3 had stronger binding strength than TM1. To determine the functions of the four new MARs in vivo, binary vectors pBI121 carrying a uidA GUS reporter gene were modified with direct repeat MARs inserted on both sides of the reporter gene cassette and were transferred into tobaccos via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure. Quantitative GUS assays of the transgenic tobaccos showed that when flanking a GUS reporter gene TM1, TM2, TM3 and AM1 increased uidA GUS gene expression level approximately 1.5-fold, 5-fold, 1.35-fold, 1.3-fold respectively and AM2 has no effect on gene expression. TM2 was found to be a strong MAR that could effectively increase gene expression level and could be used as an effective enhancing element to construct high efficient expression vectors. In this note the relations among the sequence features, binding strength in vitro and function in vivo of the five MARs were analyzed, and the potential significance of TM2 in plant genetic engineering was dis- cussed.     

环鸟苷酸信使系统参与rbcS基因表达调控初报

以转ｒｂｃＳ－ＧＵＳ基因烟草悬浮细胞为材料,通过用荧光光度法检测报告基因ＧＵＳ酶的活性的方法,发现暗中培养的转基因烟草悬浮细胞细胞外ＣａＭ或红光处理后,ｒｂｃＳ基因表达明显增加,而细胞外ＣａＭ和红光同时处理却只使ｒｂｃＳ基因表达增加４－５倍。     

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.     

Establishment of a coupled expression system mediated by modified T7 RNA polymerase gene

A coupled expression system for plants wasmerase gene was modified by addition of the coding sequenceof nuclear location signal from SV40 large T antigen. Plantexpression vector pBBT7 was constructed with the modifiedT7 RNA polymerase gene under the control of CaMV35Spromoter. Another expression vector pBTG contained cas-sette of gusA controlled by T7 promoter. The two vectorswere co-transformed into tobacco via the Agrobecte-rium-mediated method. Results of GUS activity indicatedthat the co-transformed plant with pBBT7 and pBTGshowed a high level of GUS activity. The results demon-strated that the coupled expression system of T7 polymeraseand T7 promoter was workable in plants.     

Overexpression of rice OsLOL2 gene confers disease resistance in tobacco to Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tabaci

LSD1-related proteins of Arabidopsis with LSDl-like zinc finger domains regulate disease resistance and programmed cell death （PCD）. We cloned a rice OsLOL2 gene, orthologous to LSD1 of Arabidopsis and expressed it in a tobacco plant. Transgenic tobacco lines displayed enhanced disease resistance to a virulent bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci （Pst）. RT-PCR analysis showed that overexpression of OsLOL2 in transgenic tobacco lines resulted in upregulation of two pathogenesis-related （PR） protein genes, PR2 and PR5. Our results suggest that overexpression of OsLOL2 in transgenic tobacco enhances the resistance through the induction of PR proteins and hypersensitive response-like reaction.     

金花小檗功效成分及其抑菌和抗氧化活性的研究

为充分利用川西南民族药——金花小檗,用不同的方法对其抑菌及抗氧化活性进行了测定.用酸性染料比色法、 HPLC法测定了金花小檗根、茎、醇提物、萃取部位的功效组分含量,发现生物碱集中于正丁醇部位和水部位中,小檗碱在醇提物、萃取部位中的含量都最多,巴马汀最少.测定其根、茎、醇提物对金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌的抑菌作用可知:与75%乙醇相比,金花小檗根、茎、醇提物对金黄色葡萄球菌的抑菌效果为低敏;而与75%乙醇相比,金花小檗根、茎、醇提物对大肠杆菌的抑菌效果为中敏.用DPPH·清除率法、总还原力法测定其醇提物和萃取部位的抗氧化活性,结果相似:正丁醇部位、水相部位的抗氧化活性较强,石油醚萃取部位的抗氧化活性最低.用金花小檗醇提物、正丁醇-水部位分别饲喂小鼠30 d测定小鼠血清MDA和T-SOD值,所得结果与正常组比较,试验组小鼠T-SOD值显著降低, MDA值显著升高,说明金花小檗有显著的抗氧化活性.因此,金花小檗提取物、萃取部位不仅有显著的抑菌活性,而且也有较高的体、内外抗氧化活性.     

Transformation of japonica rice with<Emphasis Type="Italic">RHL</Emphasis> gene and salt tolerance of the transgenic rice plant

Overexpression of the yeastHAL2 gene increases salt tolerance of yeast and plant. RiceHAL2-like (RHL) gene was introduced into ajaponica rice cultivar HJ19 withAgrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Transgenic plants in R₀ generation were selected on the principle of GUS-positive,RHL gene PCR-positive and normal growth. Hygromycin-resistant plants of some transgenic lines in R₁ generation increased salt tolerance during the seedling and booting stage, being less damaged in the cytomembrane and stronger in leaf tissue viability under salt stress during booting period. Southern analysis of transgenic lines tolerant to salt in R₁ generation showed that theRHL gene expression cassette had been successfully integrated into rice genome. Moreover, gene engineering breeding methodology and really salt-tolerant rice cultivar were discussed.     

小鼠液胞H~+-ATPase 15 K启动子(M15 K)的克隆及其在植物体内的表达特性研究

PCR克隆了小鼠液胞H+-ATPase 15K启动子,构建具有Kan抗性和GUS intron报告基因的植物表达载体LpPMG.通过M15K启动子指导的GUS intron基因在烟草叶片内的瞬时性表达,比较了其植物表达特性.结果表明:M15K启动子可启动GUS在植物体内的表达.其表达活性相当于2×35S启动子的87.0%±17.3%.     

Co-transformation to tobacco of Cre/lox site-specific recombination system and its precise recombination

For the temporally and spatially regulated expression of the barnase gene in plant, two kinds of plasmids with cre gene and its directly repeat recognition sitesiox from bacteriophage P1 were constructed and co-transformed into tobacco by agrobacterium mediated procedure. The transgenic plants were conformed by PCR analysis. The blocking fragment between the twolox directly repeat sites was excised by Cre protein in the transgenic plant genome. Cloning and sequencing the DNA fragment from the co-transformed plant DNA showed that the precise DNA excision occurred in transgenic tobacco genome directed by Cre/lox site-specific recombination.     

Effect of 5′-deletion ofArabidopsis profilin2 promoter on its vascular specific expression

Based on the published sequence of profilin2 promoter ofArabidopsis thaliana, a full-length promoter (1667 bp) was amplified by PCR. The 5′-end deletion fragments with length of 1380, 1153, 969 and 597 bp were then fused withgus (uidA) gene respectively. Constructed plant expression vectors were individually transferred intoKalanchoe laciniata and transgenic plants regenerated. GUS histochemical assay confirmed that the full-length promoter Pfn1.7 was vascular-specific. Deletion assays showed that profilin2 promoter could be divided into three parts. Deletion of fragment 1 (−1667—−1380 bp) resulted in constitutive expression, suggesting that element(s) responsible for vascular-specific expression might exist in this region. Fragment 2 located at −1153—−597 bp strongly inhibitedgus gene expression. Fragment 3 (−597—−1 bp) is considered as a basic domain of profilin2.     

Kas基因启动子区的克隆及功能初步分析

利用TAIL-PCR技术,克隆到了与辣椒素合成有关的胎座特异表达基因——3-酮酯酰．ACP合成酶基因（Kas）上游400bp的调控区域．将其全长片段与GUS基因连接构建植物表达载体并转化烟草．GUS组织化学染色表明,克隆到的440bp片段具有启动子活性．对该片段进行序列分析发现,在起始密码子ATG上游存在2个TATA-box,分别为-316～-311位的TATAAA和-224～-219位的TATAAA;在TATA-box上游还存在1个位于-378～-374处的CAAT-box,序列为CCAAT．该研究旨在为利用基因调控辣椒素的生物合成,提高辣椒果实中的辣椒素含量奠定基础．     

烟草NFL1基因启动子区的克隆和初步的功能分析

植物的开花过程是一个复杂的发育过程,涉及到许多基因的表达和调控,其中LFY同源基因(LFY-like genes)发挥着重要的作用[1～7].在拟南芥中,LFY基因发生突变而失去功能后,花芽分生组织的形成受到显著的抑制[8];将LFY基因在植株中的表达水平提高后则可以有效地促进开花[9].     

菠菜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因家族的鉴定及表达分析

利用生物信息学分析方法,在菠菜全基因组中鉴定出了菠菜(Spinacia oleracea)抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)家族成员,并对其理化性质、亚细胞定位、基因结构、保守基序、同源关系及基因表达进行了分析,发现菠菜中存在7个SoAPXs(SoAPX1～7)基因,并通过进化树分析将菠菜APX家族分为4类.基因结构分析发现该家族基因由5～9个外显子构成.亚细胞定位预测表明大部分菠菜APX蛋白定位在细胞质.实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(qRT-PCR)结果表明:SoAPXs在各个组织器官中呈组成型表达,其中SoAPX1和SoAPX3的组织表达模式相似,SoAPX4和SoAPX5相似,SoAPX2在新叶中表达最高,SoAPX7在雄花中表达最高.对经胁迫处理后的样品进行表达分析发现,低温胁迫与氧化胁迫对SoAPXs的表达均有诱导作用,盐胁迫与干旱胁迫也刺激了大部分SoAPXs的表达.这些结果表明:SoAPXs可能在菠菜的抗盐、耐寒、抗旱以及抗氧化过程中起作用,为后续深入鉴定APX家族成员的功能提供参考.