Isolation and ectopic expression of a bamboo MADS-box gene

A cDNA named DIMADS18 was isolated from the young spikelets of the sweet bamboo, Dendrocalamus latiflorus by RACE. DNA sequence analysis showed that DIMADS18 was composed of full ORF and 3UTR, but without 5UTR. The cDNA contained 1039 nucleotides and encoded a putative protein of 249 amino acid residues. The gene displayed the structure of a typical plant MADS box gene, which consisted of an MADS domain, K domain, a short I region, and the C-terminal region. Phylogenetic analysis of plant MADS box genes based on amino acid sequences revealed that DlMADS18 was grouped into the AGAMOUS-LIKE 6 (AGL6)-like subfamily. It was most likely homologous to the OsMADS6 of rice (Oryza sativa), with 88% sequence identity for the entire amino acid sequences. The DlMADS18 also showed relatively high amino acid sequence identity (59%) to AGL6 ofArabidopsis thaliana. To study the functions of DlMADS18, DlMADS18 cDNA clone driven by the CaMV 35S promoter was transformed into Arabidopsis plants. Transgenic plants of DlMADS18 exhibited the phenotypes of curled leaves, dwarfism, and early flowering with clustered terminal flowers. These results indicated that DlMADS18 may probably be involved in controlling the flowering time of D.latiflorus.     

Cloning and characterization of a gene encoding cysteine proteases from senescent leaves of Gossypium hirsutum

A gene encoding a cysteine proteinase was isolated from senescent leave of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) cv liaomian No. 9 by utilizing rapid amplification of cDNA end spolymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR), and a set of consensus oligonucleotide primers was designed to anneal the conserved sequences of plant cysteine protease genes. The cDNA, which designated Ghcysp gene, contained 1368 bp terminating in a poly(A)^ trail, and included a putative 5‘(98 bp) and a 3‘(235 bp) non-coding region. The opening reading frame (ORF) encodes polypeptide 344 amino acids with the predicted molecular mass of 37.88 kD and theoretical pl of 4.80. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with the sequence in the GenBank database has shown considerable sequence similarity to a novel family of plant cysteine proteases. This putative cotton Ghcysp protein shows from 67% to 82% identity to the other plants. All of them share catalytic triad of residues, which are highly conserved in three regions. Hydropaths analysis of the amino acid sequence shows that the Ghcysp is a potential membrane protein and localizes to the vacuole, which has a transmembrane helix between resides 7-25. A characteristic feature of Ghcysp is the presence of a putative vacuole-targeting signal peptide of 19-amino acid residues at the N-terminal region. The expression of Ghcysp gene was determined using northern blot analysis. The Ghcysp mRNA levels are high in development senescent leaf but below the limit of detection in senescent root, hypocotyl, faded flower, 6 d post anthesis ovule, and young leaf.     

Nucleotide sequence of RNA2 and polyprotein processing sites of a Chinese isolate of broad bean wilt virus 2

RNA2 of broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2) isolate B935 is composed of 3601 nucleotide (nt) residues, exclusive of the polyadenylate at the 3' end. Only one of the six possible reading frames has a long open reading frame, which extends from nt 231 to nt 3428 in the polarity of encapsidated RNA, and encodes a polyprotein of 119 kD. The N-terminus of the large coat protein (LCP) is located at 599 nt and the small coat protein (SCP) at 197 nl from the C-terminus of the 119 kD protein, which suggests that the coat proteins are released from the polyprotein by cleavages of a glulamine-glycine (Q-G) and a glutamine-alanine (Q-A) bond respectively. The sequence comparison of B935 with fabaviruses shows that B935 has very high sequence homology with other BBWV2 isolates and with patchoul' mild mosaic virus, but has lower homology with BBWV1 isolates. B935 has a similar genomic organization, but a low sequence homology to RNA2 molecules of comoviruses and nepoviruses.     

Genomic cloning and sequencing of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase gene in spinach

A genomic library derived from leaves of spinach was constructed with the λGem11_BamHI Arms as the vector. The library was screened using the BADH cDNA of mountain spinach as a probe and six positive clones were obtained through three rounds of screening. One of the positive clones named D, which was hybridized with the 5′600 bp fragment of mountain spinach BADH cDNA, was selected and further analyzed. The size of the insert in clone D was about 12 kb. 8 856 nucleotides of the insert were sequenced which contained 2 459 nucleotides of 5′ noncoding region, 6 111 nucleotides of the complete sequence of the BADH gene, and 286 nucleotides of a 3′ noncoding region. The result of sequence analysis indicated that the BADH gene contained 14 introns and the junction sequences at splicing sites followed the GT_AG rule basically.     

Cloning a Full—length cDNA Encoding UDP—glucose Pyrophosphorylase from Amorpha fruticosa by PCR—based Methods

A method based on degenerate Oligo-primed polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and randomamplification of cDNA end (RACE) PCR for cloning a full-length cDNA is described.An Amorpha fruticosa cDNA clone encoding UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase(UGP),a key enzyme producinng UDP-glucose in the synthesis of sucrose and cellulose,is cloned by using this method.We design 5‘ RACE rpimers based on UGPA1 fragment ,which obtains from degenerate PCR.Inverse PCR and nested PCR enable cloning of the remainder 5‘ and 3‘ end fragments of the gene.The deduced amino acid sequence xhibits significant homology with the other UGP genes cloned.This method is more simple and inexpensive than screening cDNA library,and can be easily adapted to clone other genes.     

Complete Nucleotide Strain Sequence of a Newly Avirulent Newcastle Disease Virus Hubei 92（HB92） Strain

A new avirulent, heat-resistance HB92 strain of newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) was acquired from Australia V4 strain. Its complete nucleotides sequence was first determined. The entire genome of NDV HB92 consists of 15 186 nucleotides (GenBank accession no. AY225110). It was demonstrated by sequence analysis that nucleotides homology of HB92 strain with virulent strain ZJ1 were 83.9%, and the homology compared with avirulent vaccine strain La Sota and B1 were 94. 0% and 93. 5%, respectively. These results might be contributive to the study of the molecular mechanism of evolution of the NDV strain HB92 and to develop the engineered recombinant vaccine.     

Cloning and expression of ophc2, a new organphosphorus hydrolase gene

The amino acid sequences of N-terminal and internal peptide of OPHC2, purified from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes strain C2-1 in our lab, are determined. The full-length organphosphorus hydrolase gene ophc2 is cloned by PCR using the degenerate primers designed according to the sequences and future inverse PCR. The ophc2 gene is 975 bp long with G C content of 63%, comprising one open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 324 amino acids with a molecular weight of 36 kD. The nucleotide sequence of ophc2 shows low homologies with those organphosphorus hydrolase genes deposited in GenBank, one of which exhibits the highest homology of 46.4% with ophc2. The organphosphorus hydrolase protein expressed in E. coli bears normal bioactivity.     

Emergence of a new satellite RNA from cucumber mosaic virus isolate P1

The cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) isolate P1 caused very mild symptoms on many plant species.After serial passages by mechanical inoculation over five years, CMV P1 caused severe symptoms on several tobacco cultivars and tomato. A specific band of approximately 0.3 kb in length was amplified by RT-PCR with primers synthesized based on reported CMV satellite RNA (satRNA) sequences. Sequence analysis showed there were two satRNAs (Sat-Pl-1 and Sat-P1-2). Sat-Pl-1 contained 335 nucleotides, and Sat-P1-2 contained 394 nucleotides. These two satRNAs shared 64% overall nucleotide sequence homology, and differences between the two satRNAs included mutations as well as deletions. Sat-Pl-1 was identical to a satRNA (Z96099) reported in 1995 in CMV P1. Based on differences in the sequence and secondary structure between these two satRNAs, we conclude that Sat-P1-2 represents the emergence of a new satellite ( necrotic satellite) from attenuated satRNA populations. The possible effect of the emergence of this new satRNA is discussed.     

Thymidine kinase gene mutation leads to reduced virulence of pseudorabies virus

To explore correlation between the tk gene structure of pseudorabies virus (PRV) and its virulence, to study the effect of the gene mutation on PRV biological properties, and to investigate mechinism of reduced virulence, thymidine kinase (TK)-deficient mutant of pseudorabies virus strain Hubei (PRV HB) was isolated by selection for resistance to 5-bromodeoxyuridine. The tk genes of PRV HB and its TK^― mutant were cloned and sequenced. 1587 base pairs of the tk gene and flanking regions of wild-type (wt) virus were sequenced, which included an open reading frame (ORF) of 1098 bp encoding a protein of 366 amino acids. The ORF contained two 137-bp repeated sequences, which were connected by an adenosine. 1458 bp of the tk and flanking regions of TK^― mutant were sequenced. Analysis of the tk gene sequence of TK^― mutant indicated that one of 137 bp repeated sequence and the connecting adenosine in the tk gene of the wt virus was deleted and a repeated sequence of 8 nucleotides (GCGCGCC) was inserted. All other nucleotides of TK^―mutant were identical to that of wt virus. Deletion and insertion of the nucleotide sequence resulted in a frameshift and a premature chain termination, and the resultant TK protein was not active. Analysis of the amino acid sequence revealed that TK protein of PRV HB contained the conserved consensus sequence of herpesviral TKs and an additional conserved-DHR-motif. The results of this work also indicated that TK^― mutant was genetically stable. Compared to PRV HB, virulence of TK^― mutant was greatly decreased. Mice vaccinated with TK^― mutant were completely protected against a lethal challenge with virulent PRV (HB).     

Cloning and sequence analysis of a gene encoding polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein from cotton

Polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIP) play important roles in plant defense of pathogen, especially fungi. A pair of degenerated primers is designed based on the conserved sequence of 20 other known pgip genes and used to amplify Gossypium barbadense cultivation 7124 cDNA library by touch-down PCR. A 561 bp internal fragment of the pgip gene is obtained and used to design the primers for rapid amplification of cDNA ends. A composite pgip gene sequence is constructed from the products of 5′ and 3′ RACE, which are 666 bp and 906 bp respectively. Analysis of nucleic acid sequence shows 69.2% and 68.7% similarity to Citrus and Poncirus pgip genes, respectively. Its open reading frame of the gene encodes a polypeptide of 330 amino acids, in which 10 leucine-rich repeats arrange tandemly. A new set of primers is designed to the 5′ and 3′ ends of the gene, which allows amplification of the full-length gene from the cotton cDNA library. Genomic DNA analysis reveals that this gene has no intron.     

cDNA cloning and functional analysis of 4-coumarate --CoA: ligase (4CL) gene in Chinese white aspen

cDNA encoding 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) was isolated from the secondary developing xylem of Chinese white aspen (Populus tomentosa) by RT-PCR for the first time, which was 1619 bp in length. The coding sequence and putative amino acid sequence showed 97.53% and 97.00% identity to that of Pt4CL1 in quaking aspen (P. tremuloids), respectively. Molecular analysis indicated that 4CL was encoded by multiple genes in P.tomentosa, its mRNA was highly accumulated in xylem and the expression of 4CL revealed a biphasic pattern in one growing season, almost in phase with the expression of other related enzymes in lignin biosynthesis. Transgenic research showed that expression of antisense 4CL cDNA led to the decreasing of lignin content in transgenic tobaccos, among which the average reduction was 10.3% and the highest could be up to 18.9%. These data suggested that 4CL gene was a potential gene used in altering lignin biosynthesis by biotechnology for producing new materials of papermaking.     

Isolation of tomato proteinase inhibitor Ⅱ gene and the function of its intron

The genomic DNA sequence of tomato proteinase inhibitor Ⅱ gene (named tin2i, whose accession number in GenBank is AF007240) was isolated by PCR techniques. The intron sequence (TPI), with a length of 109 bp, owns typical structures of GT/AG dinucleotides at both ends and high content of AT base pairs which accounts for 80.7% of the total nucleotides. As shown by recombination experiment, the TPI sequence could efficiently promote the expression of the reporter gene gusA and this effect was independent of the position and orientation of the intron, thus showing its role as an enhancer. Such experiments as gel retardation assays, GUS histochemical staining and GUS fluorometric assays further demonstrated that TPI sequence maybe has promoter-like activity.     

Cloning and expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">AtPLC6</Emphasis>, a gene encoding a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

A full-length cDNA clone corresponding to a putative phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C(PIPLC) was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana by screening a cDNA library and using RT-PCR strategy.The cDNA,designated AtPLC6,encodes a putative polypeptide of 578 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 66251.84 D and a pI of 7.24. The sequence analysis indicates that the polypeptide contains X, Y, EF-hand and C2 domains.The overall structure of putative AtPLC6 protein, like other plant PI-PLCs,is most similar to that of mammalian PLCδ The recombinant AtPLC6 protein expressed in E. coil was able to hydrolyze phosphatidylinositol 4,5-biophosphate (PIP2) to generate inositol 1,4,5-trisphate (IP3) and 1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG).The protein hydrolyzes PIP2 in a Ca^2 -dependent manner and the optimum concentration of Ca^2 is 10μmol/L.These results suggested that AtPLC6 gene encodes a genuine PIPLC.Northern blot analysis showed that the AtPLC6 gene is expressed at low level in all examined tissues, such as roots,stems,leaves,flowers,siliques and seedlings under normal growth conditions.The gene is strongly induced under low temperature and weakly induced under various stresses,such as ABA, high-salt stress and heat. These results suggested that AtPLC6 might be involved in the signal-transduction pathways of cold responses of the plants.