Obtaining the transgenic poplars with low lignin content through down-regulation of 4CL

The antisense 4CL (4-coumarate: CoA ligase)gene was transformed into triploid Chinese white poplar(Populus tomentosa) mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.PCR and Southern blot analysis indicated that antisense 4CLgene had been integrated into the genome of the transgenicChinese white poplars. The antisense gene had also beenexpressed, which was indicated by RT-PCR and Westernanalysis. Klason lignin content assay showed that repressionof 4CL expression could result in remarkable reduction oflignin content in transgenic poplars, with most reduction of 41.73% compared with that of wild type in this paper. Butthere is no significant difference in holocellulose content be-tween trans- genic and wild poplars. We considered that 4CLmight not be the metabolism control point between ligninand carbohy- drate biosynthesis. The stems of transgenicpoplars displayed red-brown color with different levels afterthe bark was peeled, while those of untransformed plantswere white. No visible differences in growth and developmentwere observed between transgenic and wild plants. Wiesnerreaction analysis of the transgenic plant stems with reducedlignin content exhibited red color, while that of untrans-formed plant was typically purple-red.     

Characterization of threerice CCoAOMT genes

Caffeoyl-Coenzyme A 3-O-Methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) is a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis pathway. Three rice CCoAOMT genes were identified and designated as OsCOAI, OsCOA20 and OsCOA26. OsCOAI contains four exons and three introns, while the other two have three exons and two introns. The deduced amino acid sequences of these rice genes share a high identity (75.43%) with other plant CCoAOMT proteins and contain the CCoAOMT specific motifs. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that OsCOAI has the closest evolutionary relationship to maize CCoAOMT. In contrast, OsCOA20 and OsCOA26 belong to another clade.Northern blot analyses and in situ hybridization studies indicate that the three rice CCoAOMT genes are highly expressed in developing sclerenchyma cells and vessel bundles of young leaves, suggesting that they are probably involved in constitutive lignification.     

Cloning and expressional analyses of a cinnamoyl CoA reductase cDNA from rice seedlings

Cinnamoyl CoA reductase (CCR: EC 1.2.1.44),the entry-point enzyme of the llgnin specific biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes the conversion of cinnamoyl CoA esters to their corresponding dnnamaldehydes. Multiple sequence alignment showed that the deduced polypeptide shared 70% similarity and 30% sequence identity at the amino acid level with defined CCR genes from other plant species and they all contain the common signature sequences thought to be the catalytic site as well as the putative NADP binding domain.Using a conserved OsCCR cDNA fragment as the probe for library screening, we isolated the genomic DNA that covered the whole coding region of OsCCR with total length of 3045bp including 4 introns and 5 exons. The open reading frame for our OsCCR gene coBtAin~ 337 amino adds. Northern blot indicated that OsCCR was expressed in different organs with the highest level found in stems. In situ hybridization results showed that OsCCR mRNA was localized mainly along the vascular bundles in stems and leaves, and also in lateral roots that was differentiating from the tiilering node. We conclude that the vascular-localized expression of OsCCR gene may suggest its possible involvement in llgnin biosynthesis. Cloning and characterization of OsCCR will help to clarify how llgniflcations in plants are regulated and will provide a physical basis for creating genetically engineered rice plants with optimal lignin contents.     

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.     

Nitric oxide:A potential key point of the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis

The endogenous signaling network of plants plays important roles in mediating the exogenous factor-induced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a key signaling molecule in plants recently. Numerous studies demonstrated that the main signaling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and NO were not only involved in regulating plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis but also interacted to form a complex signaling network by mutual inhibition and/or synergy. The recent progress in the signal network of plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis has been discussed in this paper. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical model to show that NO might act as a potential molecular switch in the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis.     

Nitric oxide: A potential key point of the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis

The endogenous signaling network of plants plays important roles in mediating the exogenous factor-induced biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a key signaling molecule in plants recently. Numerous studies demonstrated that the main signaling molecules such as salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and NO were not only involved in regulating plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis but also interacted to form a complex signaling network by mutual inhibition and/or synergy. The recent progress in the signal network of plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis has been discussed in this paper. Furthermore, we propose a hypothetical model to show that NO might act as a potential molecular switch in the signaling network leading to plant secondary metabolite biosynthesis.     

盐胁迫下棉花根系的转录组分析及耐盐基因筛选

为揭示棉花耐盐分子机制,筛选出棉花盐胁迫应答相关基因.文章从4个新疆主栽棉花品种中筛选得到一个对盐胁迫具有强耐受性的‘新陆中69号’,并在盐胁迫下对棉花根系进行了转录组分析.结果表明:有891个基因表达量上调,666个基因表达量下调; GO富集分析结果表明:差异表达基因数量较多的主要集中在分子功能、细胞组分、生物学过程中; KEGG分析结果表明:差异表达基因主要参与木质素生物合成和植物MAPK信号通路.     

植物4CL基因家族结构功能与表达特性研究进展

4-香豆酸：辅酶A连接酶（4CL）是植物苯丙烷衍生物,如类黄酮和木质素等,生物合成途径的一种关键酶,在大多数维管植物中4CL基因以基因家族的形式出现.4CL基因家族成员在植物组织中存在差异表达,并参与不同的苯丙烷类衍生物的生物合成.从4CL酶的基因结构、基因家族组成与表达特性等方面详细论述了当前最新研究进展,这将有助于更好地理解植物4CL基因参与苯丙烷类衍生物途径的合成与代谢机制.     

Progress in quantitative analysis of plant hormones

Plant hormones are small molecular natural products that regulate all plant developmental processes at low concentrations. Quantitative analysis of plant hormones is increasingly important for in-depth study of their biosynthesis,transport,metabolism and molecular regulatory mechanisms. Although plant hormone analysis remains a bottleneck in plant scientific research owing to the trace concentrations and complex components in plant crude extracts,much progress has been achieved in the development of extraction,purification and detection techniques in recent years. Solid phase extraction and chromatography/mass spectrometry have been applied widely for purification and quantitative analysis of plant hormones owing to their high selectivity and sensitivity. Purification methods such as liquid partition and immunoaffinity chromatography,and detection methods including immunoassay and electrochemical analysis,are employed. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are discussed. In situ,real-time and multi-plant hormone profiling will comprise mainstream techniques for quantitative analyses in future studies on the regulatory mechanisms and crosstalk of plant hormones.     

生物法合成纳米金的研究进展

纳米金以它独特的光学、电学和催化性质受到人们越来越多的关注.目前,生物合成的纳米金具有经济、无毒、环境友好等特点而成为研究热点.综述了利用细菌、真菌、放线菌、酵母菌以及各种植物材料合成纳米金的方法,并将各种方法进行了比较,讨论了每种方法的特点、尺寸和形貌的控制以及合成机理.最后,展望了生物合成纳米金的应用以及未来的发展方向.     

Advances in the regulation and crosstalks of phytohormones

Various mutants defective in phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways have been identified and characterized recently. Functional analysis of corresponding genes has greatly enriched our knowledge of phytohormone biosynthesis, transport, and signal transduction. Moreover, identification of phytohormone receptors and dissection of cross-talks among phytohormones allow us to elucidate the molecular basis of actions of phytohormones. The recent comprehensive work on the regulation of the biosynthesis, transport and signaling of phytohormones will help us to understand phytohormone actions in plant growth and development and their potential application in crop improvement. In this review, we summarize the latest work about phytohormones actions and highlight some common issues in this field.     

铁质粘土混凝沉淀处理造纸黑液的应用研究

造纸蒸煮黑液是高浓度、高碱性的有机废水,基于高浓度木质素等难降解物质的存在,使得蒸煮黑液的处理极为困难,而现阶段的碱回收法和酸析法由于受到各方面因素的限制难以普及.采用铁质粘土加适量混凝剂对造纸废水原液及酸洗液进行絮凝强化处理试验,结果表明:COD去除率达50%,浊度去除率可达65.41%,既可大大降低了原水的有机负荷,又可减少混凝剂的投加量,为资金紧张的造纸企业提供了降低污染处理成本的可行途径.     

植物对重金属耐性机理的研究进展

从两方面综述了植物对重金属胁迫的耐性机理.（1）植物生理生化代谢途径对重金属胁迫的适应性反应,包括与重金属解毒螯合相关的硫代谢途径;与植物抗氧化相关的活性氧代谢途径;与酚类物质生成及植物木质化形成相关的次生代谢途径.（2）植物对重金属耐性的分子机理研究,包括对与重金属胁迫相关代谢途径中关键酶基因克隆和功能鉴定;金属硫蛋白（MT）和膜金属转运蛋白基因表达和调控;与重金属胁迫相关的植物逆境信号传导的研究.随着基因组学的发展,通过进化各异的模式生物基因组比较及通过使用一些如基因差异表达技术、表达序列高通量分析技术和功能获得或突变体互补等技术在植物重金属耐性机理的研究中也取得了一些进展.     

植物纤维各向弹性模量的计算机仿真

利用层压板的理论结合植物纤维细胞壁的微观结构建立一个数学模型，并利用该数学模型研究了植物纤维细胞壁的微观结构特性与纤维向弹性模量的计算机仿真。结果表明，微细纤维与纤维轴向的夹角、半纤维素的弹性模量和含量、微细纤维的弹性模量以及纤维S1层的厚度均会对纤维的各向弹性模量产生不同程度的影响。     

可再生生物质资源——木质素的研究

木质素是天然芳香族可再生资源,从人类发现木质素到确定它是芳香族化合物,研究其基本官能团种类及化学结构,至今已有180年历史。但由于木质素结构的复杂性和多变性,其研究进展缓慢。笔者阐述了木质素及其化学研究体系的形成,综述了木质素研究的进展,分析了木质素研究的特点和难点,提出了今后木质素研究的方向和热点课题。     

氨化木质素对五色苋的施肥效果

采用土培技术探讨了氨化木质素作为一种缓释氮肥在五色苋栽培上的应用。并与常规的氮肥-尿素进行了比较,结果表明,氨化木质素对五色苋生长效果显,作为氮肥,其肥效仅次于尿素,这为氨化木质素肥料的推广应用提供了依据。     

适用于德士古炉的宁东高浓度水煤浆研究

通过煤质分析,挑选出了适合宁东甲醇厂德士古水煤浆(CWS)加压气化工艺的宁东地区原料煤——羊场湾矿,遴选出了适合羊场湾矿煤制水煤浆的木质素磺酸盐分散剂,同时考察了不同来源木质素磺酸盐分散剂对该水煤浆的粘度影响规律,并确定了分散剂最佳掺量为1％.