Sequence modification of merB gene and high organo-mercurial resistance of transgenic tobacco plants

Mercury pollution has caused severe damage to environment and great attention has been paid to its control. Phytoremediation may become one of the most efficient measures to recover the polluted soil since it is economical, highly efficient and friendly to environment. In this report, plant genetic engineering methods were employed to modify the DNA sequence of merB genes that catalyze the conversion of organomercurals into ionic mercury. The modified merBhe genes were introduced into tobacco by Agrobacterium, and the resultant transgenic plants were verified by Southern and Northern hybridization. High level of organomercurial resistance was detected on progenies of transgenic plants, some of which were resistant to PMA (phenyl mercury acetate) of 2.5 ?mol/L whereas 0.1 ?mol/L PMA killed the seedlings of wild-type tobacco in soiless culrure. With the increase of PMA concentration, the inhibition of the seedling growth became apparent. This result makes it possible to breed mercury-resistant tobacco for phytoremediation of mercury-polluted soil.     

Disease-tolerance of transgenic tobacco plants expressing Ah-AMP gene of Amaranthus hypochondriacus

An antimicrobial peptide gene from Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Ah-AMP, was amplified by PCR and cloned. Sequence analysis results revealed that this gene is 261 bp in length encoding a precursor polypeptide of 87 amino acid residues. Ah-AMP gene was inserted in the binary vector pBin438 to construct a plant expression vector pBinAH916. Leave explants of Nicotiana tabacum var. SR1 were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404 harboring the above expression vector. Results from PCR, Southern and Northern blot analyses confirmed that the Ah-AMP gene had been integrated into the tobacco genome and was transcribed at mRNA level. Two bacterial-resistant transgenic plants were selected by inoculating the plants with Pseudomonas solanacearum and statistic analysis of two T1 lines showed that the resistance increased by 2.24 and 1.62 grade and the disease index decreased by 49.6% and 37.3% respectively when compared with the non-transformed control plants SR1. The results from challenging the plants with inoculums of Phytophthora parasitica showed that the symptom development was delayed and disease index was significantly reduced. These results suggest that Ah-AMP gene may be a potentially valuable gene for genetic engineering of plant for disease-resistance.     

转基因植物的生态影响

自从1983年转基因植物诞生以来，至今各种类型的转基因植物进入大田实验已不计其数，很多产物已商品化。作为生物界的新品种，转基因植物在带来巨大的经济效益和社会效益的同时，也带来了潜在的风险。从生态学角度论述了转基因植物所带来的影响及采取相应的措施来加以调控和管理。     

外源基因在转基因马铃薯植株中的异常表达

根癌农杆菌感染马铃薯叶盘伤口细胞并进行共培养转化，感染叶盘筛选培养基上可获得卡那霉象抗性的转化愈伤组织，并在转化细胞中检测到ＮＰＴⅡ酶活性，在两种分化培养基上转化愈伤组织的分化率分别为１７％和２０％，ＤＮＡ分子杂交证实以双向载体质粒ＰＰＺＨ１上的ｎｐｔⅡ基因和ｚｅｉｎ－ＨＥＡＡＥ融俣基因均已导入并整合到马铃薯再生植株基因组中，导入的外源基因引起了转基因气生块茎中氨基酸组分的变化，大多数氨基酸含量有     

Sequence modification of merB gene and high organomercurial resistance of transgenic tobacco plants

Mercury pollution has caused severe damage to environment and great attention has been paid to its control. Phytoremediation may become one of the most efficient measures to recover the polluted soil since it is economical, highly efficient and friendly to environment. In this report, plant genetic engineering methods were employed to modify the DNA sequence of merB genes that catalyze the conversion of organomercurals into ionic mercury. The modified merBhe genes were introduced into tobacco by Agrobacterium, and the resultant transgenic plants were verified by Southern and Northern hybridization. High level of organomercurial resistance was detected on progenies of transgenic plants, some of which were resistant to PMA (phenyl mercury acetate) of 2.5 μmol/L whereas 0.1 μmol/L PMA killed the seedlings of wild-type tobacco in soiless culrure. With the increase of PMA concentration, the inhibition of the seedling growth became apparent. This result makes it possible to breed mercury-resistant tobacco for phytoremediation of mercury-polluted soil.     

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.     

Neurospora NADP-glutamate dehydrogenases and its expression in E. coli and transgenic plants

Genes of NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH) were cloned from Neurospora intermedia (Ni), N. crassa (Nc), and N. sitophila (Ns). The sequences showed a high degree of homology at the cDNA and protein level. The three GDH genes were cloned into pET30a and expressed in E. coli. The activity assay of purified GDH showed that the Ni-GDH had a higher activity and affinity to ammonia than Ns-GDH, and Nc-GDH. The K_m value of Ni-GDH ranges from 0.3 to 0.45 mmol/L. Ni-gdh gene was transformed to Nicotiana bethamiana plants. The transformed plants grew much better in low nitrogen media than the only ROKII vector transformed control.     

Integration and inheritance stability of foreignBt toxin gene in the bivalent insect-resistant transgenic cotton plants

Genetic and expressional stability of Bt toxin gene is crucial for the breeding of insect-resistant transgenic cotton varieties and their commercialization. Genomic Southern blot analysis of R₃, R₄ and R₅ generations of bivalent transgenic insect-resistant cotton plants was done in order to determine the integration, the copy number and the inheritance stability of Bt toxin gene in the transgenic cotton plants. The results indicated that there was a 4.7 kb positive band in the Southern blot when the genomic DNA of the bivalent transgenic insect-resistant cotton plants and the positive control (the plasmid) were digested with HindⅢ respectively. This result proved that the Bt toxin gene had been integrated into the genome of the cotton in full length. There is only one XhoⅠ restriction site in the Bt toxin gene. Southern blot analysis indicated that many copies of Bt toxin gene had been integrated into the genome of the cotton when the genomic DNA of transgenic plants was digested with XhoⅠ. Among them, there were four copies (about 17.7, 8, 5.5 and 4.7 kb in size) existing in all the tested plants of ₃, R₄ and R₅ generations. The preliminary conclusion was that there were more than four copies of Bt toxin gene integrated into the genome of the cotton, among them, more than one copy can express and inherit steadily. This result provides a scientific basis for the breeding of the bivalent insect-resis- tant transgenic cotton plants and its commercialization.     

Correction of RNA aberrant splice increases foreign gene expression in transgenic mice

Transgenic mice with mammary gland secreting human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) were produced using mice whey acid protein gene promoter. It was found that there was very low expression level in mammary gland. Human G-CSF cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR from transgenic mice mammary gland. Sequence analysis showed that this G-CSF gene deleted the 4th exon, and compared with human G-CSF genomic DNA, there were donor and acceptor splice sites in the deletion fragment. It was considered that the 3rd and 4th introns also delete in G-CSF fragment. The transgenic construct was corrected by deleting the 3rd and 4th introns to construct the minigene, which was used to produce transgenic mice by microinjection. Northern blot showed that G-CSF expression using the new construct increased 5.4 times as that before in transgenic mice. The results suggested that it was possible that RNA aberrant splice result in low expression in transgenic mice.     

Progress of PHA production in transgenic plants

With its completely biodegradable ability, good physical and processing properties, and biocompatability, PHA has become the most attractive alternative to take the place of chemo-plastics and eliminate environmental pollution caused by chemo-plastics. Small-scale commercial production has been realized by bacterial fermentation, but thus produced PHA is too expensive to compete with chemo-plastics. However, it is very prospective to lower biodegradable plastic price by producing PHA in transgenic plants. Presently PHB/PHBV biosynthetic genes have been transferred into plants and expressed, but it is still far away from meeting the demands of commercial production. Enhancing research on the regulation of carbon and fatty acid metabolisms, and their biochemical and molecular mechanisms is the key to achieving this aim.     

Construction of a new plant expression vector containing two insect resistant genes and its expression in transgenic tobacco plants

A new plant expression vector (pBS29K-BA) containing two insect resistant genes, a synthetic chimeric gene BtS29K encoding the activated insecticidal protein Cry1Ac and a gene API-BA encoding the arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia L.) proteinase inhibitor (API) A and B, is constructed. Transgenic tobacco plants expressing these two genes are obtained through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco leaf discs. The average expression levels of Cry1Ac and API-BA proteins in transgenic plants are of 3.2 μg and 4.9 μg per gram fresh leaf respectively. The results of insecticidal assay of transgenic plants indicate that the pBS29K-BA transformed plants are more resistant to insect damage than the plants expressing the Cry1Ac gene or API-BA gene alone.     

Expression of rabbit defensin NP-1 gene in transgenic tobacco plants and its activity against bacterial wilt

A cDNA-derived 200 bp fragment encoding a rabbit defensin NP-1 mature peptide was ligated into the GUS-less pBH21 to yield pBIC-35NP1. Tobacco leaf discs were genetically transformed with anAgrobacterium tumefaclens strain harbouring pBIC-3SNP1. Northern blot analysis showed that the defensin NP-1 expression cassette was normally transcribed in transgenic plants. Resistance tests demonstrated that expression of native defensin NP-1 can confer partial resistance to the bacterial wilt pathogen,Ralstonia solanacearum.     

Reduction of choline acetyltransferase activities in APP770 transgenic mice

Transgenic mice overexpressing the 770-amino acid isoform of human Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein exhibit extracellular β-amyloid deposits in brain regions including cerebral cortex and hippocampus, which are severely affected in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Significant reduction in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities has been observed in both cortical and hippocampal brain regions in the transgenic mice at the age of 10 months compared with the age-matched non-transgenic mice, but such changes have not been observed in any brain regions of the transgenic mice under the age of 5 months. These results suggest that deposition of β-amyloid can induce changes in the brain cholinergic system of the transgenic mice.     

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.     

转几丁质酶基因烟草后代的遗传分析

本论文采用分子检测(PCR扩增、PCR-Southern杂交)与表型检测(接真菌实验、酶活力测定)相结合的手段，对花粉管通道法及载体法导入几丁质酶基因烟草后代的遗传表现进行研究。结果证明通过不同方法导入受体细胞基因组中的外源基因均能遗传给后代，并能在转化受体当代及后代中高效表达。但采用花粉管通道法导入的外源基因虽然能够遗传给后代，但分离比复杂，遗传规律性较差。而载体法导入的外源基因T1代x^2检测符合3：1的遗传分离比，遗传稳定性要好于DNA直接导入。因此，建立良好的遗传转化系统是外源基因稳定遗传和表达的前提。     

Time course of foreign gene integration and expression in transgenic fish embryos

Using a nuclear transplantation approach, the integration and expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene in the embryogenesis of transgenic loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus Cantor) have been studied. TheGFP gene expression is first observed at the gastrula stage, which is consistent with the initiation of cell differentiation of fish embryos. The time course of the foreign gene expression is correlated with the regulatory sequences. The expression efficiency also depends on the gene configuration: the expression of pre-integrating circular plasmid at early embryos is higher than that of the linear plasmid. The integration of theGFP gene is first detected at the blastula stage and lasts for quite a long period. When two types of different plasmids are co-injected into fertilized eggs, the behavior of their integration and expression is not identical.     

转基因小麦T1代中外源基因的检测和分析

该研究采用Multiplex PCR和SDS-PAGE技术对转1 Dx5基因(ORF)T1代小麦进行了检测和分析.结果显示,Multiplex PCR能够扩增出转基因T1代材料中1 Dx2基因和1 Dx5基因的特征片段,表明外源基因已整合到受体基因组中;SDS-PAGE检测到一新的蛋白质亚基X,表明外源基因的插入引起了转基因T1代籽粒中HMW-GS组成的变化.该研究不仅验证了线性基因片段遗传转化策略的可行性,而且印证了普通小麦Glu-1D等位基因的多重PCR分子标记体系的有效性,为培育安全型的转基因作物新种质打下坚实的基础,加快小麦分子育种进程.     

转蔗糖:蔗糖-1-果糖基转移酶基因提高烟草的耐旱性

蔗糖: 蔗糖-1-果糖基转移酶（sucrose: sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase, 1-SST）以蔗糖为底物催化生成蔗果三糖等低聚合度的果聚糖.将从莴苣中克隆的1-SST基因重组到pCAMBIA1300-als中,构建了在CaMV 35S启动子调控下的植物表达载体,利用农杆菌介导的叶盘转化法将1-SST基因导入烟草中,PCR和Southern杂交检测表明获得了转基因植株,RT-PCR结果表明该基因在烟草中正常表达. 对T₀代转基因烟草进行的耐旱性分析结果表明,干旱胁迫6d的转基因植株丙二醛含量和电解质渗漏率显著低于未转基因对照,叶片相对含水量下降速度也明显比对照慢. 对转基因植株叶片糖分分析表明,转基因烟草植株积累果聚糖,并在干旱胁迫后含量明显增加,而未转基因对照植株不积累果聚糖. 在14%PEG溶液中未转基因烟草种子的萌发率仅为转基因烟草种子的一半;在附加200mmol/L甘露醇的培养基中未转基因烟草种子根的生长明显受到抑制,而转基因烟草根的生长发育正常. 以上研究结果表明,转1-SST基因烟草植株耐旱性的提高可能与该基因的表达有关.     

小麦果聚糖合成酶基因6-SFT克隆和功能验证

许多研究表明植物中果聚糖累积有助于提高植物耐逆境胁迫能力,但对小麦中果聚糖合成相关基因及其与抗逆性关系还缺乏研究。本研究拟从普通六倍体小麦中克隆出果聚糖合成酶基因6-SFT并进行生物学特性及功能研究,以期解析小麦通过累积果聚糖途径提高自身抗逆境胁迫能力的分子机理,为转6-SFT基因提高小麦抗逆境胁迫能力提供理论依据。利用touch-down PCR技术从小麦品种杨麦6（Triticum aestivum cv. Yangmai 6）基因组及cDNA中分离出编码6-SFT基因的全长序列,运用生物学信息技术对其编码蛋白的相关理化及生物学功能进行了预测,同时利用农杆菌介导法将所克隆的小麦6-SFT基因转入了烟草,对转基因烟草植株进行了抗旱、抗盐和抗低温鉴定。结果表明,小麦中6-SFT基因的gDNA和cDNA长度分别为3134bp和1851bp,序列结构分析表明该基因含有4个外显子、3个内含子,编码产物为约68kD的蛋白质,其等电点（pI）约为5.25,具有液泡定位信号;转小麦6-SFT基因烟草植株表现出较强的抗旱、抗盐和抗低温能力。本研究为利用基因工程技术改良小麦抗逆性提供重要理论依据。     

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.