Introduction of pokeweed antiviral protein cDNA into Brassica napus and acquisition of transsenic plants resistant to viruses

Using cotyledonary petioles as explants, the PAP cDNA controlled by wound-in- ducible promoter has been introduced into Brassica napus by coculture with Agrobacterium tumefaciens and laser microbeam puncture respectively. Regenerated plants resistant to gen-tamycin have been selected out. PCR amplification and Southern blotting analysis indicated that PAP cDNA together with wound-inducible promoter had been integrated into Brassica genome with transformation frequencies of 2.0% and 1.7% for two transformation methods respectively. The test of virus challenge showed that these transgenic Brassica plants were resistant in different degrees to mechanically inoculated TuMV.     

Expression and characterization of HGV E2 cDNA inPichia pastoris

A 559 base pair fragment of cDNA locating at the putative E2 region of GBV-C/HGV was inserted intoPichia pastoris expression vector pPIC9K in the reading frame of α-factor secreting signal peptide. The recombinant expression plasmid pPIC9K-E2 was introduced intoP. pastoris GS 115 with electroporation and recombined with the host genome by homological recombination. The His⁺Mut⁺ recombinant yeasts were selected and cultivated in the BMMY medium. After 3 days induction with 0.5% methanol, the target protein (E2) accumulated up to 30% of total proteins in the supernatant. The expressed E2 protein was proved possessing antigenicity and high specificity with Western blot and ELISA probed with sera from the immunized rabbits and the patients infected by GBV-C/HGV. Biography: Wang Zhuo-hua (1977-), female, Master, research direction: genetic engineering pharmaceuticals.     

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.     

Heterologous Expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis AgSSB in Pichia pastoris

The DNA fragment encoding matureMycobacterium tuberculosis major secretory protein Ag85B was inserted into thePichia pastoris secretory expression vector pHBM905A, under the control of theAOX1 promoter. The recombinant plasmid pHBM905A-85B linearized bySal I was introduced intoPichia pastoris strain GS115 by PEG1000 transformation method. After phenotype screening and PCR identification, the resulting GS115-pHBM905A-85B strain was cultivated and induced with methanol. The recombinant Ag85B protein in secreted form was attained with molecular weight of 35×10³ approximately detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. ELISA experiment proved that the protein had good antigen specificity. Secretory expression of recombinantM. tuberculosis Ag85B inP. pastoris will open a door to mass production of the protein in heterologous host and allow ready evaluation of its immunological function. Foundation item: Supported by the Key Scientific and Technological Project of Wuhan(301121028) Biography: LIU Yan(1971-), female, Ph. D candidate, research direction: vaccine against tuberculosis.     

Overexpression of phospholipase <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>α gene enhances drought and salt tolerance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Populus tomentosa</Emphasis>

The cDNA of AtPLDa （Arabidopsis thaliana Phospholipase Da） gene was introduced into P. tomentosa （Populus tomentosa） under the control of the Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Southern and Northern blot analyses suggested that the AtPLDa gene has been transferred into the P. tomentosa genome. No obvious morphological or developmental difference was observed between the transgenic and wild-type （WT） plants. Drought and salt tolerance and gene expression of seedlings of several transgenic lines and WT plants （control） were studied. The results showed that the rhizogenesis rate and the average root-length of transgenic lines were significantly higher than WT plants after mannitol and NaCI treatment under the same growth conditions. Northern blot analysis indicated that the higher the PLDa expression in the transgenic plants, the more tolerant the transgenic plants are to drought and salt treatment. Meanwhile, another group of these transgenic lines and WT plants （control） were treated with PEG6000 and NaCI separately. The contents of chlorophylls and the activities of some anti- oxidant enzymes （superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase and catalase） as well as malondialdehyde and relative electrical conductivity were analyzed. Altogether, our results demonstrated that overexpression of the PLDa gene can enhance the drought and salt tolerance in transgenic P. tomentosa plants.     

Construction of plant seed-specific expression vectors pSCB and pSCAB and the obtainment of transgenicBrassica napus H165 expressing poly-3-hydroxybutyrate synthetic genes

The seed-specific promoter and transit peptide were amplified and fused to the three genesphbA, phbB andphbC encoding PHB synthetic enzymes, respectively. Seed-specific expression vectors pSCB containingphbC andphbB, and pSCAB containingphbC, phbB andphbA, were constructed by introducing the genes with promoter and peptide into the binary vector pBI101. TransgenicBrassica napus H165 were obtained byAgrobacterium-mediated transformation with these vectors. They were confirmed by PCR, Southern and RT-PCR analyses.     

The foxtail millet Si69 gene is a Wali7 (wheat aluminum-induced protein 7) homologue and may function in aluminum tolerance

We isolated a clone, named Si69, from a foxtail millet immature seed cDNA library. The protein encoded by Si69 contains a conserved Wali7 (wheat aluminum induced protein 7) domain and shares high-level homology with aluminum-induced proteins from other species including rice and Arabidopsis. The Si69 gene presents as a single locus in foxtail millet genome and is globally expressed in all tissues examined. Its expression is up-regulated by aluminum. The sequence feature and expression pattern suggest that the Si69 gene is involved in aluminum tolerance or detoxification. To confirm its biological functions, Si69 controlled by the CaMV35S promoter was introduced into Arabidopsis. Transgenic plants did not show any visible morphological changes compared to wild-type plants under normal growth conditions. However, when treated with 20 or 50 μmol/L Aluminum (Al), the root apices of wild-type plants were heavily stained by hematoxylin, whereas those of Si69 transgenic plants were not stained when treated with 20 μmol/L Al and slightly stained when treated with 50 μmol/L Al. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results further demonstrated that the damage of the root apices was severer in wild-type plants than in transgenic plants. Inhibition of root growth and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), an indicator of lipid peroxidation, were lower in transgenic plants than in wild-type plants. The results show that overexpression of Si69 may increase Al tolerance in transgenic plants, indicating that a series of Wali7-containing genes may play similar roles in Al tolerance/detoxification.     

Expression of human β-subunit nerve growth factor (hNGFB) in yeast Pichia pastoris and E. coli

The gene hNGFB encoding the β subunit of human nerve growth factor (hNGF) was cloned intoP. pastoris secretive expression vector pHIL-S1 andE. coli expression vector pET-15b. The recombinant hNGFB vectors pSNGF and pET15b-NGF were transformed intoP. pastoris host cell GS115 (Mut⁺, His⁻) andE. coli strain BL21 (DE3) respectively. Expression and secretion of hNGFB inP. pastoris was attempted under the direction of the AOX1 promoter and PHO1 signal sequence. The positive colonies growing on medium without histidine were further selected by PCR. The yield of rehNGFB in GS115 was about 14.4% of total cellular secretive protein. The secreted protein was immunological active on Western blotting with rabbit anti-mNGFB antibodies. The fusion protein yield of rehNGFB inE. coli BL21 (DE3) was about 10.3% of total cellular protein after IPTG induction. Western blot detection showed its immunological activity.     

Method of transforming resistance gene to carbendazim intoTrichoderma sp.

The method of transforming resistance gene to carbendazim into Trichoderma sp. was studied by using genetic engineering technique. The results show that the time of fungicide selection on the transformed Trichoderma sp. may have very important effect on the resistance gene transformation. By this method, the resistance gene to carbendazim was transformed into Trichoderma harzianum, a strain of T. harzianum with resistance to carbendazim was achieved. The transformant could grow on the medium containing 150 μg/mL carbendazim. The resistance is stable after 10 times transfer on non-selective medium.     

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation: state of the art and future prospect

Great progress has been made in recent years in studies on the mechanism ofAgrobacterium-medicated transformation and its application. Many details of the key molecular events within the bacterial cells involved in T-DNA transfer have been elucidated, and it is notable that some plant factors which were elusive before are purified and characterized. Vast kinds of species, which were either recalcitrant to or not included in the host range ofAgrobacterium, can now be transformed by this bacterium, and they include the very important cereal species, gymnosperms, yeast and many filamentous fungi. The simplein vivo transformation of tissue in intact plants and the “agrolistic” methods to transform recalcitrant plants are the two novel technical achievements. Combined with other powerful techniques such as bacterial artificial chromosome, very large DNA fragment can be transformed into the plant genome byAgrobacterium. Further studies will elucidate more plant-encoded factors involved in T-DNA transformation and there is a need to develop more powerfulAgrobacterium-based transformation systems to meet different needs in basic research and crop improvement practice.     

Expression of ipt gene driven by tomato fruit specific promoter and its effects on fruit development of tomato

Fruit specific promoter (2A12) from Lycopersicom esculentum and cDNA of isopentenyl-transferase (ipt) from Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumerfaciens C58 were cloned by PCR procedure respectively. Two plant expression vectors with 2A12/gus or 2A12/ipt were respectively constructed. These two chimeric genes were transferred into tomato by Agrobacterium mediated procedure. The results of Southern hybridization showed that the fusion genes had been integrated into tomatoes. The result of gus histochemical staining showed that 2A12 had high fruit specific expressive capability in transgenic tomato. The ipt expression resulted in accumulation of high level of cytokinins (CTKs) in fruit lead to developmental changes in fruits and seeds. The fruit of ipt transformed tomato had the hyperplastic placenta with very few seeds or even seedless. The shelf life of transgenic fruits elongated for 1–2 weeks. The ratio of fruit set, the dry weight of fruit and the crude protein content in fruit were increased, while the soluble sugar of fruits decreased.     

Introduction of rice chitinase gene into wheat via low energy Ar+ beam implantation

A chitinase gene (RCH8) in plasmid vector pCAMBIA1308 was delivered into 3 wheat cultivars (Yangmai 158, Wan 9210, Wanmai 32) by low energy Ar⁺ beam-mediated method. Preliminary calli from treated mature embryos were first selected on hygromycin (Hm, 20 or 30 mg/L) containing medium. After the resistant calli formed, they were transferred to the regeneration medium with 10 or 20 mg/L Hm. All the three wheat varieties obtained transgenic plants. PCR and PCR-Southern assays showed that most plants regenerated from the resistant calli were positive transgenic plants. Southern blot of the positive green plants confirmed stable integration of alien DNA into wheat genome. The plant transformation frequencies varied with the variety and ion dose implanted. Wanmai 32 possessed the highest transformation frequency, reaching 3.8% at a suitable implantation dose. The transformation frequency of Yangmai 158 and Wan 9210 varied from 0.5% to 2.5% and from 0.5% to 1.4%, respectively. Progeny test for resistance to wheat scab showed that the leaf extract of R₁ generation inhibited the growth of wheat scab strain R₀ and F₁₅.     

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.     

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.     

Molecular cloning, expression and biochemical property analysis of AtKP1, a kinesin gene from Arabidopsis thaliana

Kinesins are common in a variety of eukaryotic cells with diverse functions. A cDNA encoding a member of the Kinesin-14B subfamily is obtained using 3＇-RACE technology and named AtKP1 （for Arabidopsis kinesin protein 1）. This cDNA has a maximum open reading frame of 3.3 kb encoding a polypeptide of 1087 aa. Protein domain analysis shows that AtKP1 contains the motor domain and the calponin homology domain in the central and amino-terminal regions, respectively. The carboxyl-terminal region with 202 aa residues is diverse from other known kinesins. Northern blot analysis shows that AtKP1 is widely expressed at a higher level in seedlings than in mature plants. 2808 bp of the AtKP1 promoter region is cloned and fused to GUS. GUS expression driven by the AtKP1 promoter region shows that AtKP1 is mainly expressed in vasculature of young organs and young leaf trichomes, indicating that AtKP1 may participate in the differentiation or development of Arabidopsis thaliana vascular bundles and trichomes. A truncated AtKP1 protein containing the putative motor domain is expressed in E. coil and affinity-purified. In vitro characterizations indicate that the polypeptide has nucleotide-dependent microtubule-binding ability and microtubule-stimulated ATPase activity.     

Expression ofChlamydomonas actin-gfp fusion gene in tobacco suspension cell and polymerization of the actin-gfp proteinin vitro

The fusion gene of actin (cDNA ofChlamydomonas reinhardtii) and green fluorescence protein (gfp) had been constructed into two expression vectors which could be expressed inE. coli and tobacco suspension cells BY2. The correct expression was observed inE. coli and BY2 with a fluorescence microscopy. The fusion protein, which took part in the membrane skeleton, was mainly located peripherally along the membrane, specially the fusion protein was distributed around nucleus and cell plate, while the fusion protein also forms F-actin in the cell. The fusion protein was purified from Bl21plus by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The purified production could polymerize into F-actin when the actin polymerizing buffer was added. It was demonstrated that the characteristics and function of actin inChlamydomonas was similar with those of animals and higher plants.     

Root and xylem ABA changes in response to soil drying in two woody plants

Two woody plants, Platycladus orientalise (tolerant to drought) and Acacia auriculi-formis (sensitive to drought), have been subjected to rapid and slow soil drying. ABA levels in their roots and xylem sap have been determined using radioimmunoassay (RIA, sensitivity is 0.4 pmol per assay vial) with a monoclonal antibody against ( + )-ABA. ABA contents of P. orientalise and A. auriculiformis growing in well watered soil are 0.3 and 2.5 nmol·gDW-1 in roots and 1.6 and 0.4 μmol in xylem saps, respectively. A rapid soil drying has been applied to these two plants with soil water content (SWC) being reduced to 0.02 and 0.06 g·gDW-1 respectively. Under such treatment, ABA was increased by 22 times and 2 times in roots and by 7 times and 34 times in xylem saps respectively for P. orientalise and A. auriculiformis. After rewatering for 6 d, ABA in roots and xylem sap of both species returned to control levels. When a slow soil drying was applied, SWC was reduced to 0.1 and 0.13 g·gDW-1 respectively for P. orientalise and A. auriculiformis. ABA was increased by 5 times and 1.6 times in roots and by 6 times and 19 times in xylem saps respectively for these two plants. ABA in roots and xylem saps decreased to near control levels 8 d after watering. Plant leaf water potentials of both plants hardly changed at times when root and xylem ABA showed substantial increase in response to soil drying. It is concluded that ABA levels in the roots and xylem saps of P. orientalise and A. auriculiformis are more sensitively regulated than leaf water potential in response to soil drying and can act as a chemical signal in root-shoot communications of the drought stress.     

Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus: A new proposed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fijivirus</Emphasis> species in the family <Emphasis Type="Italic">Reoviridae</Emphasis>

For the past several years, a novel dwarf disease has been observed on rice （Oryza sativa） in some regions of Guangdong Province and Hainan Province, southern China. Infected plants showed stunting, dark leaf and small enations on stem and leaf back. Typical Fijivirus viroplasma containing crystalline arrayed spherical virons approximately 70--75 nm in diameter and tubular structures were detected in ultrathin sections by an electron microscope in parenchyma phloem cells of the infected plants. The virus was transmitted to rice seedlings by white-backed planthoppers, Sogatella furcifera （Hemiptera： Delphacidae）, collected in the diseased fields. Analysis of dsRNA extracts from infected plants revealed ten linear segments, which were similar to the electrophoretic profile of Rice black-streaked dwarf virus （RBSDV）. RT-PCR with a single primer which matched to a linker sequence ligated to both 3＇ ends of the viral genomic dsRNAs resulted in amplification of genome segments 9 （S9） and 10 （S10） cDNA products. The complete nucleotide sequences of S9 and S10 were obtained from clones of the RT-PCR amplicon exhibited characteristic properties of Fijivirus including low GC content （34.5% and 35.6%）, genus conserved 5＇ and 3＇ termini sequences and similar genome organization. Blast searches indicated that the sequences of S9 and S10 shared 68.8%--74.9% and 67.1% --77.4% nucleotide identities with those of viruses in the Fijivirus group 2, respectively. These values were similar to those among other viruses in the Fijivirus group 2 and considerably lower than those among RBSDV isolates. Phylogenetic trees based on S9 and S10 nucleotide sequences and their putative amino acid sequences showed that this virus represented a separate branch among other Fijiviruses. The virus was also detected by a nested RT-PCR assay in corn （Zea mays）, barnyard grass （Echinochloa crusgalll）, Juncellus serotinus and flaccidgrass （Pennisetum flaccidum） in and/or adjacent to the infected rice fields. I     

Ubi1 intron-mediated enhancement of the expression of Bt cry1Ah gene in transgenic maize （Zea mays L.）

The cry1Ah gene was one of novel insecticidal genes cloned from Bacillus thuringiensis isolate BT8. Two plant expression vectors containing cry1Ah gene were constructed. The first intron of maize ubiqutinl gene was inserted between the maize Ubiquitin promoter and cry1Ah gene in one of the plant expressing vectors （pUUOAH）. The two vectors were introduced into maize immature embryonic calli by microprojectile bombardment, and the reproductively plants were acquired. PCR and Southern blot analysis showed that foreign genes had been integrated into maize genome and inherited to the next generation stably. The ELISA assay to T1 and T2 generation plants showed that the expression of CrylAh protein in the construct containing the ubil intron （pUUOAH） was 20% higher than that of the intronless construct （pUOAH）. Bioassay results showed that the transgenic maize harboring cry1Ah gene had high resistance to the Asian corn borers and the insecticidal activity of the transgenic maize containing the ubil intron was higher than that of the intronless construct. These results indicated that the maize ubil intron can enhance the expression of the Bt cry1Ah gene in transgenic maize efficiently