Expression of human soluble TRAIL in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast

The use of plants as bioreactors for the expression oftherapeutic proteins has developed into a new field in biotechnology research[1]. Plant systems provide simple genetic manipulation, low production costs, and low risk of contamination by animal viruse…     

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.     

Cloning and characterization of vernalization-related gene (ver203F) cDNA 3′ end

Based on the cDNA fragment sequence of vernalization-related geneverc203 cloned by differential screening in our lab, the 5′ primer has been designed. The cDNA 3′ end ofver203 gene (1 197 bp) has been cloned by the RACE method. And it is identified by Northern blotting that its expression is special in vernalization treatment. After comparing the sequence in the nucleotide sequence databases of Genbank, EMBL and DDBJ, the gene has homology withHordeum vulgare jesmonate-induced protein gene. It is suggested that this gene might be related to the signal transduction mediated by jamonate.     

Identification of an AFLP marker linked to the stripe rust resistance geneYr10 in wheat

AFLP analysis of near-isogenic lines of the stripe rust resistance gene Yr10 was carried out with 6 PstⅠ- primers and 10 TaqⅠ-primers with the donor parent of Yr10 gene as the check. A total of about 4200 distinguishable bands were amplified, of which 5 were stable. The genetic linkage of the 5 polymorphic DNA fragments with the target gene were tested preliminarily on a segregating F₂ population derived from a cross between the gene donor parent “Moro” and susceptible cultivar “Mingxian 169”. The DNA fragment PT0502 was found closely linked to the Yr10 gene and cloned and sequenced. Based on the sequence specific primers for PCR were designed and synthesized. Genetic linkage analysis with 195 segregating F₂ plants indicated that the genetic distance was 0.5 cM between the main product SC₂₀₀ fragment produced by PCR with the primers and the Yr10 gene. The primers can be used to detect the Yr10 gene quickly, effectively and exactly.     

Cloning and expression of the vp39 gene ofBombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus inE. coli

The nuclear capsid protein gene (vp39) ofBombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was amplified successfully by PCR technique and inserted into pGEM 3zf(+). The 5′ and 3′ terminal area of the amplified vp39 gene were sequenced with silver-staining dideoxy method. Bmvp39 gene was sub-cloned into the expression vector pRSET-A, and transformed intoE. coli BL21. This gene was highly expressed by IPTG induction. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the expressed protein is about 38 kd, and the expressed amount reached maxium in 4 h with IPTG induction. Supported by the National Natural science Foundation of China and the Doctoral Foundation of Edn carto Committee Liu Deli: born in 1954, Doctoral Candidate from Huazhong Normal University To whom correspondence should be addressed: (027-7882712-2938)     

Cloning and expression of the vp39 gene of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus in E. coli

The nuclear capsid protein gene (vp39) ofBombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was amplified successfully by PCR technique and inserted into pGEM 3zf(+). The 5′ and 3′ terminal area of the amplified vp39 gene were sequenced with silver-staining dideoxy method. Bmvp39 gene was sub-cloned into the expression vector pRSET-A, and transformed intoE. coli BL21. This gene was highly expressed by IPTG induction. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the expressed protein is about 38 kd, and the expressed amount reached maxium in 4 h with IPTG induction. Supported by the National Natural science Foundation of China and the Doctoral Foundation of Edn carto Committee Liu Deli: born in 1954, Doctoral Candidate from Huazhong Normal University To whom correspondence should be addressed: (027-7882712-2938)     

Transfer of a eubacteria-type cell division site-determining factor CrldfnD 8ene to the nucleus from the chloroplast genome in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

MinD is a ubiquitous ATPase that plays a crucial role in selection of the division site in eubacteria, chloroplasts, and probably Archaea. In four green algae, MesosUgma viride, Nephroselmis olivacea, Chlorella vulgaris and Prototheca wickerhamii, MinD homologues are encoded in the plastid genome. However, in Arabidopsis, MinD is a nucleus-encoded, chloroplast-targeted protein involved in chloroplast division, which suggests that MinD has been transferred to the nucleus in higher land plants. Yet the lateral gene transfer （LGT） of MinD from plastid to nucleus during plastid evolution remains poorly understood. Here, we identified a nucleus-encoded MinD homologue from unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a basal species in the green plant lineage. Overexpression of CrMinD in wild type E. coil inhibited cell division and resulted in the filamentous cell formation, clearly demonstrated the conservation of the MinD protein during the evolution of photosynthetic eukaryotes. The transient expression of CrMinD-egfp confirmed the role of CrMinD protein in the regulation of plastid division. Searching all the published plastid genomic sequences of land plants, no MinD homologues were found, which suggests that the transfer of MinD from plastid to nucleus might have occurred before the evolution of land plants.     

Construction and characterization of a bacterial artificial chromosome library of rice 5460F

Thermo-sensitive genie male sterile (TGMS) rice has a number of desirable characteristics for hybrid rice production. Many studies have demonstrated that the sterility of TGMS rice is controlled by a single recessive gene. It has been mapped for the first time on chromosome 8 and namedtms 1. Several AFLP markers which tightly linked to thetms 1 gene have been identified recently. In order to develop a detailed physical map of thetms1 gene-encompassing region and finally clone thetms1 gene, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of rice 5460F (the fertile mutant line of TGMS rice 5460S) using a modified vector pECBAC1 has been constructed. The constructed 5460F BAC library consists of 16 896 clones with an average insert size of 119 kb, which represents about 4.7 times rice haploid genome equivalents. Neither chloroplast nor mitochondrial DNA was detected from the library. The library was screened with three single copy sequence amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers which tightly linked totms1 gene as probes and eight positive clones were identified.     

Cloning, sequencing and expression of a swine IgG H chain gene inE. coli

A DNA fragment about 1.5 kb has been isolated from spleen of adult Chinese swine by RT-PCR. The DNA fragment encodes immunoglobulin IgG H chain gene. Sequencing analysis showed that the DNA fragment is 1 425 bp long, complete CDS. The C region of the gene has been classified as Subclass Ig γ3, and is the same as reported by Sun et al., but V region of the present gene is 42 bp less by comparison. The gene has been ligated into expression vector pET-3b (NSEB)( - ). A protein about 52 ku has been expressed in E. coli with an expression level of about 21 % .     

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.     

Synthesis of medium-chain-length-polyhydroxyalkanoates in tobacco via chloroplast genetic engineering

Medium-chain-length-polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs) belong to the group of microbial polyesters containing monomers ranging from 6 to 14 carbons in length. The key enzymes of their biosynthesis are PHA-polymerase (product of phaC gene) and 3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein-CoA transferase (product of phaG gene). With aadA (aminoglycoside 3‘-adenylyltransferase) gene as screening marker, two chloroplast transformation vectors of pTC2 harboring phaC2 gene only and pTGC harboring both phaC and phaG genes were constructed and introduced into tobacco chloroplast genome through particle bombardment. PCR and Southern blot analysis confirmed the insertion of the introduced genes into chloroplast genome. The content of mcl-PHAs accumulated in transgenic plants was analyzed by gas chromatography, mcl-PHAs accumulated up to 4.8 mg/g dry weight (dw) in transgenic line $4-3; their monomers were 3-hydroxyoctanoate and 3-hydroxydecanoate. Accumulation of mcl-PHAs polymers in the tobacco chloroplast was also observed by transmission electron microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of mclPHAs in tobacco via chloroplast genetic engineering.     

Rice transformation with a senescence-inhibition chimeric gene

A senescence-inhibition chimeric gene containing the specific promoter of SAG₁₂ and IPT gene was transferred into rice with the biolistic method. Results of PCR, Dot blotting and Southern blotting indicated that the chimeric gene had been integrated into rice genome. Analyses of GUS activity and cytokinin content in transgenic plants of rice and the observation of T₁ generation plant at grain formation stage indicated that the foreign gene was expressed.     

Molecular mapping of a novel yellow rust resistance gene of wheat using microsatellite markers

Identification and genetic analysis of yellow rust resistance have suggested that wheat line R55 carries single dominant gene conferring yellow rust resistance. The bulked segregant analysis (BSA) for an F₂ population using microsatellite marker technique has indicated that the yellow rust resistance gene is located on the short arm of chromosome 1B, tightly linked to the microsatellite markers WMS11-193 bp and WMS18-184 bp, the linkage distance between the markers and the gene is 1.9 cM. This gene has been formally namedYr26. It is inferred from the pedigree, resistance and gene locus analysis that theYr26 has been transferred fromTriticum turgidum L. and is different from the other known yellow rust resistance genes.     

Cloning and expression analysis ofMBLL cDNA

Thembl (muscleblind) gene ofDrosophila encodes a nuclear protein which contains two Cys₃His motifs. The mutation ofmbl gene will disturb the differentiation of all theDrosophila’s photoreceptors. Primers have been designed according to human EST086139, which is highly homologous tombl gene. Human fetal brain cDNA library has been screened and a novel cDNA clone has been obtained. The 2595 bp cDNA, designatedMBLL (muscleblind-like), contains an open reading frame which encodes 255 amino acids and has 4 Cys₃His motifs (GenBank Acc. AF061261). The amino acids sequence shares high homology toDrosophila’s mbl. The Northern blot and RNA dot blot hybridization of 43 human adult tissues and 7 fetal tissues show thatMBLL is a widely expressed gene, but the expression amounts differ in these tissues.