Introducing antisense <Emphasis Type="Italic">waxy</Emphasis> gene into rice seeds reduces grain amylose contents using a safe transgenic technique

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) eating quality is one of themost important traits. Amylose content (AC) in rice en-dosperm is a major index affecting rice eating quality[1,2].It has a negative correlation with gel consistency of rice[3].Based on amylose content, r…     

多基因双T-DNA植物表达载体的构建及拟南芥转化

多基因植物表达载体用于植物遗传转化是培育具有多种优良品质作物的有效策略. 双T-DNA系统是实现筛选完成后选择标记基因删除的一种简便可行的方式. 为培育高度抗逆或去除标记基因的农作物，构建了多基因双T-DNA植物表达载体2T-bbgdD，其中含有一个抗除草剂基因bar, 3个抗逆相关基因(DREB1A, Na+依赖性Pi转运体基因（d5）, betA)和一个报告基因gfp. 利用农杆菌介导法将该载体转入拟南芥，获得了多基因共转化及去除标记基因的转基因拟南芥. 可将此植物表达载体进一步用于作物的遗传转化.     

含编码类铁氧还双亲性蛋白ap1基因的转基因水稻植株的获得

利用基因枪法将含有潮霉素抗性基因（hpt),gusA报告基因和ap1基因的2个质粒（pJIMB15和pBiSAP1)共同转化同转化由粳稻品种鄂宜105号种 子在胚诱导的愈伤组织（2－3周龄）。ap1基因编码一种双亲性的蛋白。该蛋白能延缓因假单孢菌感染所引起的非寄主植物中的过敏反应。经过2轮潮霉素（30mg/L)筛选,抗性愈伤组织被转入含30mg/L潮霉素的再生培养基中再生植株。从轰击的186块愈伤组织中共再生出32株独立的转基因水稻植株（转化率为17．2％）,PCR／Southern blot分析显示84％的转基因植株含有所有3个基因。     

Increase of Expression Levels of Reporter Gene in Transgenic Tobaccos by Matrix Attachment Regions

The matrix attachment region (MAR) located downstream of Plastocyanin gene was isolated from the genome of pea. To study the effect of MARs on foreign gene expression in transgenic plants, T-DNA vector was constructed in which MARs flanked bothβ-glucuronidase(GUS) gene and selectable marker neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT-II) gene. The plant expression vectors were transferred into leaf discs via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure. The result of GUS measurement showed that pea MAR could increase transgene expression level. The mean expression levels of GUS gene expression in population containing MARs could be increased twofold when compared with that of population without MARs.     

Introduction of antisensewaxy gene into main parent lines ofindica hybrid rice

Amylose content in rice endosperm is one of the key determinants of rice eating and cooking quality, and the poor quality ofindica hybrid rice is closely related to the high amylose level in rice grains. In order to improve the grain quality of theindica hybrid rice by genetic engineering, an antisense fragment of ricewaxy gene, driven by the 5′-franking sequences of the ricewaxy gene, was successfully introduced into three major parent lines ofindica hybrid rice, all contain a high amylose level in the grains, viaAgrobacterium, and more than 100 hygromycinresistant plants were regenerated. The analysis of PCR amplification and Southern blots indicated that the T-DNA containing the antisensewaxy gene had been integrated into the genome of transgenic rice plants. Most of the primary transgenic rice plants grew normally, and the mature seeds from these transgenic plants were performed for analysis of the amylose content. The results showed that the amylose content in the endosperm of some grains was reduced and the lowest reached 7.02% in one homozygous transgenic line, 72.4% lower than that of the wild type. The influence of the altered amylose content on the gelatinization temperature and gel consistency was also observed in several homozygous transgenic rice plants. The two authors contributed equally to this work.     

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.     

New technology to examine and improve the purity of hybrid rice with herbicide resistant gene

The herbicide resistant bar gene has been widely used as selectable marker genes in the study on plant genetic transformation. Owing to the integration of the gene into rice genome, transgenic rice was resistant to the herbicide Basta. Therefore, selection of transgenic plant md genetic analysis became easier. In the studies, bar gene was introduced as a genetic marker gene into ria restore lie variety of two-line or three-line. Combined with conventional breeding method, the good herbicide resistant individual plant was derived as the new restorc line for hybrid combination. After sprayed with Basta at seeding phasc. the real hybrid rice that hnd herbicide resistance could grow normally, while the fnke hybrid rice and weeds, having no bar gene, were killed by herbicide. The method described above helped rapidly to examine and improve the purity of hybrid rice.     

Limited ecological risk of insect-resistance transgene flow from cultivated rice to its wild ancestor based on life-cycle fitness assessment

Ecological impact caused by transgene flow from genetically engineered (GE) crops to their wild relatives is largely determined by the fitness effect brought by a transgene. To estimate such impact is critical for the ecological risk assessment prior to the commercialization of GE crops. We produced F₁ and F₂ hybrid descendants from crosses of two insect-resistant GE rice lines (Bt, Bt/CpTI) and their non-GE rice parent with a wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) population to estimate the transgenic fitness. Insect damages and life-cycle fitness of GE and non-GE crop–wild hybrid descendants as well as their wild parent were examined in a common-garden experiment. No significant differences in insect damages were observed between the wild rice parent and GE hybrid descendants under high-insect pressure. The wild parent showed significantly greater relative survival-regeneration ratios than its GE and non-GE hybrid descendants under both high- and low-insect pressure. However, more seeds were produced in GE hybrid descendants than their non-GE counterparts under high-insect pressure. Given that the introduction of Bt and Bt/CpTI transgenes did not provide greater insect resistance to crop–wild hybrid descendants than their wild parent, we predict that transgene flow from GE insect-resistant rice to wild rice populations may not cause considerable ecological risks.

     

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.     

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 two insect-resistant genescryIA (b&c)/GNA in transgenic tobacco plants results in added protection against both cotton bollworm and aphids

The synthesizedBacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein gene cryIA(b&c) and the synthesized geneGNA, (the mannose specific lectin from snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)), tumefaciens have been inserted into plant expression vector pGW4BAI. Leave stripes ofNicotiana tabacum var. K326 have been transformed withAgrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the plant expression vector. 28 kanamycin resistant tobacco plants have been obtained. PCR and Southern blot analyses show that the foreigncryIA andGNA genes have been inserted into the genome of transformed tobacco plants. Haemagglutination assays show thatGNA has a functional activity. Leaf disc bioassays against cotton bollworm (H. armigera) show that the transgenic tobacco plants have a high insecticidal activity. The inhibition of aphid population in leaf disc bioassays againstMyzus persicae shows that the fecundity of aphid on transgenic plants is lower than that on untransformed plants; the aphid population on the transgenic tobacco plants is 25%–70% that on untransformed tobacco plants. ELISA analysis of ClyIA protein in tobcco leaves provides similar data to bioassay results. Through the two bioassays againstH. armigera andM. persicae, several transgenic tobacco plants showing high insect-resistant activities to both pests have been obtained.     

Characterization of high-yield performance as affected by genotype and environment in rice

We characterized yield-relevant characters and their variations over genotypes and environments （locations and years） by examining two rice varieties （9746 and Jinfeng） with high yield potential. 9746 and Jinfeng were planted in two locations of Shanghai, China, during 2005 and 2006. The results show that there was a large variation in grain yield between locations and years. The realization of high yield potential for the two types of rice was closely related to the improved sink size, such as more panicles per square meter or grains per panicle. Stem and leaf biomasses were mainly accumulated from tillering stage to heading stage, and showed slow decline during grain filling. Meanwhile, some photosynthetic characters including net photosynthesis rate （Pn）, leaf area index （LAI）, specific leaf area （SLA）, fluorescence parameter （maximum quantum yield ofPSll, Fv/Fm）, chlorophyll content （expressed as SPAD value）, as well as nutrient （N, P, K） uptake were also measured to determine their variations over genotypes and environments and their relationships with grain yield. Although there were significant differences between years or locations for most measurements, SLA at tillering and heading stages, Fv/Fm and LAI at heading stage, stem biomass at heading and maturity stages, and leaf nitrogen concentration at tillering and heading stages remained little changed, indicating their pos- sible applications as selectable characters in breeding programs. It was also found that stem nitrogen accumulation at tillering stage is one of the most important and stable traits for high yield formation.     

Mutant acetolactate synthase （ALS） gene as a selectable marker for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of soybean

Soybean is one of the crops most difficult to be manipulated in vitro. Although several soybean marker genes, all the selectable markers used were from bacteria origin. To find suitable selectable marker gene from plant origin for soybean transformation, a mutant acetolactate synthase （ALS） gene from Arabidopsis thaliana was tested for Agrobacterium-mediated soybean embryo axis transformation with the herbicide Arsenal as the selective agent. Transgenic soybean plants were obtained after the herbicide se- lection and the To transgenic lines showed resistance to the herbicide at a concentration of 100 g/ha. ALS enzyme assay of To transgenic line also showed higher activity compared to the wild type control plant. PCR analysis of the T1 transgenic lines confirmed the integration and segregation of the transgene. Taken together, our results showed that the mutant ALS gene is a suitable selectable marker for soybean transformation.     

用Ti质粒的双元载体法将抗性基因转入西红柿体细胞

采用Ｔｉ质粒的双元载体法对西红柿（Ｌｙｃｏｐｅｒｓｉｃｏｎｅｓｃｕｌｅｎｔｕｍ）的叶片外植体进行遗传转化，经选择培养基的筛选，从抗性愈伤组织细胞中诱导出具有卡那霉素抗性的幼苗．分子杂交证实，卡那霉素抗性基因通过根瘤农杆菌（Ａｇｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍｔｕｍｅｆａｃｉｅｎｓ）的介导，整合到细胞核基因组中，转化子具有较高的新霉素磷酸转移酶活性，说明抗性基因在受体细胞得到表达．     

水稻petH基因启动子的克隆及其转化载体的构建

以水稻幼嫩叶片为材料,提取基因组DNA;根据GenBank公布的该启动子序列设计引物,克隆了水稻的petH启动子,并构建了用于植物转化的双元载体p1391Z-OsR-petH-pro,为进一步研究该启动子在植物体中表达调控模式提供了试验条件。     

Expression of two insect-resistant genes crylA ( b&c )/GNA in transgenic tobacco plants results in added protection against both cotton bollworm and aphids

The synthesized Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein gene crylA(b&c) and the synthesized gene GNA, (the mannose specific lectin from snowdrop ( Galanthus nivalis)), tumefaciens have been inserted into plant expression vector pGW4BAI. Leave stripes of Nico-tiana tabacum var. K326 have been transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the plant expression vector. 28 kanamycin resistant tobacco plants have been obtained. PCR and Southern blot analyses show that the foreign crylA and GNA genes have been inserted into the genome of transformed tobacco plants. Haemagglutination assays show that GNA has a functional activity. Leaf disc bioassays against cotton bollworm ( H. armigera) show that the transgenic tobacco plants have a high insecticidal activity. The inhibition of aphid population in leaf disc bioassays against Myzus persicae shows that the fecundity of aphid on transgenic plants is lower than that on untransformed plants; the aphid population on the transgenic tobacco plants is 25%-70% that on untransformed tobacco plants. ELISA analysis of CrylA protein in tobcco leaves provides similar data to bioassay results. Through the two bioassays against H. armigera and M. persicae, several transgenic tobacco plants showing high insect-resistant activities to both pests have been obtained.     

Inheritance of resistance toHelicoverpa armigera of 3 kinds of transgenicBt strains available in upland cotton in China

There are 3 kinds of transgenicBt strains, Shanxi 94-24, Zhongxin 94, and R19, in upland cotton in China. Their transgenicBt insect-resistance cultivars or hybrids have been developed and grown by farmers. Genetic studies indicate that the resistance of the 3 transgenicBt cotton strains toHelicoverpa armigera is controlled by one pair of non-allelic dominant genes. Linkage relationship between the resistant genes of R19 and Shanxi 94-24 transgenicBt strains shows that they may be inserted in the same chromosome. F₁ hybrids crossed among the 3 strains show that high levels of protection from feeding damage are the same as that of their parents. Therefore, there is no co-suppression phenomenon in many transgenic plants. The results presented here afford a fundamental reliance in developing transgenicBt insect-resistant cultivars and exploiting the heterosis of hybrids in upland cotton.     

Isolation of a strong matrix attachment region (MAR) and identification of its function in vitro and in vivo

Inclusion of MARs in transgene cassettes enhances their expression and reduces position-effect variations in the transgenic host. Four new MARs (TM2, TM3, AM1 and AM2) were isolated from tobacco and Arabidopsis by PCR method. The nuclei isolated from suspensioncultured cells of rice were used to prepare nuclear matrix. With a characterized MAR (TM1) as a positive control, the Matrix-MAR interactions were tested by an in vitro binding assay to identify the DNA sequences as MARs and their binding strength to nuclear matrix in vitro was compared. The results showed that TM2 and TM3 had stronger binding strength than TM1. To determine the functions of the four new MARs in vivo, binary vectors pBI121 carrying a uidA GUS reporter gene were modified with direct repeat MARs inserted on both sides of the reporter gene cassette and were transferred into tobaccos via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation procedure. Quantitative GUS assays of the transgenic tobaccos showed that when flanking a GUS reporter gene TM1, TM2, TM3 and AM1 increased uidA GUS gene expression level approximately 1.5-fold, 5-fold, 1.35-fold, 1.3-fold respectively and AM2 has no effect on gene expression. TM2 was found to be a strong MAR that could effectively increase gene expression level and could be used as an effective enhancing element to construct high efficient expression vectors. In this note the relations among the sequence features, binding strength in vitro and function in vivo of the five MARs were analyzed, and the potential significance of TM2 in plant genetic engineering was discussed.     

转基因水稻纯系对褐飞虱的抗性研究

利用基因枪法将含潮霉素抗性基因、ＧＵＳ报告基因和雪花莲凝集基因的２个质粒ｐＷＲＧ１５１５和ｐＲＳＳＧＡ１共同转化粳稻品种鄂宜１０５的成熟胚诱导的愈伤组织,从轰击的１５２块愈伤组织中共再生出２６株独立转基因植株,ＰＣＲ／Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ印迹法分析发现,７３％的转基因植株含有所有３个外源基因,遗传分析证实外泊基因在转基因植株后代中以孟德尔方式遗传,从其Ｒ１代亲本为孟德尔３：１方式遗传的Ｒ２代中,鉴定出     

Transgenic rice homozygous lines expressing GNA showed enhanced resistance to rice brown planthopper

Mature seed-derived calli from two elite Chinese japonica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars Eyi 105 and Ewan 5 were co-transformed with two plasmids, pWRG1515 and pRSSGNA1, containing the selectable marker hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hpt), the reporter β-glucuronidase gene (gusA) and the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) lectin gene (gna) via particle bombardment. 61 independent transgenic rice plants were regenerated from 329 bombarded calli. 79% transgenic plants contained all the three genes, revealed by PCR/Southern blot analysis. Western blot analysis revealed that 36 out of 48 gna-containing transgenic plants expressed GNA (75%) at various levels with the highest expression being approximately 0.5% of total soluble protein. Genetic analysis confirmed Mendelian segregation of transgenes in progeny. From the R2 generations whose R1 parent plants showing 3:1 Mendelian segregation patterns, we identified five independent homozygous lines containing and expressing all the three transgenes. Insect bioassay and feeding tests showed that these homozygous lines had significant inhibition to rice brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens, BPH) by decreasing BPH survival and overall fecundity, retarding BPH development and declining BPH feeding. These BPH-resistant lines have been incorporated into rice insect resistance breeding program. This is the first report that homozygous transgenic rice lines expressing GNA, developed by genetic transformation and through genetic analysis-based selection, conferred enhanced resistance to BPH, one of the most damaging insect pests in rice.