GRF转录因子对植物生长发育及胁迫响应调控的分子机制

生长调控因子(GRFs)是一类植物特有的转录因子家族。GRFs信号通路介导植物种子发育、根系生长、花的发育等很多重要的生命过程。尽管GRFs的上游基因已被发现,但是其下游靶基因的研究仍鲜见报道。本文对近年来有关GRFs的结构特征、生物学功能及调控机制等方面进行了综述,并结合当前研究现状展望了GRFs未来的研究方向,以期为该领域的相关研究提供参考。     

低磷条件下植物根系形态反应及其调控机制

磷是植物必需营养元素之一,土壤中磷有效性低,限制作物生长发育。磷肥施用量逐年增加,但是磷矿资源面临耗竭。植物根系形态变化对于植物适应低磷胁迫,提高植物对土壤磷的吸收利用具有重要意义。本文从植物根系构型、根冠比、初生根、根毛、侧根等方面综述了植物适应低磷胁迫的根系形态变化特征。低磷条件下,植物根系构型发生改变,普遍抑制主根生长,刺激侧根发育起始与伸长,诱导根毛形成。同时,分析了转录因子、植物激素、蔗糖以及关键基因等对低磷条件下植物根系生长发育的生理与分子调控机制,低磷胁迫下转录因子ZAT6和MYB62参与调控初生根生长,BHLH32和PHR调控根毛形成发育,WRKY75对侧根发育有抑制作用。研究表明,在低磷条件下,赤霉素、细胞分裂素、生长素和乙烯对初生根发育起着调控作用,而根毛的生长发育与赤霉素、生长素和乙烯有关,侧根发育过程中生长素作用明显。一些基因如LPR1、LPR2、LPR3以及PDR2参与调控低磷胁迫下植物初生根的发育。低磷胁迫下光合产物蔗糖对植物根毛和侧根发育有影响。     

植物SPX-PHR模块在营养信号途径中的作用研究进展

  【目的】  近几十年来,PHR和SPX蛋白作为磷信号途径中的核心调控蛋白已经得到了广泛的研究。并且随着研究的不断深入,人们发现它们在其它养分信号途径中也起着重要作用。为此,本文综述PHR与SPX蛋白在植物根系发育,养分吸收、转运与再分配中的研究进展,从而更加全面地理解SPX-PHR模块在其中的作用。  主要进展  植物PHR转录因子可以通过结合靶基因启动子的P1BS元件从而调控下游基因的转录,进而参与植物根系发育,养分吸收、转运、分配以及免疫应答。植物PHR转录因子自身在转录水平受到多种信号的调控,如生长素信号途径ARF7/19、乙烯信号途径EIN3、光信号途径FHY3、FAR1能够在转录水平上诱导PHR表达;而光信号途径中的HY5以及光敏色素因子PIF4/5则抑制PHR或其同源基因PHL的表达。进一步研究发现,SPX蛋白能够与PHR互作并抑制其转录激活能力。而SPX在转录水平和蛋白水平也受到氮、磷信号的调控。氮信号途径中NRT1.1(B)-NBIP1和磷信号途径中SDELs均能介导26S蛋白酶复合体途径降解SPX蛋白,进而释放NLP/PHR进入细胞核,激活硝酸盐和磷酸盐应答基因的表达。同时NLP/PHR进入细胞核后,还可转录激活NIGT1的表达,进一步调控硝酸盐和磷酸盐应答基因的表达。  研究展望  未来我们需要对PHR转录因子的上游调控信号进行更全面的鉴定以及展开对SPX互作蛋白的鉴定与功能研究,以期更全面的理解SPX-PHR模块在植物养分吸收中的作用机制。     

水稻中生长素作用的分子机理研究进展

水稻的生长与发育是受多个植物激素协同调控的,其中认识最早和研究最深的是生长素。随着分子技术的进步,研究生长素的作用机制已经深入到细胞和基因水平,包括生长素的代谢、运输、信号感知和传导,并且生长素的信号传导在水稻生长发育过程中与其他激素相互交叉、协调作用。研究生长素的作用机制对植物生长发育具有重要意义。     

调控植物花发育的miRNAs的研究进展

花发育是高等植物生长发育过程中的重要事件,可剖分为开花诱导、花的起始和花器官发育3个阶段,是由多种基因参与的十分复杂的调控过程。20年来,人们应用克隆、诱变和突变体等研究技术从模式植物中分离和鉴定了大量调控花发育的功能基因或调控因子,其中,microRNA(miRNA)是本世纪初才发现的一类新的调控因子。miRNA是生物体内长度约为21个核苷酸的非编码小RNA,通过与靶mRNA的互补配对而在转录后水平上对基因的表达进行负调控,导致mRNA的降解或翻译抑制。大量研究证实miRNA在花发育中起着重要的作用。文章重点综述了植物miRNA的作用机制、其功能研究方法及7个miRNA家族在花发育中的生物功能,并对其未来的发展方向进行了展望。     

JAK2/STAT3信号通路对小鼠骨骼肌发育和能量代谢相关基因mRNA表达的影响

利用AG490特异性抑制剂阻断Janus蛋白酪氨酸激酶2(JAK2)/信号转导和转录激活子3(STAT3)信号通路,研究该通路对骨骼肌发育和能量代谢相关基因mRNA表达水平的影响.雄性健康昆明小白鼠(Mus musculus),用JAK2特异性抑制剂AG490连续腹腔注射15 d,定期测体重和体温,小鼠处死后取腿肌提取总RNA,利用RT-PCR检测JAK2/STAT3信号通路关键因子JAK2和STAT3、骨骼肌发育相关基因成肌分化因子(MyoD)和生肌决定因子(Myf5)及能量代谢相关基因肝X受体(LXRα)和解偶联蛋白3(UCP3)mRNA表达.结果显示,与对照组相比,处理组小鼠体重下降,差异显著(P<0.05);小鼠体温维持在正常浮动范围内;JAK2和STAT3mRNA表达量下降,差异显著(P<0.05);骨骼肌发育相关基因MyoD和Myf5mRNA表达量下降,差异极显著(P<0.01);能量代谢相关基因LXRα和UCP3 mRNA表达量下降,差异极显著(P<0.01).结果提示JAK2/STAT3信号通路可通过降低骨骼肌发育和能量代谢相关基因的mRNA表达而调节骨骼肌发育和能量代谢.     

硝态氮供应下植物侧根生长发育的响应机制

旱地土壤上硝态氮是作物吸收和利用的主要无机氮形态。硝态氮不仅是植物营养的主要氮源,而且还可以作为信号物质调节植物根系生长发育。为适应土壤中硝态氮非均衡供应,植物侧根发育往往呈现出可塑性反应。本文综述了植物侧根生长发育对硝态氮供应的响应机制。在拟南芥、玉米、大麦等植物上研究表明,硝态氮对植物侧根发育具有双向调节途径,即:1)局部供应硝态氮,硝态氮自身作为信号物质通过信号传导通路发生作用,对侧根具有伸长的刺激效应,硝态氮转运蛋白AtNRT1.1作用于转录因子ANR1的上游,ANR1的转录调节侧根发育;2)植物组织中高浓度的硝态氮对侧根分裂组织活动具有抑制效应,植物激素如生长素和脱落酸可能参与其中的信号传导过程。近些年来研究发现小RNA也参与调控硝态氮供应下植物侧根发育。     

鉴定导致程序性死亡的线性级联信号通路中的三个MAPKKKs

丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)级联通路是真核细胞生物中一种非常古老并且进化高度保守的信号转导机制,普遍存在于多种生物,包括酵母,哺乳动物和植物细胞中。当细胞外刺激作用于细胞时,在细胞内以 MAPKKK-MAPKK-MAPK 为主干,通过多级激酶级联激活MAPK,激活的 MAPK 可通过磷酸化转录因子或多种酶类等底物来参与介导细胞生长、发育、分裂、分化、死亡等多种生理过程。在植物中,MAPK 信号通路与植物对各种生物和非生物胁迫的响应有关,例如植物病原菌的侵染等。     

Changes in trace element speciation in kola north surface waters during snow melt

The powerful mass-flow of melt water during the brief period of spring thaw provides a surge of pollutants and causes extremely toxic short term conditions. Together with the increase in total metal concentrations during this period, a redistribution in metal speciation occurs that increases the proportion of more toxic forms. Concentrations of ion-exchangeable fractions of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), aluminium (Al), and manganese (Mn) show strong negative correlations with pH. The sum of complex metal species shows a strong positive correlation with total organic carbon (TOC). A data analysis model based on relationships observed between key parameters and metal behaviour together with gidrological data allowed an assessmrnt of the metal impact on waterbodies from accumulated airborne pollution (Ni, Cu) as well as from accelerated leaching from watersheds (Al, Mn).     

Species effects on earthworm density in tropical tree plantations in Hawaii

Summary Tree species differ in the quantity and quality of litter produced, and these differences may significantly affect ecosystem structure and function. I examined the importance of tree species in determining earthworm densities in replicated stands of Eucalyptus saligna Sm. and Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosberg, and in mixed stands (25% albizia and 75% eucalyptus). Mean earthworm densities ranged from 92 m^-2 in the pure eucalyptus, to 281 m^-2 in the mixture, and a maximum of 469 m^-2 in the pure albizia stands. Only two earthworm species were present, Pontoscolex corethrurus and Amynthas gracilis. Leaf biomass on the forest floor was highest in the pure eucalyptus and lowest in the pure albizia stands, whereas the annual fine litterfall production was lowest in the pure eucalyptus and highest in the albizia stands. The N content of fine litterfall was correlated positively with earthworm density, and the fine litterfall biomass: N ratio was correlated negatively with earthworm density. Greater leaf biomass on the forest floor under eucalyptus stands despite lower rates of litterfall suggests that litter quality, rather than litter quantity, was primarily responsible for the greater earthworm density in the albizia stands. Some biogeochemical effects of tree species in the tropics may be mediated through effects on earthworm populations.     

Giemsa C-banding in Avena insularis Ladizinsky

The Sicilian wild tetraploid oat Avena insularis is a close relative of A. magna and A. murphyi and is more plausible than either of these two species as the immediate tetraploid ancestor of A. sterilis and the other hexaploid oats. This report presents the C-banding karyotype of A. insularis. As in A. magna and A. murphyi, the chromosomal complement can be divided into two groups, one predominantly heterochromatic and the other predominantly euchromatic. The heterochromatic chromosome group of A. insularis consists of three pairs of metacentric and four pairs of submetacentric chromosomes. The euchromatic chromosome group consists of one pair of metacentric, five pairs of submetacentric, and one pair of subtelocentric chromosomes.     

Powdery Mildew Resistance in a Collection of Chinese Barley Varieties

One hundred and forty-seven Chinese barley varieties maintained at the Gene Bank of the National Barley Improvement Centre, Zhejiang, and 84 progenies from these varieties were tested at the seedling stage for their reaction to 32 selected pathotypes of Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Eighteen resistance spectra were identified comprising single or combined resistances from eight known (Ml(Bw), Ml(Ch), Mla7, Mla8, Mla9, Mla13, MlaRu4 and Mlg) and six unknown resistance genes. The most frequent gene was Ml(Bw), which was found in 69 varieties and previously detected in only a few European winter barley varieties. The genes Mla8 and Ml(Ch) were also often present, but other resistance genes were rare. After inoculation, considerably fewer pathogen colonies were observed in ‘Aiganqi’ and one line of ‘Tong5’. Twenty varieties were composed of lines with different resistance genes. China is likely to be a region of origin of the genes Ml(Bw), Mla7, as well as three unknown genes found in original landraces and perhaps another three unknown genes detected in cultivars bred in China. The resistances of varieties from the Zhejiang province and those originating from 11 other Chinese provinces were quite different. Unfortunately, none of the varieties are promising sources of resistance to powdery mildew and China does not seem to be a region suitable for identifying such sources.     

Polymorphism of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in three species of Aegilops

A collection of 136 accessions of Aegilops umbellulata (39), Ae. comosa (75) and Ae. markgrafii (22) was analysed for high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits composition. The homogeneity of the accessions was studied and 55.1% of the collection was homogeneous for HMW glutenin subunits (29 Ae. umbellulata, 33 Ae. comosa and 14 Ae. markgrafii). The HMW glutenin subunits of Ae. umbellulata are encoded by the Glu-U1 locus; in Ae. comosa results showed that this proteins are encoded at the 1M chromosome, and the locus was named Glu-M1. In Ae. markgrafii it was assumed that HMW glutenin subunits were encoded by an homoeologous locus and it was named Glu-C1. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and Ae. markgrafii expressed both, x-type and y-type subunits. Among the Ae. comosa accessions, only one expressed an x-type subunit alone. All the accessions of Ae. umbellulata and some of Ae. comosa had x-type glutenins of higher molecular weights than those commonly present in bread wheat. A total of 8 alleles were detected at the Glu-U1 locus, 11 at the Glu-M1 and 4 at the Glu-C1. The new HMW glutenin variation found in this work suggests their possible utilisation in breeding for wheat quality.     

Changes in rhizosphere microbial activity mediated by native or allochthonous AM fungi in the reafforestation of a Mediterranean degraded environment

This study was carried out in a semiarid degraded area to assess the effectiveness of mycorrhizal inoculation with a mixture of native arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi or an allochthonous AM fungus (Glomus claroideum), on the establishment of Olea europaea subsp. sylvestris L. and Retama sphaerocarpa (L.) Boissier in this area. Associated changes in the soil microbiological properties and aggregate stability related to these AM inocula were also recorded. Eighteen months after planting, G. claroideum had increased available P in the rhizosphere of both shrub species. In general, both inoculation treatments increased water-soluble C and water-soluble and total carbohydrates, G. claroideum being the most effective inoculum, particularly in R. sphaerocarpa. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for increasing the aggregate stability of R. sphaerocarpa soil, while that of O. europaea was increased only by G. claroideum. Increased (dehydrogenase, urease, protease-BAA, acid phosphatase and -glucosidase) enzyme activities, in particular of dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase, were recorded in the rhizosphere of both mycorrhizal shrub species. The mixture of native AM fungi was the most effective treatment for stimulating the growth of O. europaea and R. sphaerocarpa (11.6-fold and 3.3-fold, respectively, greater than control plants). The establishment of mycorrhizal shrub species favoured the reactivation of soil microbial activity, which was linked to an increase in aggregate stability.     

Agricultural potential of Mediterranean grain and forage legumes: Key differences between and within Vicia species in terms of phenology, yield, and agronomy give insight into plant adaptation to semi-arid environments

In order to identify key adaptive traits which affect productivity in Mediterranean grain and forage legumes and simultaneously determine the agricultural potential of a wide range of Vicia species, germplasm collected from the wild throughout the eastern Mediterranean was grown under semi-arid conditions in Tel Hadya, Syria (313 mm growing season rainfall). These included species currently in use in Mediterranean agriculture, such as V. sativa L., as well as those more widely used in the past-such as V. ervilia L., but also a broad selection from Section Narbonensis (B. Fedtsch. ex Radzhi) Maxted, including V. narbonensis L, V. johannis Tamamsch., V. hyaeniscyamus Mout., V. serratifolia Jacq., and V. kalakhensis Khattab et al. V. faba, a near relative of the taxa in Section Narbonensis, was included as a domesticated control. Where applicable, a representative range of subspecies was used. Accessions were chosen from a wide range of habitats in terms of latitude (31.02–40.72 decimal^o), longitude (27.1–43.17 decimal^o), altitude (20–1510 m), rainfall (180–1700 mm/yr) and soil depth (5–50 cm) in order to maximise diversity within species. Agricultural potential was determined by measuring seed, hay and biological yield, as well as agronomic traits such as harvest index, standing crop height, and seed size. The comparative influence of phenology and key agronomic traits such as plant habit and seed size on productivity varied tremendously between species, depending on their reproductive strategies. In V. sativa and V. ervilia, the smaller seed species which rely on long vegetative phases and growing seasons to accumulate sufficient biomass to set seed, and in which there was comparatively little agronomic variation, phenology had a large impact on yield. In early emerging taxa such as V. ervilia and V. s. subsp. sativa, with built-in long vegetative phases and growing seasons, seed yield was negatively correlated with flower ing (r = –0.86 to –0.88), whereas the opposite was the case for later emerging taxa such as V. s. subsp. nigra (L.) Ehrh. (r = 0.95). Within V. narbonensis and relatives, the larger seeded Vicia species which rely on more conservative reproductive strategies where high seedling vigour associated with large seeds enables the species to enter reproductive phases relatively early, phenology had a much smaller impact on yield than did variation of key traits such as seed weight, plant habit and pod shattering. Among the undomesticated germplasm harvest indices ranged from 0.09–0.31, hay yields from 0.1–3.4 t/ha, seed yield from 0–2.0 t/ha, and dry matter at maturity from 1.6–6.5 t/ha. Sub-specific taxonomy was crucial in determining agronomic potential. V. narbonensis var. aegyptiaca Kornhuber ex Asch. et Schweinf. showed the most potential, combining an upright habit, large seeds (212 mg) and tendency to retain intact pods after maturity, with the highest yield, harvest index and crop height of all the wild Vicia species. V. sativa subsp. sativa, V. ervilia and V. narbonensis var. narbonensis were less productive, but still showed agricultural potential. The smaller seeded V. narbonensis, var. affinis, var. jordanica H. Schäf. and var. salmonea (Mout.) H. Schäf., and their close relatives V. johannis, V. hyaeniscyamus, V. serratifolia and V. kalakhensis have little to offer Mediterranean agriculture on the basis of poor agronomy.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.