玉米自交系响应花粒期高温胁迫差异表达基因的分析

为了探明玉米重要自交系花粒期高温胁迫下转录组基因的表达差异,发掘玉米响应高温胁迫的关键基因和蛋白质,明确高温胁迫引起玉米减产的机理,从而利用分子生物学技术手段提高玉米耐高温胁迫性。首先,利用Ampha~(TM)Z30花粉活性分析仪检测高温胁迫和正常生长条件下玉米自交系昌7-2、郑58的花粉活性。然后收集花粉提取总RNA,利用Illumina Hiseq2000~(TM)高通量测序技术分别对昌7-2、郑58花粒期高温胁迫材料和正常生长条件下的对照材料进行全转录组测序,序列结果分析后获得差异显著表达基因。通过差异基因维恩图(VENN图)重叠区域分析、GO功能分类和富集统计、KEGG pathway通路分类和富集分析以及转录因子分析,获得玉米花粒期高温胁迫相关的重要差异表达基因和蛋白质。花粉活性检测结果显示,高温胁迫后和正常生长条件下,昌7-2花粉活性分别为24. 37%,42. 89%,郑58花粉活性分别为35. 57%,64. 83%。高温胁迫后在昌7-2花粉转录组中共检测到4 176个显著差异表达基因,郑58花粉转录组中共检测到5 487个显著差异表达基因。KEGG pathway通路分类和富集分析结果显示,高温胁迫后郑58的花粉转录组中有2 062个差异表达基因富集到399个相关通路上,昌7-2的花粉转录组中有1 943个差异表达基因富集到352个相关通路上。转录因子分析结果表明,共获得55个转录因子家族,其中,有45个转录因子包含10个以上差异表达基因。研究表明,通过对玉米自交系花粒期高温胁迫后花粉转录组测序获得了大量的差异显著表达基因信息,昌7-2、郑58对高温胁迫响应机制存在明显差异,热激蛋白(Hsps)、热激转录因子(Hsfs)、生长素(IAA)基因和磷脂酰基醇-4,5-二磷酸基因家族(PIP2)在响应玉米花粒期高温胁迫过程中起着重要作用。     

白菜脱水应答转录因子BpDREB1基因的克隆及功能研究

DREB1/CBF类转录因子在植物抵抗外界胁迫上起重要作用,利用这些基因改良作物抗逆性具有重要意义。本研究在白菜中分离到一个DREB类转录因子基因BpDREB1 (EF219470)。该基因序列全长647 bp,推测编码蛋白含213个氨基酸,相对分子量为23 kD,理论等电点为5.11,与白菜中该类转录因子序列同源性为94%。进化树表明,BpDREB1属于DREB亚家族中A1亚族。基因的诱导表达模式分析显示,BpDREB1被低温强烈、迅速诱导表达,并对干旱胁迫也有一定程度的响应,但对高盐处理几乎没有响应。过表达BpDREB1的转基因拟南芥经低温诱导后,其体内可溶性糖及脯氨酸含量大幅度提高。以上结果显示BpDREB1转录因子基因具有家族成员基因结构的特征,在低温、干旱应答途径中起重要作用。     

玉米分子伴侣基因ZmBiP2在逆境下的功能分析

BiP(binding protein)基因编码的蛋白是一类重要的分子伴侣,在动植物的逆境胁迫响应过程中具有重要的作用。从玉米抗旱自交系旱21中分离到分子伴侣基因ZmBiP2,序列分析结果显示,该基因开放阅读框长1989 bp,编码含663个氨基酸的蛋白,包含热激蛋白家族特有的TVIGIDLGTTYSC保守结构域和ATP结合位点。实时荧光定量PCR结果显示,Zm Bi P2基因在玉米的雄穗和子房中表达量最高;在盐、甘露醇胁迫条件下,该基因在植株的地上部分上调表达。过量表达Zm Bi P2基因的拟南芥转基因株系在种子萌发时期对盐和甘露醇胁迫的耐受能力减弱,在苗期对盐胁迫敏感。推测在植物响应非生物胁迫的过程中,过量表达的ZmBiP2蛋白可能发挥负调节蛋白的功能。     

野生大豆转录因子GsNAC20基因的分离及胁迫耐性分析

NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2)转录因子作为一类新型转录因子已成为非生物胁迫基因工程领域的研究热点。本研究以野生大豆(Glycine soja)为材料,利用酵母单杂交的方法筛选到一个能够与MYB1AT元件(核心序列为AAACCA)结合的转录因子基因,该基因与大豆NAC20 (EU440353.1)基因具有99%的相似性,命名为GsNAC20。GsNAC20蛋白含有典型的NAC结构域和转录激活区。酵母试验表明,GsNAC20转录因子能够与耐逆相关顺式元件MYB1AT特异结合,但不具有自激活功能。细胞定位分析证明该基因位于细胞核中,符合转录因子的特征。GsNAC20能够响应高盐、干旱和低温胁迫,并且在根和叶中具有不同的表达模式。超量表达GsNAC20基因的拟南芥对盐胁迫的敏感性提高。以上结果表明GsNAC20参与植物非生物胁迫反应过程,该基因在非生物胁迫基因工程研究领域具有良好的理论研究和实际应用价值。     

玉米热激转录因子基因ZmHSF-Like对逆境胁迫响应的信号途径

在前期对玉米热激转录因子基因ZmHSF-Like克隆、表达特性和亚细胞定位分析的基础上,对基因响应不同逆境胁迫的信号途径进行了研究。结果显示,H₂O₂处理能显著上调ZmHSF-Like基因的表达,42℃热激上调ZmHSF-Like基因的表达依赖于H₂O₂的存在,ABA上调基因表达部分依赖于H₂O₂的存在,而PEG-6000诱导基因表达不依赖于H₂O₂;外源Ca²⁺处理也能上调ZmHSF-Like基因表达,而螯合胞外钙离子并阻断其内流并不能降低上述逆境胁迫诱导的ZmHSF-Like基因的表达水平。表明ZmHSF-Like基因通过H₂O₂信号途径实现对热激和ABA胁迫的响应。在H₂O₂处理过程中,热激蛋白基因HSP704的表达与ZmHSF-Like基因的表达同步,可能是该途径中ZmHSF-Like结合的下游热激蛋白。单独钙离子诱导处理,热激蛋白基因HSP701、HSP702和HSPeu701的表达均与ZmHSF-Like基因的表达同步,可能是ZmHSF-Like基因响应Ca²⁺反应的下游结合蛋白。ZmHSF-Like通过与下游不同热激蛋白的结合实现对不同逆境胁迫的响应。     

大豆热激转录因子GmHsFA1对高温和干旱信号的表达反应

本研究将热激转录因子GmHsFA1基因构建在植物表达载体pCAMBIA3300中,以大豆子叶节作为受体,通过农杆菌介导法将热激转录因子GmHsFA1基因导入到高产品种黑农53中,获得一批转基因株系。采用Real-time PCR的方法对各代株系GmHsFA1基因的转录水平进行相对定量分析,确定转基因大豆中热激转录因子GmHsFA1的表达量明显提高。利用转热激转录因子GmHsFA1大豆研究了高温和干旱胁迫下,大豆热激转录因子GmHsFA1应对高温和干旱信号的基因表达,生理生化特性,光合特性及产量性状的变化反应,采用胁迫系数与灰色关联分析相结合方法,对转GmHsFA1基因大豆的耐热性和抗旱性进行综合鉴定和评价。结果表明:转热激转录因子GmHsFA1大豆品系在高温和干旱诱导条件下,大豆叶片中GmHsFA1、GmHSP70、GmHSP22和GmHSP17.9基因的表达量明显高于非转基因受体黑农53,叶肉细胞中的脯氨酸含量和可溶性糖含量明显高于受体,丙二醛含量增幅较小,叶片的光合特性受胁迫变化较小,光合特性能力和产量性状表现高于受体,表明过量表达的热激转录因子GmHsFA1大豆植株的耐热能力和抗干旱能力得到明显的提高。     

植物在高温胁迫下的生理研究进展

(石河子大学农学院,新疆石河子832003)     

梭梭热激因子家族基因HaHsfA5的鉴定及其在高温胁迫记忆中的表达

植物能够对经历过的高温胁迫产生"胁迫记忆",从而更好地适应反复发生的高温胁迫。鉴定梭梭热激因子基因HaHsfA5序列和结构特征,分析其在梭梭幼苗高温胁迫记忆中的表达规律,对梭梭高温胁迫适应性研究有重要理论价值。本研究内容包括:以反转录PCR克隆HaHsfA5读码框全长序列;以在线生物信息学工具预测HaHsfA5的蛋白理化参数、蛋白结构域和基元;进行HaHsfA5的序列比对和进化树分析;以qRT-PCR分析HaHsfA5在高温胁迫记忆中的表达。生物信息分析显示HaHsfA5为分子量较小、不稳定、亲水的HSFs家族A亚族蛋白,与甜菜、菠菜、藜麦的Hsf A5有较近亲缘关系。qRT-PCR分析显示经过高温胁迫锻炼的梭梭幼苗在高温胁迫处理下HaHsfA5表达显著上调,而正常条件下生长的梭梭幼苗在高温胁迫处理下其表达并未显著上调。综合Ha HsfA5的结构特征和表达规律,提示HaHsfA5功能可能与梭梭幼苗的高温胁迫记忆有关。本研究为进一步分析Ha Hsf A5在梭梭幼苗高温胁迫记忆中的功能提供研究基础,对梭梭耐高温品系选育和耐逆机制研究可能具有推动作用。     

植物热激转录因子在非生物逆境中的作用

非生物逆境通常导致生物体内蛋白变性。热激蛋白(Hsp)作为分子伴侣协助蛋白的重新折叠、稳定、胞内运输和降解,以阻止受损蛋白的累积,维护细胞内环境的稳定。而热激蛋白的表达是通过热激转录因子(Hsfs)结合于热激蛋白基因的启动子的热激元件上(heatshockelement,HSE),以募集其它转录因子而形成转录复合体,促进热激蛋白基因的表达。植物热激转录因子比动物系统更为多样性。根据其基本的结构域,植物热激转录因子可分为三类:HsfA、HsfB、HsfC。A类Hsfs已有大量深入的研究和报道,特别是在番茄方面。HsfB和HsfC的作用尚不清楚。在其复杂的网络中,每一热激转录因子均有其独特的作用,取决于其表达模式、亚细胞定位、聚合化、活性及与其他蛋白的相互作用。在非生物逆境,尤其是热激逆境下,A类热激转录因子在调节热激蛋白的表达起着重要作用。番茄的HsfA1起着主导作用,其缺失无法被其他相近的Hsfs所取代,但在持续热逆境下,在HsfA1的配合下,HsfA2可成为主要调节因子。B类热激转录因子可作为A类Hsfs的阻抑蛋白。然而,基于对不同的单个突变体的研究,以及对酵母Hsf1致死突变体的拯救恢复,一些热激转录因子的作用又是丰余的。此外,热激蛋白也对热激转录因子起负反馈调节作用。     

Biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea in table grapes by non-pathogenic indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts isolated from viticultural environments in Argentina

Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of gray mold, is an important disease of grapes. Yeasts are members of the epiphytic microbial community on surfaces of fruits and vegetables and because some yeasts inhibit fungi they are used as biocontrol agents. The major objective of the present work was to isolate yeasts from grapes, vineyard soil, and grape must and select them for their ability to prevent gray mold onset after harvest. Yeasts that were found effective against the fungus were also assayed for their possible pathogenicity in humans. Two antagonism experiments were performed to study the effect of yeasts on B. cinerea, an in vitro study with Czapeck Yeast Extract Agar and an in vivo study with grape berries at 2 °C and 25 °C; both experiments were conducted at different yeast concentrations (10⁵, 10⁶ and 10⁷ cfu/mL). Antagonists were subsequently assayed for their ability to colonize and grow in fruit wounds. The biocontrol yeasts were also examined for their possible pathogenicity in humans: phospholipase and proteolytic activity, growth at 37 °C and 42 °C, pseudohyphal formation and invasive growth. A total of 225 yeasts belonging to 41 species were isolated from must and grape berries and 65 of them, representing 15 species, exhibited in vitro inhibition of B. cinerea at 25 °C. These 65 biocontrol yeasts were subsequently assayed in vivo and 16 of them (15 Saccharomyces cerevisiae and 1 Schizosaccharomyces pombe) showed antagonistic properties against B. cinerea at 25 °C. Only one isolate (S. cerevisiae BSc68) was able to inhibit mycelial growth of B. cinerea on grape berries at both 2 °C and 25 °C. The biomass of this strain in grape wounds increased 221.5-fold at 25 °C after 3 d and 325.5-fold at 2 °C after 10 d of incubation. An increase in the concentration of certain yeasts significantly enhanced their antagonistic activity. All yeast isolates determined as biocontrol agents under in vivo conditions were isolated from fermenting musts. Twelve biocontrol agents (S. cerevisiae) revealed one or more phenotypical characteristics associated with pathogenicity in humans but none of them showed all characteristics together. The fact that there exist few reports on S. cerevisiae and none on Sch. pombe as biocontrol agents against B. cinerea makes our results even more relevant.     

Chilling Tolerance in Hybrid Maize Induced by Seed Priming with Salicylic Acid

The optimum temperature for maize germination is between 25 and 28 °C. Poor and erratic germination at suboptimal temperature is the most important hindrance in its early sowing. This study was conducted to induce chilling tolerance in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) by seed priming with salicylic acid (SA) and to unravel the background biochemical basis. For seed priming, maize hybrid (Hycorn 8288) seeds were soaked in 50, 100 and 150 ppm (mg l^?1) aerated solutions of SA for 24 h and were dried back. Treated and untreated seeds were sown at 27 °C (optimal temperature) and at 15 °C (chilling stress) under controlled conditions. Performance of maize seedlings was hampered under chilling stress. But seed priming with SA improved the seedling emergence, root and shoot length, seedling fresh and dry weights, and leaf and root score considerably compared with control both at optimal and chilling temperatures. However, priming in 50 mg l^?1 SA solution was more effective, followed by priming in 100 mg l^?1 SA solution. Seed priming with SA improved the chilling tolerance in hybrid maize mainly by the activation of antioxidants (including catalase, superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase). Moreover, maintenance of high tissue water contents and reduced membrane permeability also contributed towards chilling tolerance.     

Fruit maturity affects the response of apples to heat stress

Quality changes of apple fruit at different maturity stages in response to heat stress were investigated. ‘Jonagold’ and ‘Cortland’ apples at immature (pre-climacteric), commercial harvest maturity (CHM) and post climacteric maturity (PCM, CHM plus 4 weeks) were harvested and held at 46 °C for 0, 4, 8, or 12 h. Following treatments, fruits were stored in air at 0 °C and evaluated after 0, 1, 2, or 3 months. Quality indices including peel and flesh browning, firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids, chlorophyll fluorescence (CF), and ethanol production were measured. Results indicated that different cultivars and maturities affected the fruit's resistance to heat stress. ‘Jonagold’ was more resistant to heat stress than ‘Cortland’. Fruit at PCM were most sensitive to heat stress, followed by fruits at CHM and immature stages. When ‘Jonagold’ apples at immature and CHM stages were held at 46 °C for 12 h and then stored for 3 months, flesh browning ratings were negligible compared with 1.4 or 2.9, respectively in ‘Cortland’. Flesh browning rating increased to 1.4 or 4.5 in PCM ‘Jonagold’ held at 46 °C for 8 or 12 h and then stored for 3 months while it was 4.9 or 5.0, respectively, in ‘Cortland’. Heat treatment-induced flesh injury was associated with a decrease in CF. After fruit were exposure to 46 °C for 12 h and then stored for 3 months, Fv/Fm was reduced by 13%, 30%, and 55% in ‘Jonagold’ at immature maturity, CHM and PCM, respectively, while it was reduced by 51%, 58% and 75%, respectively, in ‘Cortland’. Heat stress also caused a decrease in fruit titratable acidity, but had no effect on soluble solids contents. The 8 or 12 h heat treatment resulted in an increase in ethanol production, which was greatest in PCM apples.