Evaluation of drought tolerance in ZmVPP1-overexpressing transgenic inbred maize lines and their hybrids

The vacuolar proton-pumping pyrophosphatase gene(VPP) is often used to enhance plant drought tolerance via genetic engineering. In this study, the drought tolerance of four transgenic inbred maize lines overexpressing ZmVPP1(PH4 CV-T, PH6 WC-T, Chang7-2-T, and Zheng58-T) and their transgenic hybrids was evaluated at various stages. Under normal and drought conditions, the height and fresh weight were greater for the four transgenic inbred maize lines than for the wild-type(WT) controls at the germination and seedling stages. Additionally, the transgenic plants exhibited enhanced photosynthetic efficiency at the seedling stage. In irrigated and non-irrigated fields, the four transgenic lines grew normally, but with increased ear weight and yield compared with the WT plants. Moreover, the ear weight and yield of the transgenic hybrids resulting from the PH4 CV-T×PH6 WC-W and Chang7-2-T×Zheng58-W crosses increased in the non-irrigated field. Our results demonstrated that the growth and drought tolerance of four transgenic inbred maize lines with improved photosynthesis were enhanced by the overexpression of ZmVPP1. Moreover, the Chang7-2 and PH4 CV transgenic lines may be useful for future genetic improvements of maize hybrids to increase drought tolerance.     

转番茄正义抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因提高烟草耐盐能力

 【目的】探讨叶绿体类囊体膜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶（tAPX）与耐盐性的关系。【方法】从番茄叶片中分离到类囊体膜抗坏血酸过氧化物酶基因（LetAPX）,利用农杆菌介导的叶盘法转入到烟草中。Northern 杂交分析了LetAPX在盐胁迫（NaCl）下的表达特征。以野生型（WT）,转正义LetAPX烟草株系T2-2（+）和T2-6（+）为试材,测定了盐胁迫条件下APX酶活性,过氧化氢（H2O2）含量,种子发芽率,植株的鲜重、干重,光合速率及叶绿素荧光参数。【结果】Northern杂交显示LetAPX已转到烟草基因组中,且基因的表达受盐胁迫的诱导。盐胁迫下转基因烟草的种子发芽率,植株的鲜重与干重,APX酶活性和清除H2O2的能力都显著高于野生型,并且转基因烟草比野生型具有更高的净光合速率（Pn）和PSII最大光化学效率（Fv/Fm）。【结论】LetAPX的过量表达有助于提高烟草的耐盐能力。     

光诱导和组成型启动子控制柠檬酸合酶基因过量表达对转基因烟草耐铝性影响的比较

分别用光诱导型启动子(PrbcS)和组成型启动子(CaMV 35S)驱动柠檬酸合酶基因(cs)在转基因烟草中过量表达,比较转基因烟草中柠檬酸的含量和分泌量及其铝耐受性的变化.结果表明:诱导型转基因株系的CS酶活性是野生型的2.3～2.4倍,组成型转基因株系的酶活性是野生型的1.6～2倍;在30 μmol·L-1铝胁迫下,诱导型转基因植株的根相对伸长量是野生型的2.8～2.9倍,组成型的根相对伸长量是野生型的2～2.3倍;在无铝或300 μmo1·L-1铝胁迫下,转基因烟草叶片和根中柠檬酸含量均高于野生型,其中诱导型转基因植株叶片中柠檬酸含量高于组成型转基因植株,转基因烟草柠檬酸的分泌量分别是野生型的1.8～2.0倍和3.0～3.3倍;在有铝胁迫的珍珠岩基质上培养时,转基因烟草的生长情况好于野生型.这些结果证明,与CaMV 35S相比,采用PrbcS启动子控制cs基因的过量表达可更有效地增加转基因烟草中CS的酶活性及叶片中柠檬酸的合成量,同时也能更有效地提高转基因烟草柠檬酸的分泌量,从而增强其对铝毒害的抵御能力.     

棉花亲环素基因GhCYP1的功能分析

【目的】研究转棉花GhCYP1对烟草耐旱能力的影响。【方法】利用Gateway技术构建GhCYP1的植物表达载体pGWB-GhCYP1,采用农杆菌介导的遗传转化技术,获得融合目的基因的转基因烟草植株。以烟草野生型（WT）、L1和L2转基因系为试验材料,测定水分胁迫条件下烟草叶圆片中叶绿素的相对含量、叶片中相对水分含量、丙二醛含量和相对电导率。【结果】与野生型烟草植株相比,转GhCYP1烟草植株根系粗壮、发达。水分胁迫下转基因烟草叶圆片中的叶绿素相对含量显著高于野生型。水分胁迫3 d,WT、L1和L2中相对含水量、丙二醛含量和相对电导率无显著差异（P<0.05）。水分胁迫13 d,转基因系叶片中相对含水量明显高于野生型（P<0.05）,丙二醛含量和相对电导率均明显低于野生型（P<0.05）。【结论】干旱胁迫对野生型烟草产生了较大影响,而转基因烟草显示出较强的耐旱能力,表明GhCYP1的过量表达有助于提高烟草的耐旱能力。     

Constitutive expression of feedback-insensitive cystathionine γ-synthase increases methionine levels in soybean leaves and seeds

Soybean(Glycine max(L.) Merr.) is a major crop that provides plant-origin protein and oil for humans and livestock.Although the soybean vegetative tissues and seeds provide a major source of high-quality protein,they suffer from low concentration of an essential sulfur-containing amino acid,methionine,which significantly limits their nutritional quality.The level of methionine is mainly controlled by the first unique enzyme of methionine synthesis,cystathione γ-synthase(CGS).Aiming to elevate methionine level in vegetative tissues and seeds,we constitutively over-expressed a feedback-insensitive Arabidopsis CGS(At D-CGS) in soybean cultivars,Zigongdongdou(ZD) and Jilinxiaoli 1(JX).The levels of soluble methionine increased remarkably in leaves of transgenic soybeans compared to wild-type plants(6.6-and 7.3-fold in two transgenic ZD lines,and 3.7-fold in one transgenic JX line).Furthermore,the total methionine contents were significantly increased in seeds of the transgenic ZD lines(1.5-to 4.8-fold increase) and the transgenic JX lines(1.3-to 2.3-fold increase) than in the wild type.The protein contents of the transgenic soybean seeds were significantly elevated compared to the wild type,suggesting that the scarcity of methionine in soybeans may limit protein accumulation in soybean seeds.The increased protein content did not alter the profile of major storage proteins in the seeds.Generally,this study provides a promising strategy to increase the levels of methionine and protein in soybean through the breeding programs.     

异源表达irrE转基因烟草的耐盐耐旱性

【目的】IrrE是从耐辐射异常球菌中发现的全局调控蛋白,主要通过修复强辐射等逆境条件下DNA损伤,提高耐辐射异常球菌对极端逆境环境的抗性。研究按植物密码子优化的irrE后导入烟草对转基因烟草耐逆能力的提高,为棉花等作物耐逆育种研究打下基础。【方法】按照植物密码子优化细菌irrE并合成基因;通过酶切连接法构建irrE植物表达载体;通过叶盘法转化烟草并PCR验证获得阳性转基因再生苗;通过实时荧光定量PCR(q RT-PCR)分析转基因株系中irrE的表达量;通过蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测IrrE编码蛋白;通过NaCl和甘露醇模拟盐处理和干旱处理分析纯和转基因株系的耐盐耐旱性,通过测定抗逆相关生理指标鉴定其对植物耐逆的贡献。【结果】按照植物密码子对irrE进行改造,共优化了241个密码子;构建了高效植物表达载体GBI-IE;利用除草剂草甘膦作为筛选剂获得转基因再生幼苗,并通过PCR验证共获得15个独立的转基因株系;通过q RT-PCR分析从中选取两个表达量最高的株系GO1和GO2进行后续的抗逆性分析;Western blot验证IrrE编码蛋白在GO1和GO2中能正确翻译。转基因烟草耐盐耐旱性分析:种子萌发试验表明,正常1/2 MS培养基上,转基因株系GO1和GO2发芽率和非转基因野生型对照之间没有明显的差异。然而250 mmol·L~(-1)NaCl培养基上GO1和GO2萌发率分别为78.8%和90.0%,野生型仅为10.3%,分别提高了68.5%和79.7%。类似地,300 mmol·L~(-1)甘露醇条件下,野生型的萌发率为39.7%,转基因株系GO1和GO2分别提高了42.9%和50.8%;正常萌发的种子移栽到250 mmol·L~(-1) NaCl和300 mmol·L~(-1)甘露醇条件12 d后,转基因株系根长、侧根数以及鲜重等生理指标显著高于野生型对照;温室中正常生长30 d的苗期烟草在250 mmol·L~(-1) NaCl处理下,转基因烟草SOD、CAT活性比野生型对照分别提高了48.80%和88.55%,而MDA含量比野生型对照降低了61.61%,胁迫响应基因Nt ABF2、Nt LEA5、Ntzfp、Nt CDPK2在GO1和GO2转基因株系中表达量均显著高于非转基因野生型。和盐处理结果类似,300 mmol·L~(-1)甘露醇的处理下,转基因烟草的耐旱生理生化指标均优于非转基因对照。【结论】烟草中异源表达耐辐射异常球菌irrE可以显著提高耐盐耐旱性;其多效性耐非生物胁迫能力的提高表明其可作为植物耐逆基因工程的优良基因源。     

Overexpression of a Cytosolic Ascorbate Peroxidase Gene,OsAPX2, Increases Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Alfalfa

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important forage crop in the world and it is of great significance for the improvement of its salt tolerance. To improve salt tolerance in alfalfa, a rice ascorbate peroxidase gene (OsAPX2) was introduced into alfalfa using Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation with marker gene bar. The different T-DNA insertions in T₁ transgenic alfalfa were identified by Southern hybridization. Three independent T₂ transgenic lines were selected for stress analysis and the results showed that all of them were salt tolerant compared with wild-type plants. The transgenic plants had low levels of H₂O₂, malondialdehyde and relative electrical conductivity under salt and drought stresses. Moreover, the contents of chlorophyll and proline, and APX activity were high in transgenic plants under salt and drought stresses. Taken together, the overexpression of OsAPX2 enhances salt tolerance in alfalfa through scavenging reactive oxygen species.     

Cloning and Characterization of a Salt Tolerance-Associated Gene Encoding Trehalose-6-Phosphate Synthase in Sweetpotato

Trehalose plays an important role in metabolic regulation and abiotic stress tolerance in a variety of organisms. In plants, its biosynthesis is catalyzed by two key enzymes： trehalose-6-phosphate synthase（TPS） and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase（TPP）. In the present study, a TPS gene, named IbTPS, was first isolated from sweetpotato（Ipomoea batatas（L.） Lam.） cv. Lushu 3 by rapid amplification of cDNA ends（RACE）. The open reading frame（ORF） contained 2 580 nucleotides encoding 859 amino acids with a molecular weight of 97.433 kDa and an isoelectric point（pI） of 5.7. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high identities with TPS of other plants. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the expression level of IbTPS gene was significantly higher in stems of Lushu 3 than in its leaves and roots. Subcellular localization analysis in onion epidermal cells indicated that IbTPS gene was located in the nucleus. Transgenic tobacco（cv. Wisconsin 38） plants over-expressing IbTPS gene exhibited significantly higher salt tolerance compared with the control plant. Trehalose and proline content was found to be significantly more accumulated in transgenic tobacco plants than in the wild-type and several stress tolerance related genes were up-regulated. These results suggest that IbTPS gene may enhance salt tolerance of plants by increasing the amount of treahalose and proline and regulating the expression of stress tolerance related genes.     

超表达杨树SBPase基因促进拟南芥光合作用及营养生长

目的卡尔文循环是植物光合作用中极为重要的生理过程,对植物的生长发育具有显著影响。前期研究表明,高光合速率的速生欧美杨的景天庚酮糖-1, 7-二磷酸酯酶(SBPase)基因表达水平在速生期显著上调,预示该基因在光合碳固定过程中可能起着关键作用。方法为进一步解析SBPase在木本植物光合速率和生长发育中的作用,本文从速生欧美杨品系NE19中克隆得到了PdSBPase基因,并构建35S:PdSBP:GFP表达载体,采用农杆菌花序侵染法转化拟南芥,通过抗生素筛选,PCR鉴定和组织定位等多种方式鉴定并成功得到了超表达PdSBPase拟南芥株系。结果在正常生长状态下,超表达植株的叶面积、根长、株高都优于野生型和突变体,其中叶面积是野生型的1.79倍,根长是野生型的1.93倍,而突变体表现为植株矮化,叶子明显发黄短小,叶绿素含量低于野生型株系。转基因株系SBPase酶活是野生型1.4倍,是突变体的1.9倍,RuBP产量以及淀粉含量均要高于野生型和突变体株系,RuBP产量分别是野生型和突变体的1.37和1.76倍,转基因株系的淀粉含量达到了50.26μg/g,而突变体的淀粉含量未检出。结论这些结果说明,PdSBPase对RuBP的形成和淀粉等多糖的合成起到关键作用,能促进植物积累更多的碳水化合物,进而正向调控植物的光合能力。      

超表达小麦基因TaSOD1.1和TaSOD1.2对烟草耐低温能力的影响

 【目的】研究超表达小麦基因TaSOD1.1和TaSOD1.2对烟草耐低温能力的影响。【方法】采用农杆菌介导的遗传转化技术,获得融合靶基因的转基因烟草植株;通过比较低温处理后对照和转基因系的表型和生理指标,鉴定超表达靶基因对烟草耐低温能力的调控效应。【结果】以分子检测鉴定的插入单拷贝基因的4个转基因系和对照为材料,低温处理后超表达外源基因的转基因植株叶片失绿缓慢,叶片超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性明显增加,反映细胞膜质过氧化程度的丙二醛（MDA）含量明显下降;叶片叶绿素a、b和类胡萝卜素含量、可溶性糖含量和可溶性蛋白含量均明显提高。【结论】超表达小麦TaSOD1.1和TaSOD1.2的烟草植株,具有增强SOD活性、明显缓解低温造成的细胞膜质过氧化程度、改善低温胁迫下植株的生理功能,可进而改善植株抵御低温胁迫的能力。     

Identification of the DEAD-box RNA helicase family members in grapevine reveals that VviDEADRH25a confers tolerance to drought stress

Grapevine growing areas are increasingly affected by drought, which has greatly limited global wine production and quality. DEAD-box is one of the largest subfamilies of the RNA helicase family, and its members play key roles in the growth and development of plants and their stress responses. Previous studies have shown the potential of DEAD-box genes in the drought stress responses of Arabidopsis and tomato, rice, and other crop species. However, information about DEAD-box genes in grapevine remains limited. In this report, a total of 40 DEAD-box genes were identified in grapevine and their protein sequence characteristics and gene structures were analyzed. By comparing the expression profiles of VviDEADRHs in response to drought stress in different grapevine varieties, nine candidate genes (VviDEADRH10c, -13, -22, -25a, -25b, -33, -34, -36, and -39) were screened based on expression profiling data. Combined with qRT-PCR results, VviDEADRH25a was selected for functional verification. Heterologous overexpression of VviDEADRH25a in Arabidopsis showed the transgenic plants were more sensitive to drought stress than the control. Both electrolyte permeability and malondialdehyde content were significantly increased in transgenic plants, whereas the chlorophyll content and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activities were significantly decreased. Furthermore, VviDEADRH25a-overexpressing plants showed down-regulated expression levels of several drought stress-related marker genes, namely AtCOR15a, AtRD29A, AtERD15, and AtP5CS1, which indicated that they participated in the drought stress response. In summary, this study provides new insights into the structure, evolution, and participation of DEAD-box RNA helicase genes in the response to drought stress in grapevines.     

Overexpression of the Suaeda salsa SsNHX1 gene confers enhanced salt and drought tolerance to transgenic Zea mays

Maize is one of the most important crops worldwide, but it suffers from salt stress when grown in saline-alkaline soil. There is therefore an urgent need to improve maize salt tolerance and crop yield. In this study, the SsNHX1 gene of Suaeda salsa, which encodes a vacuolar membrane Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter, was transformed into the maize inbred line 18-599 by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic maize plants overexpressing the SsNHX1 gene showed less growth retardation when treated with an increasing NaCl gradient of up to 1%, indicating enhanced salt tolerance. The improved salt tolerance of transgenic plants was also demonstrated by a significantly elevated seed germination rate (79%) and a reduction in seminal root length inhibition. Moreover, transgenic plants under salt stress exhibited less physiological damage. SsNHX1-overexpressing transgenic maize accumulated more Na⁺ and K⁺ than wild-type (WT) plants particularly in the leaves, resulting in a higher ratio of K⁺/Na⁺ in the leaves under salt stress. This result revealed that the improved salt tolerance of SsNHX1-overexpressing transgenic maize plants was likely attributed to SsNHX1-mediated localization of Na⁺ to vacuoles and subsequent maintenance of the cytosolic ionic balance. In addition, SsNHX1 overexpression also improved the drought tolerance of the transgenic maize plants, as rehydrated transgenic plants were restored to normal growth while WT plants did not grow normally after dehydration treatment. Therefore, based on our engineering approach, SsNHX1 represents a promising candidate gene for improving the salt and drought tolerance of maize and other crops.     

拟南芥CYCD3;1基因植物表达载体的构建 及在烟草中的遗传转化分析

为了分析植物D型细胞周期蛋白在细胞周期中的作用,采用PCR方法从拟南芥花序中克隆出At CYCD3;1基因的全长c DNA序列。该基因的开放读码框为1131 bp,预测编码376个氨基酸,蛋白质的分子量为42701.6 Da,蛋白质的等电点为4.89。构建植物表达载体p ROKII-At CYCD3;1,并利用农杆菌介导的叶盘法将外源基因导入野生型烟草中。通过PCR及q RT-PCR检测显示,At CYCD3;1成功插入烟草基因组并在转录水平表达。表型观察显示转基因株系与野生型株系相比主要表现为花冠宽度变大,花瓣和萼片长度变长,果实变大,茎干弯曲,叶片卷曲,根尖细胞变小。综上,拟南芥At CYCD3;1基因的过量表达影响了植物的生长发育。     

Improvement of organic phosphate acquisition in transgenic tobacco plants by overexpression of a soybean phytase gene Sphy1

Due to the huge amount in the soil, phytate is an important potential source for providing the plants with available phosphorus (Pi) by the involved catalytic reaction of phytase. In this study, a construct fusing the open reading frame (ORF) of Sphy1 into corresponding positions in the fragment of binary expression vector pBI121 was created and used to transform tobacco. Molecular identification by PCR and RT-PCR indicated the target gene Sphy1 in the transgenic tobacco plants was transcribed under the regulation of an upstream promoter. Compared with the control plants, the phytase activities in all the transgenic plants were increased, with the increased range consistent with the expression levels in the transgenic plants. Under the growth conditions with phytate as the sole phosphorus source, the transgenic line 1 plants displayed a high expression level of Sphy1 and shows notable improved growth performance, such as higher fresh weight and dry weight, as well as higher total P content and more accumulative P amount per plant than CK. This clearly indicated that overexpression of Sphy1 could improve the phosphorus acquisition by the extruded Sphy1 phytase in the rhizosphere, where this enzyme could catalyze the degradation of the phytate and release the available Pi for plants. The Sphy1 gene seemed to have a potential value in the creation of new crop cultivars with high phosphorus use efficiency.     

苎麻谷氨酰胺合成酶BnGS2等位基因的克隆及其转基因烟草特性

【目的】克隆谷氨酰胺合成酶BnGS2等位基因,分别构建其超量表达载体,并探讨其在转基因烟草中对氮代谢的影响。【方法】依据苎麻转录组unigenes和RT-PCR技术克隆苎麻BnGS2等位基因,利用内切酶TaqⅠ对目的等位基因在中苎1号自交F1和亲本中进行酶切鉴定,并利用生物信息学对基因序列和结构特征进行分析;通过同源重组技术分别构建BnGS2等位基因的超量表达载体,并在农杆菌（Agrobacterium tumefaciens）LBA4404的介导下,通过叶盘法将超量表达载体转入烟草中,通过Kan筛选、转化植株基因组DNA PCR验证获得转基因T0植株;利用qRT-PCR分析BnGS2等位基因在转基因T1植株中的相对表达水平,并测定植株叶片中的GS活性、株高、鲜重、可溶蛋白及总氮含量。【结果】首次从苎麻中克隆了一对GS2等位基因,命名为BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2,等位基因序列全长1 340 bp,含有一个1 293 bp的ORF区,编码430个氨基酸残基多肽;等位基因核苷酸序列在11个位点上存在差异,导致编码的多肽在195、382位点上的氨基酸残基存在替换现象（BnGS2-1为脯氨酸和天冬酰胺,BnGS2-2为苏氨酸和丝氨酸）;NCBI BLASTP分析表明苎麻BnGS2与Pisum sativum、Vigna radiata、Glycine max、Phaseolus vulgaris、Medicago truncatula具有很近的亲缘关系;构建了能分别超量表达BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2的载体,并获得能分别超量表达BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2转基因烟草植株;与野生型烟草植株相比,超量表达BnGS2等位基因（BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2）都能显著性提高转基因植株叶片GS活性、鲜重和可溶性蛋白的含量,株高和总氮含量也有增加,但没有达到显著性水平。另外,超量表达不同BnGS2等位基因（BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2）的转基因烟草植株,在株高、鲜重、叶片可溶性蛋白及总氮含量上并没有显著性差异。【结论】在烟草中分别超量表达来源苎麻的BnGS2等位基因（BnGS2-1或BnGS2-2）均能显著提高转基因植株的生物产量和氮利用效率,并且所克隆的2个等位基因BnGS2-1和BnGS2-2在功能上并无显著差异。     

Research on Tobacco Transformation of Vacuolar H＋-ATPase Subunit c Gene from Iris lacteal

Vacuolar ATPase is the key enzyme in the aspect of plant stress, which contains 13 subunits. In this study, VHA-c which was cloned from the salt-tolerant plants Iris lacteal was transformed into tobacc...