W6基因的过表达提高转基因烟草的耐盐性

W6基因是由普通小麦地方品种小白麦cDNA文库中克隆获得的ERF类转录因子, 属于ERF IV家族。将W6基因构建在由组成型CaMV35S强启动子控制的双子叶转化载体pBI121上, 通过农杆菌介导法将其转入烟草新华1号。利用RT-PCR技术分析W6基因的过量表达对下游抗性基因表达水平的影响, 并测定高盐胁迫下转基因烟草的SOD酶活性和叶绿素含量。结果显示, 所检测的转基因烟草阳性株中W6基因均有不同程度的表达, 其耐盐性明显提高。W6基因的表达诱导并增强了含有GCC box的PR(pathogenesis-related)基因和含有DRE/CRT元件的COR/RD基因的表达。在高盐胁迫下, 转基因烟草的SOD酶活性和叶绿素含量明显高于对照。W6基因既能诱导抗病相关的PR基因表达又能诱导与提高非生物胁迫能力的COR/RD基因表达, 可能与生物胁迫和非生物胁迫相关, 证实转录因子W6参与了耐盐胁迫相关基因的调节, W6基因的过表达提高了转基因烟草的耐盐性。     

ERF转录因子对生物胁迫的反应及对棉花抗性改良的意义

大量研究表明植物中ERF(ethylene responsive factor)类转录因子广泛参与外界环境胁迫应答基因表达的调控.它编码的蛋白能够特异结合GCC-box元件,从而调控启动子含有GCC-box的病程相关蛋白基因的表达,在植物抗病反应中发挥重要的调控作用.棉花中ERF基因表达受生物和非生物胁迫诱导,并在乙烯、茉莉酸和水杨酸信号传导途径中发挥一定的作用.一些ERF基因在转基因植物中的超表达表现出了一定的广谱抗性,因而在棉花分子育种中具有较为广阔的应用前景.本文主要论述了棉花等植物中ERF的结构与功能特征,当前相关研究进展,及其对棉花抗病性分子遗传改良的意义.     

水稻耐旱性基因OsERF65的克隆、表达及转录自激活活性分析

ERF家族转录因子普遍存在于植物中,在植物生长发育、抵抗逆境的过程中发挥着重要作用。本研究从‘珍汕97B’中克隆到一个耐旱相关基因OsERF65,属于ERF转录因子家族的成员。生物信息学分析表明,OsERF65含有一个保守的AP2结构域,与AtERF73等同源蛋白的亲缘关系较近。OsERF65的启动子区域含有多个响应非生物胁迫及激素处理的顺式作用元件,定量PCR结果显示该基因的表达明显受干旱、高盐等非生物胁迫处理的诱导;酵母中转录激活活性结果显示OsERF65具有一定的转录自激活活性;烟草瞬时表达结果表明Os ERF65蛋白定位于细胞核中。本研究为进一步研究OsERF65的生物学功能奠定了一定的基础。     

向日葵病程相关蛋白HaPR1基因的克隆与功能

病程相关蛋白(pathogenesis-related proteins)经常被用作植物抗病反应的分子标记。本文在核盘菌诱导向日葵转录组文库的基础上克隆1个病程相关蛋白1基因Ha PR1的c DNA全长序列,并进行了表达模式和功能分析。结果表明,该基因c DNA全长开放阅读框为489 bp,编码162个氨基酸,分子量为17.52 k D,等电点为8.19,具有6个保守半胱氨酸,4个保守的allergen V5/Tpx-1结构域,Gen Bank登录号为KR071874。经比较Ha PR1与多种物种PR1高度同源。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,Ha PR1相对表达量在向日葵叶中最高,根中其次,茎中最低。干旱、盐、草酸、核盘菌及其代谢物均可显著诱导其表达。利用农杆菌介导法将该基因导入烟草,提高了转基因株系对核盘菌的抗性。对抗性株系烟草防御酶活性及丙二醛含量测定发现转基因烟草叶片在核盘菌胁迫下显著提高了SOD、POD和CAT活性,降低了MDA含量。初步推断Ha PR1具有抗核盘菌的功能。     

烟草转录因子NtNAC080在非生物胁迫下的表达分析及功能鉴定

NAC作为植物特有的转录因子,广泛参与植物生长发育、衰老及胁迫响应等生物学过程。为探究烟草NtNAC080在非生物胁迫响应中的功能,利用qRT-PCR技术分析了不同胁迫处理下NtNAC080的表达模式,结果表明,NtNAC080的表达受干旱、高盐胁迫以及ABA、MeJA和SA激素的诱导;以NtNAC080基因的敲除突变体及野生型(K326)烟株为材料,分析敲除株系在高盐和干旱胁迫下抗逆表型。试验表明,与野生型相比,2个敲除株系的耐盐抗旱能力均明显增强;干旱和盐胁迫下敲除株系的抗氧化酶(SOD、POD、CAT)活性以及可溶性蛋白、脯氨酸含量显著高于野生型,而丙二醛含量显著低于野生型。相反地,异源表达NtNAC080的转基因拟南芥与野生型(Col-0)相比对盐和干旱的耐受性明显减弱。qRT-PCR分析发现在干旱和盐处理后胁迫相关基因(NtDREB1A、NtKAT2、NtNHX1等)在NtNAC080基因敲除株系中表达水平显著高于野生型。以上结果表明,NtNAC080在烟草的非生物胁迫响应中起负调控作用,这可能是通过调控抗氧化酶活性及胁迫相关基因的表达来实现的。     

植物抗旱耐盐机理的研究进展

干旱、盐碱均是影响植物生长发育及作物减产的非生物胁迫因素,研究植物的抗旱性和耐盐性对农业生产和生态建设具有重要的意义。植物在受到干旱胁迫或者盐碱胁迫时,可以通过渗透物质的变化以及保护酶活性变化来响应干旱胁迫或者盐碱胁迫,从而提高植物的抗旱耐盐能力。同时许多与植物抗旱耐盐相关的基因被克隆和分析,并通过转基因技术将这些基因转到植物中异源表达,同样提高了转基因植物的抗旱耐盐能力。笔者从植物形态、生理生化水平以及活性氧清除和转录因子等方面概述了植物的抗旱和耐盐机制。     

玉米中低温应答ERF基因鉴定及表达分析

ERF转录因子在植物的多种发育过程和非生物胁迫反应中发挥重要作用。在玉米中,虽然ERF家族基因对盐胁迫和干旱胁迫的响应研究已经有报道,但尚没有研究从全基因组水平鉴定ERF家族基因对低温胁迫的响应。本研究采用高通量测序技术Illumina HiSeq,分别在5℃和22℃处理下构建玉米叶组织转录组,从中筛选出57条低温响应ZmERFs,包括53条上调表达的Zm ERFs,4条下调表达的Zm ERFs。不同的Zm ERFs在不同组织部位和发育阶段的表达模式有很大变化。蛋白保守结构域分析表明ZmERFs蛋白中共有20个保守基序,EAR基序出现在组B1成员中,LWSY基序出现在A1,A5和B2成员中。启动子分析显示,多种逆境相关元件ABRE、ARE、LTR和MBS在低温响应ZmERFs的启动子中高度富集。RT-qPCR结果进一步显示GRMZM2G544539和GRMZM2G040664基因可以同时受低温、盐和干旱胁迫诱导表达,GRMZM2G434203基因可以同时受低温和干旱胁迫诱导表达,表明ERF转录因子可以参与包括低温在内的多重非生物胁迫反应。此外,启动子中含有7个ABRE元件的GRMZM2...     

甜菜ERF转录因子基因克隆及非生物胁迫响应分析

ERF(Ethylene-responsive element binding factors)是调控植物生长发育和响应胁迫的重要转录因子，在植物应对生物及非生物胁迫反应、调控胁迫相关功能基因的表达、提高植物的抗逆性中起着重要的作用。分析甜菜ERF转录因子基因在非生物胁迫下的表达规律，旨在为深入研究ERF转录因子在甜菜逆境胁迫应答中的作用机制提供理论依据。本研究以高糖型甜菜品系‘BS02’为试材，利用RT-PCR方法克隆得到Bv＿ammr基因，并对其进行生物信息学分析。该基因CDS区长906 bp，编码301个氨基酸。蛋白质分子量为33.19 kD，理论等电点为8.61，其二级结构以无规则卷曲和α-螺旋为主，具有一个AP2保守结构域；氨基酸序列的同源性和进化树分析显示其编码蛋白与马兜铃菌毛所编码的蛋白亲缘关系较近。采用实时荧光定量PCR方法观测非生物胁迫下该基因表达模式，结果表明，Bv＿ammr基因对低温、高温、干旱、盐、ABA等非生物胁迫有不同程度响应。     

红麻非生物逆境胁迫响应基因HCWRKY71表达分析及转化拟南芥

WRKY转录因子在植物响应非生物逆境胁迫过程中具有重要的调控作用。本研究根据红麻转录组unigene序列(CL3883.Contig4),设计引物进行PCR扩增,经sanger测序获得全长为957 bp的HcWRKY71基因cDNA序列。该基因开放读码框为957 bp,编码1个含有318个氨基酸的蛋白,具有1个WRKY功能保守结构域,属于II类WRKY转录因子。在盐胁迫下,HcWRKY71基因表达量随NaCl溶液浓度升高而增加;在干旱胁迫下,HcWRKY71基因表达量随干旱胁迫时间的增加呈现先下降再上升然后再下降的趋势;在重金属镉胁迫下,HcWRKY71基因表达量随CdCl2溶液浓度的增加而降低。表明该基因表达受盐、干旱和重金属镉胁迫的诱导。利用农杆菌介导花序浸染法将该基因转化拟南芥发现,HcWRKY71基因提高了转基因拟南芥幼苗的耐盐性,这为进一步研究HcWRKY71基因的耐逆机制奠定了坚实的基础。     

GsERF6基因过表达对水稻耐盐碱性的影响

乙烯响应因子(ERF)是植物特有的一类转录因子,在响应非生物胁迫中具有重要作用。本研究通过生物信息学发现,野生大豆耐盐碱ERF转录因子GsERF6与水稻ERF同源蛋白的氨基酸序列相似性很高,均包含1个高度保守的AP2结构域。为探究GsERF6基因在水稻耐盐碱应答中的作用,通过遗传转化、PCR和半定量RT-PCR鉴定,获得了2个纯合的GsERF6过表达转基因水稻株系。表型鉴定表明, 200 mmol L^–1 NaHCO3处理下GsERF6转基因水稻的存活率、相对含水量、超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶、过氧化氢酶活性、可溶性糖和脯氨酸含量均显著高于对照,活性氧积累则反之。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明, 40 mmol L^–1 NaHCO3处理6 h后渗透调节基因OsP5CS2和OsLEA14在GsERF6转基因水稻中的表达量显著高于对照。本研究表明,水稻中GsERF6的过表达可通过提高ROS清除水平、渗透调节能力及胁迫应答基因的表达来提高其耐盐碱性。     

A note on the origin of Kalanchoë x vadensis Boom & Zeilinga (Crassulaceae)

Summary K x vadensis is a hybrid of K. blossfeldiana and K. marmorata obtained after doubling the number of chromosomes.     

Avoidance of leaf rust fungi in wild relatives of cultivated cereals

Summary Avoidance of rust fungi that was based on poor appressorium induction was previously found in Hordeum chilense. In the present study 95 accessions of Triticeae were screened for avoidance of Puccinia hordei. The percentage of appressorium formation per germinated spore ranged from 6 to 90%. On none of the 41 accessions of Aegilops, Agropyron, Elymus, Secale, Thinopyrum or Triticum studied was the rate of appressorium formation lower than 25%. Lower rates of appressorium formation were, however, found on accessions of wild barley species Hordeum brachyantherum, H. marinum, H. parodii and H. secalinum. Its implications in cereal breeding are discussed.     

Relation between wheat-rye crossability and seed set of common wheat after pollination with other species in the Hordeae

Summary Cultivars of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.) of high wheat-rye (Secale cereale L.) crossability set more seed with pollen of other related species than did wheats of low wheat-rye crossability. This was found to be true for pollen parents from the genera Triticum, Aegilops, Secale, Agropyron and Elymus.     

Mechanisms and diversity of resistance to sorghum shoot fly,Atherigona soccata

Sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata, is one of the important pests of postrainy season sorghums. Of the 90 sorghum genotypes evaluated for resistance to this pest, RHRB 12, ICSV 713, 25026, 93046 and 25027, IS 33844‐5, Giddi Maldandi and RVRT 3 exhibited resistance in postrainy season, while ICSB 463, Phule Anuradha, RHRB 19, Parbhani Moti, ICSV 705, PS 35805, IS 5480, 5622, 17726, 18368 and 34722, RVRT 1, ICSR 93031 and Dagidi Solapur showed resistance in rainy season, suggesting season‐specific expression of resistance to A. soccata. ICSB 461, ICSB 463, Phule Yasodha, M 35‐1, ICSV 700, 711, 25010, 25019 and 93089, IS 18662, Phule Vasudha, IS 18551 and 33844‐5 and Barsizoot had fewer deadhearts than plants with eggs across seasons, suggesting antibiosis as one of the resistance mechanism. Five genotypes exhibited resistance with high grain yield across seasons. Correlation, path and stepwise regression analyses indicated that leaf glossiness, seedling vigour, trichome density, oviposition and leaf sheath pigmentation were associated with the expression of resistance/susceptibility to shoot fly, and these can be used as marker traits to select and develop shoot fly‐resistant sorghums.     

Reaction of tritordeum to Fusarium culmorum and Septoria nodorum

Summary Hordeum chilense is a wild barley extensively used in wide crosses in the Triticeae. It could be a valuable source of resistance to Fusarium culmorum and Septoria nodorum. Some H. chilense x Triticum spp. amphiploids, named tritordeums, were more resistant than the parental wheat line to these diseases, others were not. Average contents of ergosterol and deoxynivalenol (DON) suggested that resistance to colonization by Fusarium was the highest for Hordeum chilense, followed by tritordeum and wheat in decreasing order. In particular, the H. chilense genotypes H7 and H17 enhanced the wheat resistance to F. culmorum in its tritordeum offsprings. Resistance to S. nodorum in tritordeum was not associated with tall plant height. There is sufficient genetic variation for resistance to F. culmorum and S. nodorum among tritordeum to allow the breeding of lines combining short straw and resistance to both diseases.     

Breeding apomictic bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) with improved turf traits

The development of a turf‐type bahiagrass could have a remarkable impact on the billion‐dollar turf industry in the south‐eastern United States. The goals of this study were to (i) select bahiagrass genotypes with improved turf attributes and (ii) determine the reproductive mode and seed fertility of selected genotypes. The population included mutants, wild types, hybrids and standard cultivars evaluated at two locations for two years. Morphological variation was observed and clonal repeatability (H²) ranged from 0.27 to 0.90. Flowering was extremely reduced in some mutants, which also exhibited dark green colour, finer texture and reduced canopy height. Cytoembryological observations revealed that diploids reproduced sexually and tetraploids by obligate or facultative apomixis. Genotypes with superior seed fertility were identified, while others were comparable to the standard cultivars. While mutant plants exhibited great morphological variation, the random mutations did not affect their reproductive mode, validating the use of mutagenesis in apomictic species. The high H² indicated that selection for improved turf attributes could be successfully performed with the advantage of clonal seed propagation.     

Disease resistance in protected crops and mushrooms

Summary Cultivars of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers have been bred for resistance to one or more pathogens. Some tomato and cucumber cultivars have resistance to a wide range of diseases. Resistance has been transient in many cases and a succession of cultivars with new genes or new combinations of resistance genes has been necessary to maintain control. There has been a number of notable exceptions and these have included durable resistance to such pathogens asFulvia fulva and tomato mosaic virus. With lettuce the resistance situation is complicated by the occurrence of fungicide resistant pathotypes. There are no strains ofAgaricus bisporus purposely bred for disease resistance.In protected flower crops only resistance to Fusarium wilt in carnations has been purposely bred but differences in disease resistance are apparent in cultivars of many ornamental crops. This is particularly so in chrysanthemums where there are cultivars with resistance to many of the major pathogens. Similar situations occur with other flower crops and pot plants. Cultivars of some species have not been systematically investigated for resistance.The need for genetic resistance will increase with the further reduction, in the limits on pesticide use and an increasing public awareness and importance of pesticide pollution.ADAS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Agiculture, Fisheries and Food and the Welsh Office.     

Inheritance of fruit colour in a wild Russian red raspberry seedling

Summary A new gene, i, from a self-incompatible wild Russian Rubus idaeus seedling is described. The gene i interacts with the fruit colour gene T, Tii plants having apricot instead of red fruits, and spines, leaves and stems pigmented to varying degrees. A deficit of apricot-fruited seedlings in progenies segregating for i could be explained by linkage between i and the self-incompatibility S locus with a crossover value of approximately 26.7%.Segregations for spine colour in crosses and backcrosses of the Russian seedling with two green-spined (ttII) raspberries selected for their yellow fruit colour, showed that both the latter carried the spine colour intensifier gene P. This suggests that earlier authors were incorrect in attributing the apricot fruit colour developed by some tt plants to a pleiotropic effect of P.     

Genetic constitution and diversity in four narrow endemic redwoods from the family Cupressaceae

The genetic constitution and diversity of four relictual redwoods are discussed in this review. These include monotypic genera of the family Cupressaceae: coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), and alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides). All four species are narrow endemics, share a number of common phenotypic traits, including red wood, and are threatened species. Fossil history suggests that the ancestors of redwoods probably originated during the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods and flourished thereafter for millions of years. Towards the end of the Tertiary period began their decline and struggle for existence that continued during the subsequent geologic upheavals and climate changes, until the survival of the present-day redwoods in the current restricted locations in the world (USA, China, and South America). Although two species, Sequoiadendron and Metasequoia, are diploids (2n = 22), and the other two are polyploids: Fitzroya a tetraploid (2n = 4x = 44), and Sequoia a hexaploid (2n = 6x = 66); they all share the same basic chromosome number x = 11. The genome size in the hexaploid Sequoia is one of the largest (31,500 MB) in the conifers, while the genome sizes of diploid Metasequoia and Sequoiadendron are about one-third (~10,000 MB) of Sequoia. Genetic diversity in the redwoods is lower than most other gymnosperms, except in Sequoia, which seems to rank near the upper quarter of the coniferous forest trees. Genomic research is sparse in the redwoods, and should be pursued for a better understanding of their genome structure, function, and adaptive genetic diversity.     

The induction in vitro of adventitious shoots in Rosa

Summary Adventitious shoots were formed on excised leaves, roots and callus of Rosa persica x xanthina and on excised leaves of R. laevigata and R. wichuraiana on culture media that included BAP and NAA as growth regulators. Shoots formed freely on freshly cultured callus of R. persica x xanthina but their production declined in successive cultures and ceased after twelve weeks. Transplantation to soil was improved by rooting plantlets in cellulose plugs in vitro and transferring plantlets to soil while still in the plugs.