Genetic issues and pitfalls in transgenic plant breeding

Transgene technology provides a powerful tool for developing traits that are otherwise difficult to achieve through conventional breeding. In order to effectively apply the technology to breeding, we need to understand how transgenes behave in plants. Transgenes may or may not follow Mendelian segregation; their expression can be significantly affected by integration positions and structures of the transgenic DNA in host genomes; transgenes may become unstable over generations, genetic background sand environmental conditions; and they may have significantly negative impact on expression of endogenous genes. If not well understood, the sehurdles could become significant barriers in transgenic breeding. This paper reviews some genetic issues and pitfalls that are often encountered in transgenic breeding. Because of the necessity of being brief, transgene expression, silencing, and breeding are the three areas of focuses in this discussion. While molecular mechanisms underlying many of the transgenic phenomena have not been completely understood, some practical ‘rules’ are now available for creating, evaluating and selecting desirable transgenic transformants. It can be certain that with more transgenic plants generated and characterized our knowledge of transgene genetics at both molecular and plant levels will continue to accumulate. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Field evaluation of antisense RNA mediated inhibition of GBSS gene expression in potato

Summary Granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) catalyses the synthesis of amylose in starch granules. Analysis of antisense RNA mediated inhibition of GBSS gene expression in large numbers of tubers from in vitro grown, greenhouse grown and field grown transgenic potato plants revealed stable and total inhibition of GBSS gene expression in one clone. In three other transgenic genotypes partial and unstable inhibition was found. In these genotypes both GBSS activity and amylose content were remarkably reduced compared with the non-transformed control genotype. No relationship was found between the level of inhibition of GBSS gene expression and yield and dry matter content.     

葡萄果实cDNA文库的构建及鉴定

构建葡萄果实cDNA文库是研究果实发育相关基因表达调控的基础工作.本实验从巨峰葡萄果实中提取了高质量的RNA,利用MMLV反转录酶把总RNA中的mRNA反转录成cDNA第一链,用特异引物进行LD-PCR扩增合成双链cDNA.将分级纯化的带有粘性末端双链cDNA与λTrip Ⅰ Ex2载体连接,重组载体体外包埋成为cDNA原始文库.初步鉴定原始文库的滴度为1.32×106 pfu/mL,文库扩增后滴度达1.45×1010 pfu/mL.从扩增文库中随机挑取250个克隆进行PCR鉴定,结果表明重组率为98.7%,插入片段大小在0.5～2.0 kb之间,因此,本研究成功构建了葡萄果实cDNA文库.     

RNA沉默—新型的植物病毒病害防治策略

植物RNA沉默(RNAsilencing)是植物本身固有的一种抗病毒防御系统,是对病毒在复制过程中形成双链RNA(dsRNA)的特殊反应。RNA沉默介导的dsRNA干涉病毒侵染转基因抗病毒有其不足,几种体外生产dsRNA的抗病毒体系能弥补这一不足,它们与转基因表达病原RNA不同,但仍然依赖RNA沉默机制来获取病原抗性。综述了近年来发展起来的各种启动RNA沉默的dsRNA产生策略、抗病状况和存在的问题及发展前景     

ES-D3细胞nanog基因干扰载体的构建 及其干涉效果*

选择ES细胞nanog基因中4个区域合成寡聚核苷酸,构建了4个含有小鼠U6启动子的siRNA（小分子干涉RNA）表达载体并瞬时转染小鼠ES-D3细胞.半定量RT-PCR分析显示,所构建的4个siRNA表达载体中有3个可以在细胞内转录出siRNA或shRNA（短发夹RNA）,诱发RNA干涉（RNAinterference,RNAi）,能显著抑制目的基因nanog的表达;同时发现,干扰的ES-D3细胞生长48 h后,集落形态与未干扰细胞相比差别不大,但隆起不如后者明显,形态也不如后者规则,生长速度也较慢,AKP染色阳性,与未转染细胞相比没有差别.     

应用RNA沉默技术获取抗黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV)和烟草花叶病毒(TMV)转基因烟草

RNA沉默是迄今最为有效的抗病毒策略,利用该策略不但能获得免疫转基因植株,且所得植株不易与其他病毒基因重组或异源包壳、生物安全性较高。将本实验室已构建的携带有烟草花叶病毒(TMV)部分移动蛋白基因(ΔMP)和黄瓜花叶病毒(CMV)部分复制酶基因(ΔRep)反向重复结构的植物表达载体pBIN438-MP-Rep(i/r),用农杆菌浸润法转化普通烟草品种K326,共得196株转化植株,经卡那霉素筛选和PCR检测发现128株为阳性转基因株;PCR-Southern和RT-PCR分析表明外源基因已整合到烟草基因组并在转录水平上得到表达;ELISA结果显示20.3%的转基因植株对CMV和TMV复合侵染表现免疫性。本结果为利用RNA沉默技术进行植物抗多种病毒育种提供重要数据,为防治其他多种病毒复合侵染提供借鉴。     

利用BSMV-VIGS技术快速分析小麦TNBL1基因的抗黄矮病功能

小麦黄矮病是由蚜虫介导的大麦黄矮病毒(Barley yellow dwarf virus, BYDV)侵染引起的小麦重要病害之一。利用cDNA-AFLP分析,筛选出在抗黄矮病小麦易位系YW642中特异表达的长度为292 bp的 cDNA片段,以此片段为启始序列,利用RACE和RT-PCR技术克隆出该基因的全长cDNA序列,推导该基因编码1个NBS-LRR蛋白,将其命名为TNBL1。本研究利用大麦条纹花叶病毒(BSMV)诱导的基因沉默(virus-inducing gene silencing, VIGS)技术,快速分析TNBL1是否参与小麦抗黄矮病反应。通过PCR添加酶切位点、定向酶切与连接,将TNBL1特异的292bp片段反向整合到BSMV-γ链的多克隆位点上,获得重组载体BSMV-γ: TNBL1as,体外转录BSMV-VIGS载体的3个组分(BSMV-TNBL1as、BSMV-α和BSMV-β),等量混合、摩擦接种到抗黄矮病的小麦易位系YW642幼苗叶片上,使YW642中TNBL1基因沉默,然后接种BYDV病原进行黄矮病抗性鉴定。结果表明,TNBL1基因沉默后的YW642对BYDV敏感、显现感病症状,其体内BYDV含量较未发生基因沉默的YW642中的明显增加,证明TNBL1基因是正向调控小麦抗BYDV反应的1个重要基因。     

CP基因3'端短片段介导的对马铃薯Y病毒的抗性

【目的】探明马铃薯Y病毒脉坏死株系（PVYN）CP基因3′端序列短片段的不同结构转基因诱导转基因植物产生RNA介导抗性的有效性。【方法】以PVYN的CP基因cDNA 3′端202 bp片段构建非翻译的正向重复和反向重复结构的植物表达载体转化烟草。【结果】攻毒试验表明前者没有一例转基因植株表现为抗病，而转化反向重复结构的转基因植株82.8%表现近似免疫的高度抗病型，Southern印迹杂交证明目的基因已整合到烟草基因组，Northern印迹杂交结果显示反向重复结构转基因植物的抗病性与RNA的表达量呈现负相关。【结论】抗病性是RNA介导的病毒抗性。3′端短片段诱导产生的转基因抗病株比例比5′端短片段诱导产生的高。     

利用农杆菌介导法获得RNAi转基因枫香的研究

随着我国林业生态工程和退耕还林的开展，木材生产与需求之间的矛盾愈加严重，培育速生优质大径材的研究更加重要。基于LEAFY基因在植物生长发育中的特性，利用PCR和Gateway技术构建了含有LEAFY基因保守序列的RNA干涉植物表达载体LFY-RI，利用根瘤农杆菌Agrobacterium tumefaciems介导法获得转基因植株，利用RNA干涉技术抑制转基因植株中LEAFY基因的表达，从而获得枫香Liquidambar formosana不育转基因植株。并利用聚合酶链式反应（PCR）技术和PCR-Southern杂交技术检测了转基因植株中外源基因整合情况。共获得了5株枫香转基因植株，分子检测表明，其中4株为转基因阳性植株。由于转基因植株还比较幼嫩，对它们生长发育以及木材品质的变化尚处于在观察中。图5参12