Dynamics of nitrogen translocation from mature leaves to new shoots and related gene expression during spring shoots development in tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

The contribution of N remobilization is crucial for new shoots growth and quality formation during spring tea shoots development. However, the translocation mechanism of N from source leaves to sink young shoots is not well understood. In the present study, ¹⁵N urea was applied to mature tea leaves one week before bud break to track N remobilization in a field experiment. The dynamic changes in plant ¹⁵N abundance, contents of amino acids, and the expression levels of genes related to N metabolism and translocation were followed during the 18‐d development of new spring shoots until three expanding young leaves. The results showed that during the growth of new shoots the amount of ¹⁵N in the shoots increased, whereas the N_dff (N derived from ¹⁵N‐urea) in mature leaves decreased, showing that the foliar‐applied N in mature leaves was readily exported to new shoots. This process was found to be accompanied by decline of chlorophylls. In the mature leaves, expression CsATG18a and CsSAG12 involved in autophagy was dramatically induced (> 4‐fold) at approximately nine days after the bud breaking. The genes involved in the transformation of amino acids, including primarily CsGDH2, CsGDH4, CsGLT3, CsGS1;3, and CsASN2 were upregulated by > 3‐fold after bud breaking. The expression levels of CsATG8A, CsATG9, CsSAG12, CsGS1;1, CsGDH1, and CsAAP6 correlated negatively with the N_dff in mature leaves, but positively with ¹⁵N amount and total N amount in new shoots, suggesting these genes played important roles in N export from mature leaves. In the new shoots, the expression of most genes showed two defined peaks, one on six days and one on 12 days after bud breaking. The expression of CsGS2, CsASN3, CsGLT1, and CsAAP4 positively correlated with the ¹⁵N amount and total N amount in new shoots. These genes might be involved in the transport and re‐assimilation of N from mature leaves. The overall results demonstrated that the translocation of ¹⁵N from mature leaves to new spring shoots was regulated by the genes involved in autophagy, protein degradation, amino acid transformation and transport.     

SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE FAMILY GENES IN WATERMELON AND THEIR RESPONSES TO DIFFERENT ABIOTIC STRESSES

• A total of 8 SOD genes from watermelon were identified and bioinformatically analyzed. • The SOD proteins from watermelon and other different plant species can be classified into five groups consistent with their metal cofactors. • ClSOD genes exhibited distinctive tissue-specific and abiotic stress responsive expression patterns. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an important enzyme in the antioxidant system of plants and plays a vital role in stress responses by maintaining the dynamic balance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations. Genome-wide analysis of the SOD gene family in various plant species has been conducted but little is known about this gene family in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Here, eight SOD genes were identified in the watermelon genome and are designated ClCSD1-5, ClFSD1-2 and ClMSD according to their metal cofactors. Phylogenetic analysis shows that SOD proteins from various plant species can be classified into five groups and members in the same group possess the same metal cofactor and similar subcellular localizations. Expression analysis of the ClSOD genes indicates that they had tissue-specific expression patterns with high expression in different tissues including the leaves, flowers and fruit. In addition, the expression of ClSOD genes differed appreciably under salinity, drought and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, indicating that they may be involved in ROS scavenging under different abiotic stresses via an ABA-dependent signaling pathway. These results lay the foundation for elucidating the function of ClSOD genes in stress tolerance and fruit development in watermelon.     

发根农杆菌介导的白花草木樨毛状根转化体系的建立

白花草木樨（Melilotus albus Medic.ex Desr.）是草木樨最常见的栽培用种之一，具有较强的抗逆性和固氮能力。为了开发一套高效的草木樨转化体系，本研究以白花草木樨为材料，以结瘤基因MaROP6为目的基因，建立了发根农杆菌（Agrobacterium rhizogenes）介导的高效白花草木樨毛状根转化体系。结果表明：利用该方法可以在两周左右获得毛状根，其发生率可达78%，MaROP6基因的毛状根转化率可达70.8%。qRT-PCR鉴定结果表明，MaROP6转基因毛状根的平均相对表达量为对照的36.87倍。毛状根转化体系的建立为白花草木樨基因功能的验证奠定了基础。     

滞绿突变对大豆叶片蔗糖代谢相关基因表达的影响

为研究大豆滞绿突变对叶片衰老过程中蔗糖代谢相关基因表达产生的影响，以晋大滞绿1号及其亲本晋大74号为试验材料，测定了大豆开花后至成熟期间叶片可溶性糖含量的变化趋势，并对比了不同基因型大豆品种叶片衰老过程中蔗糖代谢相关基因的表达差异。结果表明:1)花后至成熟期间，2个供试大豆品种可溶性总糖含量均呈波动升高然后降低的变化趋势。花后14至42天，晋大滞绿1号可溶性总糖含量高于晋大74号；2)花后29至42天，晋大滞绿1号蔗糖磷酸合成酶基因SPS4，转化酶基因CInv、CWInv2以及蔗糖合酶基因SS1、SS2-2表达水平显著高于非滞绿品种晋大74号；己糖激酶和果糖激酶基因Hxk和Frk表达量也高于非滞绿品种晋大74号；3)除 SUT4-1外，其余6个蔗糖转运体基因SUTs的表达模式具有明显的品种特异性。花后29至42天，晋大滞绿1号叶片SUTs表达水平较高。综上，滞绿突变对于大豆蔗糖代谢相关基因的表达产生了明显的影响，特别是在鼓粒初期和中期等大豆籽粒形成的关键时期，滞绿品种晋大滞绿1号蔗糖代谢相关基因的表达更加活跃。     

香蕉TGA转录因子家族的鉴定及枯萎病菌胁迫下的表达分析

尖孢镰刀菌（Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense, Foc）引起的香蕉枯萎病是我国香蕉的主要病害之一,严重影响香蕉的产量和品质。TGA防御反应基因在香蕉应对尖孢镰刀菌胁迫的应答转录调控过程中至关重要。本研究以拟南芥TGA转录因子家族成员蛋白为查询序列,在香蕉基因组数据库中Blast筛选出TGA转录因子家族成员,并对该家族成员进行生物信息学分析。共鉴定得到9个香蕉TGA家族成员,分别命名为MaTGA1~MaTGA9;香蕉TGA家族蛋白富含酸性氨基酸,大部分蛋白以α螺旋为主;亚细胞定位主要在细胞核内。进化树分析表明,香蕉MaTGA转录因子家族的9个成员可分为Class Ⅰ和Class Ⅱ两类,基因结构及功能结构域的分布情况也呈现出高度一致。进一步通过RT-qPCR分析发现,MaTGA2、MaTGA3和MaTGA8在香蕉枯萎病菌侵染后的‘威廉斯’（易感病）及‘南天黄’（抗病）中均显著下调表达,MaTGA1、MaTGA6、MaTGA7和MaTGA9均呈现先下降后上升的趋势;然而MaTGA4和MaTGA5仅在‘威廉斯’中上调表达,以上结果表明MaTGA2、MaTGA3和MaTGA8在香蕉抗枯萎病中发挥重要的生物学功能。本研究结果为香蕉TGA转录因子功能挖掘奠定理论基础。     

小球藻遗传转化技术研究进展

小球藻( Chlorella )是一种单细胞真核藻类,属绿藻门、绿藻纲、绿球藻目、小球藻科、小球藻属 [1] 。作为最早开发的真核微藻之一,具有高营养价值、生长快速、结构简单、易工业化集成等显著优点。其细胞形态为球形或椭圆形,直径3~12 μm,呈单生或聚集成群状生长 [2] ,分布广泛,多见于淡水、咸水和土壤中。作为地球上最早的生命之一,小球藻基因比较稳定,至今未见有关其基因自发突变的报道。因其富含蛋白质、脂质、维生素、活性代谢产物等多种营养物质而被公认为具有高附加值和医疗保健作用,已经被广泛应用于保健食品 [3] 、水产养殖 [4] 、生物能源 [5] 等方面,关于小球藻生物技术的研究主要集中在基因组学 [6] 、分子遗传学 [7] 、代谢机理 [8] 、大规模培养 [9] 等方向。     

茶树CsWRKYIIcs转录因子的克隆及功能分析

【目的】以‘陕茶1号’为材料,克隆CsWRKYIIcs转录因子并分析序列特征,了解其在不同组织和非生物胁迫下的表达模式以及转录活性,为深入研究茶树在逆境胁迫中的功能提供理论依据。【方法】根据茶树基因组数据库注释的WRKY序列设计特异性引物,采用RT-PCR技术从‘陕茶1号’中扩增CsWRKYIIcs的cDNA序列,用生物信息工具分析序列的特点,实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）研究基因的表达模式,用酵母试验验证其转录活性。【结果】获得9条CsWRKYIIcs的cDNA序列,开放阅读框长度分别为561、960、936、978、897、912、720、1 008和969 bp,分别编码186、319、311、325、298、303、239、335、322个氨基酸。除了CsWRKYIIc7缺少锌指序列外,其他CsWRKYIIcs均含有1个WRKY保守结构域和典型的C₂H₂型锌指结构。不同物种中的WRKYIIcs具有相似的保守基序,而茶树CsWRKYIIcs和拟南芥、葡萄等双子叶植物的WRKYIIcs氨基酸序列相似性更高。另外,CsWRKYIIcs启动子区域均预测到多个与非生物胁迫相关的顺式作用元件,意味着其可能参与非生物胁迫响应。qRT-PCR结果表明,9个CsWRKYIIcs在根和花中的表达量高于茎和叶,具有一定的特异性。同时,在干旱、ABA、高温和高盐胁迫下被不同程度的诱导表达,其中CsWRKYIIc1和CsWRKYIIc7的表达量变化显著,与推定的顺式作用元件结果相符。酵母试验表明9个茶树CsWRKYIIcs均具有转录激活活性。【结论】克隆获得9个茶树CsWRKYIIcs转录因子,它们参与了茶树对ABA、干旱、高温和高盐胁迫的响应,也可能发挥转录激活因子的调控作用。CsWRKYIIc1和CsWRKYIIc7可作为候选基因深入研究茶树的抗逆功能。     

扁桃AcDHN1基因的克隆及原核表达分析

【目的】 克隆与分析扁桃脱水素基因,为研究脱水素基因在扁桃抗逆机制中发挥的功能提供参考。【方法】 以新疆栽培的扁桃品种‘纸皮’叶片为材料,通过PCR技术克隆扁桃AcDHN1基因并对该基因进行原核表达分析,构建原核表达载体,在大肠杆菌进行表达。【结果】 克隆得到了一个脱水素基因,命名为AcDHN1,GenBank登陆号为KT949395,该基因全长924 bp、编码308个氨基酸的多肽,为稳定的亲水性蛋白,属于Y₂K_n型脱水素,推测蛋白分子质量为32.4 kD,亚细胞定位于细胞核中。将该基因与原核表达载体连接构建重组质粒pET-AcDHN1,然后将重组质粒转化到大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中诱导表达。SDS-PAGE电泳结果表明,该蛋白分子量的大小约为52.7 kD,与预期长度一致。【结论】 对重组蛋白的诱导条件进行优化后结果显示,该基因在IPTG浓度0.1 mmol/L、诱导3 h表达量最佳。     

拟南芥乙烯应答基因HLS1的原核表达及多克隆抗体制备

【目的】制备乙烯应答基因HLS1多克隆抗体,在过表达植物中检测HLS1的积累,为深入研究HLS1响应乙烯信号通路的分子机制奠定基础。【方法】构建pET28a-HLS1c原核表达载体,转化到大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中,用异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导获得重组蛋白HLS1c-His;镍柱亲和纯化重组蛋白后免疫家兔获得抗HLS1血清,利用抗原亲和纯化抗血清获得高纯度的HLS1多克隆抗体;用HLS1抗体和GFP抗体,检测原生质体瞬时转化体系中GFP-HLS1c融合蛋白的表达;用农杆菌蘸花法获得过表达GFP-HLS1g的转基因植物,用HLS1抗体和GFP抗体检测GFP-HLS1g融合蛋白的表达。【结果】成功构建了原核表达载体pET28a-HLS1c,并在大肠杆菌系统中诱导获得重组蛋白HLS1c-His,且多以包涵体形式存在。纯化的HLS1c-His多克隆抗体,能清晰检测到约80 ng原核表达的HLS1抗原。纯化的HLS1抗体不仅能检测到原生质体中瞬时表达的GFP-HLS1c融合蛋白,也能检测到过表达转基因植物株系中的GFP-HLS1g融合蛋白,并且与标签蛋白GFP对应抗体所检测到的特异性条带大小一致。【结论】成功制备了拟南芥HLS1蛋白多克隆抗体,为HLS1蛋白在植物发育中的功能研究奠定了基础。