Phytotoxic sites of action for molecular design of modern herbicides (Part 2): Amino acid, lipid and cell wall biosynthesis, and other targets for future herbicides

A bird's eye review was tried in Part 2 of this series, 'Phytotoxic sites of action for molecular design of modern herbicides', in order to select the best selection of known and some novel plant-specific targets for molecular design of modern herbicides, which affect amino acid, lipid and cell wall biosynthesis. Although amino acid biosynthesis pathways, particularly those for aromatic amino acids, ammonia assimilation and branched amino acids, have been confirmed as reasonable herbicidal target domains, the other targets affecting plant growth more markedly than inhibition of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, glutamine synthetase and acetolactate synthase are discussed. In three essential enzymes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis in or in the vicinity of chloroplasts, acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase), elongase(s) for very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and linolate monogalactosyldiacylglycerol desaturase, ACCase and elongase are more important targets for new herbicides. Although the effect of cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors is restricted to cell wall formation in growing plant cells only, there is a good chance to design the low-use rate herbicides also in this class of inhibitors. Other possible targets for new herbicides are also discussed.     

花色素苷生物合成与分子调控研究进展

花色素苷是决定植物花色的主要色素,其生物合成是目前研究得最为清楚的植物次生代谢途径之一。花色素苷的生物合成主要由于F3H,F3'H和F3'5'H三个关键酶的作用形成3个分支,最终分别生成橙色到砖红色的天竺葵素糖苷,红色的矢车菊素糖苷和蓝色到紫色的飞燕草素糖苷,因此, F3'H,F3'5'H和DFR基因是利用遗传转化引入花卉植物原本缺乏的花色代谢途径的关键基因。花色素苷合成结构基因的转录调控是目前研究的热点,对结构基因的转录进行调控的转录因子主要包括两大类相互作用的因子－bHLH和MYB类转录因子,花色素苷合成的转录调控机理的基本模式,包括bHLH和MYB类因子之间的相互作用,以及它们对结构基因顺式元件的识别和结合已经阐述的比较清楚。另外,对于一些处于bHLH和MYB上游的, WD40类因子和光敏色素的研究开启了从信号传导到花色素苷合成的整个调控过程的研究。     

Escherichia coli dihydrodipicolinate synthase and dihydrodipicolinate reductase: kinetic and inhibition studies of two putative herbicide targets

Dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS) (EC 4.2.1.52) and dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DHDPR) (EC 1.3.1.26) have attracted much recent attention as potential herbicide targets. DHDPS was feedback-inhibited by (S)-lysine; inhibition was reversible and uncompetitive with respect to both (S)-ASA and pyruvate. Homoserine lactone was a reversible non-competitive inhibitor of DHDPS with respect to both (S)-ASA and pyruvate. (R)-Cysteine sulfinic acid and (S)-glutamic acid were reversible uncompetitive inhibitors of DHDPS with respect to (S)-ASA. (S)-Aspartic acid was a reversible mixed-type inhibitor. Dipicolinic acid was a reversible competitive inhibitor of DHDPR with respect to the substrate (4S)-4-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(2S)-dipicolinic acid, as was isophthalic acid. Δ³-Tetrahydroisophthalic acid was a moderate inhibitor of both DHDPS and DHDPR. These compounds represent possible leads in the development of novel herbicides. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bioregulatory Effects of the Fungicidal Strobilurin Kresoxim-methyl in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Apart from its fungicidal effect, the strobilurin kresoxim-methyl (BAS 490 F) was found to induce physiological and developmental alterations in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) which are seen in connection with improved yield. In a series of biotests including heterotrophic maize and photoautotrophic algal cell suspensions, duckweed, isolated mustard shoots and germinating cress seeds, kresoxim-methyl showed a similar response pattern to standard auxins (e.g. indol-3-ylacetic acid, IAA; 2-(1-naphthyl)acetic acid, α-NAA). Auxin-like activity of kresoxim-methyl was also found when stem explants of tobacco were cultured on a hormone-free medium. Kresoxim-methyl stimulated shoot formation, particularly at 10^-7 M . The same effect was induced by 10^-8 M IAA. The determination of phytohormone-like substances in shoots of wheat plants foliar-treated with 7×10^-4 M kresoxim-methyl revealed only slightly changed levels of endogenous IAA, gibberellins and abscisic acid. In contrast, the contents of dihydrozeatin riboside-type cytokinins increased to 160% of the control, while trans-zeatin riboside- and isopentenyladenosine-type cytokinins remained nearly unchanged. The most remarkable alterations were the reductions in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) levels and ethylene formation which were demonstrated in intact plants, leaf discs and the shoots of wheat subjected to drought stress. Kresoxim-methyl affected the induction of ACC synthase activity which converts S-adenosyl-methionine to ACC in ethylene biosynthesis. In shoots from foliar-treated wheat plants, 10^-4 M kresoxim-methyl inhibited stress-induced increases in endogenous ACC synthase activity, ACC levels and ethylene formation by approximately 50%. Reductions in ACC synthase activity and ACC levels of 30% were also obtained at low concentrations of α-NAA (10^-6 M ). In contrast, ACC synthase activity in vitro was not influenced by adding the compounds. In wheat leaf discs, the inhibiting effect of kresoxim-methyl, α-NAA and IAA on ethylene formation was accompanied by delayed leaf senescence, characterized by reduced chlorophyll loss. However, in contrast to kresoxim-methyl which showed only inhibitory activity on ethylene synthesis over a wide range of concentrations applied, the auxins stimulated ethylene production at high concentrations of about 10^-4 M . The inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis by kresoxim-methyl, together with an increase in endogenous cytokinins could explain the retardation of senescence and the intensified green leaf pigmentation in wheat exposed to this strobilurin. © 1997 SCI.     

Regulation of biosynthesis,perception, and functions of strigolactones for promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and managing root parasitic weeds

Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid‐derived plant secondary metabolites that play important roles in various aspects of plant growth and development as plant hormones, and in rhizosphere communications with symbiotic microbes and also root parasitic weeds. Therefore, sophisticated regulation of the biosynthesis, perception and functions of SLs is expected to promote symbiosis of beneficial microbes including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and also to retard parasitism by devastating root parasitic weeds. We have developed SL mimics with different skeletons, SL biosynthesis inhibitors acting at different biosynthetic steps, SL perception inhibitors that covalently bind to the SL receptor D14, and SL function inhibitors that bind to the serine residue at the catalytic site. In greenhouse pot tests, TIS108, an azole‐type SL biosynthesis inhibitor effectively reduced numbers of attached root parasites Orobanche minor and Striga hermonthica without affecting their host plants; tomato and rice, respectively. AM colonization resulted in weak but distinctly enhanced plant resistance to pathogens. SL mimics can be used to promote AM symbiosis and to reduce the application rate of systemic‐acquired resistance inducers which are generally phytotoxic to horticultural crops. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

过量表达OsYUC2转基因水稻幼苗对干旱和H2O2胁迫的生长生理应答

OsYUC2基因是控制水稻生长素合成的关键基因家族OsYUCs成员之一。本研究以过量表达pUbi-OsYUC2-GUS转基因水稻(G3株系)和野生型水稻(WT,Oryza sativa L .sppj.aponica,v.nipponbare,日本晴)为材料,分别比较了二者在干旱和 H2O2 胁迫下生长生理的变化。结果显示,20%PEG-6000和0.06% H2O2 处理条件下,G3的株高、初生根上侧根的长度(特别是不定根上侧根的数量和长度)都大于WT的;而G3的MDA和H2O2积累量则都少于WT的。与对照组比,PEG和H2O2处理后G3根系的GUS活性都降低且由均匀分布变为梯度分布,说明PEG和H2O2影响OsYUC2基因的表达部位和空间分布。相同处理条件下,G3根系与DR5-GUS转基因水稻根系GUS活性和分布样式的变化类似,显示PEG和H2O2减少生长素的积累并影响其梯度分布。OsYUC2过量表达在一定程度上缓解了由于PEG和 H2O2 胁迫导致生长素减少引起的伤害,转基因水稻幼苗的抗逆水平有所提高。     

紫色与非紫色芹菜花青素和芹菜素含量及合成基因表达分析

高等植物中花青素合成与芹菜素合成之间存在共同的前体物质。利用非紫色芹菜‘六合黄心芹’和紫色芹菜‘南选六合紫芹’(从‘六合黄心芹’中选择而来)的叶柄为花青素和芹菜素代谢研究材料,利用荧光定量PCR方法检测花青素和芹菜素合成相关基因的表达水平。研究结果表明,‘六合黄心芹’叶柄中未检测到花青素积累,而‘南选六合紫芹’叶柄中的花青素含量呈现较高水平(0.0523 mg·g~(-1)FW)。‘六合黄心芹’叶柄芹菜素含量(0.0172 mg·g~(-1) FW)显著高于‘南选六合紫芹’(0.0124 mg·g~(-1) FW)。荧光定量PCR结果表明,除了AgFNS之外,其余花青素和芹菜素代谢相关基因(AgPAL、AgC4H、AgCHS、AgCHI、AgFNS、AgF3H、AgF3’H、AgDFR、AgANS和Ag3GT)在‘南选六合紫芹’叶柄中的表达量显著或者极显著高于‘六合黄心芹’;黄酮合成酶基因AgFNS在‘六合黄心芹’叶柄中的表达量为‘南选六合紫芹’的11.69倍。     

萝卜花青素研究进展

萝卜是我国重要的蔬菜作物,富含花青素的萝卜品种色泽鲜艳,营养价值高.萝卜花青素种类多,遗传复杂,虽然在种类鉴定和提取方面取得了较多进展,但在基因功能验证和表达调控方面的研究远远落后于模式作物.本文总结了近年来国内外研究者在萝卜花青素种类的鉴定,结构基因及转录因子的挖掘,影响萝卜花青素合成的因素及花青素提取方面取得的进展...