光敏核不育水稻中光敏色素的分析

本文报道了在育性转换敏感期光周期处理对光敏核不育水稻（农垦58S）及农垦58最新全展叶中光敏色素Ⅰ(PhyA)水平的影响PartI）．在10个光周期处理的最后一个暗期结束前,收获每株水稻的最上部二叶。PhyA用酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA)测定。 结果表明：0.5%(v／v)聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)可除去水稻叶片粗提液中干扰ELISA的物质;所用的ELISA专一性地检测水稻PhyA。和长日照(LD)处理相比，短日照(SU)处理导致农垦58S中PhyA的相对含量增加38.5%;而农垦58只增加18.5%。显然，在较长的暗期条件下（SD），农垦58S中PhyA的合成比农垦58快。SD处理下大量增加的PhyA可能和农垦58S的育性恢复有关。 上述结果也说明：在同一品种甚至不同品种的植株间，PhyA水平均易受光周期影响而剧烈变化。 为了进一步验证农垦58S中PhyA较快积累的推论，比较了农垦58s和农垦58幼苗（三叶期）在一延长暗期(24h)中PhyA的积累时程。和育性转换敏感期的植株相似，农垦58S幼苗中PhyA积累速度快于农垦58。在暗期开始6h后，这种差异更明显。这一结果证实了过去的假设：甲基化水平低的农垦58PhyA基因可能比农垦58PhyA基因更活跃地表达。 PhyA和PhyB同时存在于水稻叶片中。为了探讨PhyB是否参与农垦58S雄性不育的调节，在育性转换敏感期每日光期结束、暗期开始开始前进行短暂的FR照射实验(即end-of- dayFR irradiations)。EOD FR反应应由PhyB介导。和SD下的对照相比，经过10次EODFR处理(EOD FR+SD)的农垦58S植株抽穗和开花期都相应地推迟2天，而花粉败育率和种子结实率都没有变化。 EODFR处理抑制了农垦58的开花，但花粉育性几乎不受影响。 综上所述，可能是PhyA而不是PhyB参与调节农垦58S的雄性不育。 另外，本文采用免疫印迹(Immunoblotting or Western blotting)比较了农垦58S和农垦58黄化苗(3天龄)中PhyA的相对含量(PartⅡ)。 结果表明，RPA可以专一性地检测两品种中120KD多肽。该肽在照射R或FR后对内源蛋白酶水解的敏感性不同，照射FR后，该肽易降解产生116KD的片段;照射R后，相对较稳定。因此，上述120KD多肽是水稻PhyA。未观察到农垦58S和农垦58的PhyA在免疫原性、分子量及内源蛋白酶解水解带型有差异。定量分析表明农垦58s黄化苗中PhyA的相对含量比农垦58多40%。这一结果和上述光周期处理的结果是相辅相成的。由于干种子、以及吸涨36h以前的水稻胚中均检测不PhyA的存在，因此两品种间PhyA含量的差异是PhyA蛋白重新合成的结果。 活体低温(80K)荧光光谱分析表明：农垦58黄化苗（3天龄）具有典型光敏色素(主要为PhyA）的荧光发射，其最大波长为683.8nm，而农垦58S以及由其转育来的培矮64s都缺少明显的光敏色素峰。显然，农垦58S和农垦58的PhyA荧光光谱特性有所不同。这一差异是否和雄性不育有关仍待深入研究。 本文第三部分比较了农垦58S和农垦58黄化苗（6天龄）最初转到白光下(4h)合成叶绿素的情况。无论是短暂红光(R)处理或对照，农垦58幼苗合成叶绿素的量（在白光下4h）都多于农垦58S。由于R促进叶绿素合成的效果可被随后的远红光照射(FR)逆转，因此水稻幼苗中叶绿素合成是在光敏色素的控制下。FR逆转性在农垦58S中似乎更完全。连续FR（12h最有效）促进叶绿素合成的效果在农垦58S中更明显，但叶绿素合成的量（在白光下4h）仍是农垦58多。然而，对于自然光周期下生长的幼苗（2-4叶期），农垦58S的叶绿素含量明显高于农垦58。文中讨论了这种差异的可能原因。

光敏核不育水稻41 kDa和61 kDa蛋白质的发现、N-端序列分析及其雄性不育性状关系的探讨

光敏核不育水稻农垦58S是石明松于1973年在晚粳农垦58的大田中发现的雄性不育突变体，它在长日照下雄性不育可被用于与恢复系杂交生产杂种，而在短日照下雄性可育能用于自交繁殖，它的恢复系来源广泛。基于这些特性，育种学家用光敏核不育水稻建立的二系杂交水稻制种技术有很大的应用潜力。近十几年来，育种学家用农垦58S作基因供体转育了许多新的不育系，研究结果表明育成的粳型不育系均为光敏不育系，但在育成的籼型不育系中，绝大多数丧失光敏核不育特性，变成温敏不育系。目前因不知光敏核不育的分子遗传机制，尚不能解释这些问题。 本文用双向电泳技术分析了农垦58S和农垦58苗期和育性转换光敏感期叶绿体蛋白质的差异，在农垦58S中发现三个蛋白质(Pl，P2和P3)，其中Pl和P2在苗期和光敏感期叶片内均存在，P3仅在光敏感期的叶片中存在，它们不受长日照或短日照处理的影响。农垦58没有这三个蛋白质。 用制备型双向电泳纯化后，得到SDS - PAGE和IEF纯的Pl和P2。经SDS-PAGE和IEF测定，Pl的等电点是6.2，分子量是41 kDa;P2的等电点是5.8，分子量是61 kDa。现称Pl为P41，P2为P61。氨基酸序列分析和同源性检索发现P41与水稻叶绿体ATP合成酶p亚基和酵母转录因子CAD1有同源性，此外，P41的N-端序列中有一个与蛋白激酶催化核心中的多功能motif Y-G-X-G-X- (P/T)-G-V相似的序列;P61的14个氨基酸长的N-端序列与水稻叶绿体ATP合成酶β亚基的一致。P41和P61 N-端前12个氨基酸的序列也完全一致。 PCR扩增和Southern杂交分析没有发现农垦58S和农垦58之间ATP合成酶β亚基基因(atpB)的多态性。Nothern杂交分析表明农垦58S中仅有一种、与农垦58 atpB mRNA分子量相同的atpB转录产物，但它的atpB mRNA丰度明显低于农垦58的。没有检测到突变的atpB和其它形式的atpB转录产物。 分析P41和P61在其它水稻材料中的分布特点发现它们在粳型光敏不育系7001S、5088S、31301S、C407S和1647S，籼型光敏不育系W7415S和W9451S以及温（光）敏不育系培矮64S中存在，而在对照材料三系水稻马协A、珍汕97A、马协B、珍汕97B和明恢63以及常规粳稻C94153中不存在。根据这些不育系的系谱和它们与农垦58S之间基因的等位性研究结果，讨论了P41和P61与光敏核不育性的可能联系。

高温和衰老对光合膜结构与功能影响的研究

本部分研究以菠菜和水稻为材料，比较系统的研究了高温对类囊体膜、PSII颗粒、PSII外周捕光天线LHCII、PSII核心复合物和PSII反应中心等不同层次膜蛋白结构与功能的影响，以探讨高温对光合膜蛋白的伤害机理。其主要结果如下： 1．类囊体膜结构与功能的完整性对于维持PSII的结构与功能在高温胁迫下的稳定性具有重要作用。当类囊体膜的完整性受到破坏，当与PSI有关的一系列保护机制失去作用时，PSII对高温胁迫的敏感性会大大加强。 2．虽然PSI的功能在高温下保持相对稳定，但PSI的结构在高温胁迫下并不稳定。本文的研究发现LHCI对高温非常敏感，在中度高温胁迫下就开始降解，但PSI的核心在高温下比较稳定，所以PSI介导的电子传递活性仍然维持在较高水平。 3．高温胁迫会对PSII的结构和功能产生多重破坏。这个过程首先应该是放氧复合体的失活：其次是反应中心的可逆失活;接下来可能是核心天线CP43和CP47的失活导致捕光天线同反应中心的能量传递受阻;再下来是QA到QR电子传递的受阻、反应中心的不可逆失活、捕光效率下降等过程;最后是大范围色素蛋白的变性和失活，PSII的结构和功能遭到彻底破坏。 4．高湿胁迫下Fo显著升高，Fo的升高的原因可能源于少量捕光天线同反应中心的分离和反应中心的失活。 5．高等植物体的类囊体膜中存在多种Chla和Chlb的光谱吸收形式。这些代表不同的光谱吸收形式的组分在高温胁迫下表现出不同程度的降解，其中C678 和C684组分降解最快。这些不同的光谱吸收形式组分可能以不同的比例存在于每一种色素蛋白复合物中。 6．LHCII的结构与功能对于维持PSII结构与功能的热稳定性具有重要作用，LHCII完全缺失的水稻突变体VG28及分离纯化的PSII核心复介物都人大增强了对高温的敏感性。但一种LHCII减少的水稻突变体249-Mutant,反而增加了PSII的热稳定性，进一步的研究表明，类囊体膜中 LHCII本身含量的多少对PSII热稳定性的影响不足决定性的，关键性因素可能主要取决于 LHCII含量改变而引起的膜脂组成和膜脂不饱和程度的改变，以及由膜脂变化引起的PSII放氧复合体结构与功能的变化。 7．本研究首次发现，高温可以促使分离纯化的LHCII的红区吸收光谱发生显著红移，而680nm处的荧光发射降低，长波长荧光组分大大增强。绿胶电泳表明中度高温胁迫能够诱导LHCII产生寡聚体，这种寡聚体可能在调节能量耗散方面具有重要生理意义：而严重高温胁迫下LHCII倾向于聚合产生大分子的非活性聚集体。 8．分离纯化的反应中心对高温非常敏感，各种色素的结构和功能在轻度高温胁迫下就开始受到破坏和抑制，各种色素变性和降解的顺序由快到慢是：P680>Pheo>Chla>β-Car。反应中心的多肽组分在高温胁迫下显著减少，Dl和D2减少的原因可能归因于高温胁迫导致大分子聚合物的产生，D2的减少显著快于D1的减少。

蓝藻磷脂磷酸酶基因的缺失对光合作用的影响

磷脂酰甘油(phosphatidylglycerol, PG)是类囊体膜(也叫光合膜)中唯一的一种磷脂。在蓝藻中，PG的合成途径为：磷脂酸(phosphatidic acid, PA)胞嘧啶双磷酸-二酰基甘油 (cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol, CDP-DAG) 磷酸磷脂酰甘油 (phosphatidylglycerol phosphate, PGP)PG。其中最后一步反应是由PGP去磷酸化而生成PG，催化该反应的是PGP磷酸酶。然而迄今为止，PGP磷酸酶还没有在蓝藻和高等植物中得到克隆和鉴定。本工作在鱼腥藻Anabaena sp. PCC7120中通过将一个可能编码PGP磷酸酶的基因(alr1715)进行突变，获得缺失PG的突变体。与野生型相比，该突变体PG的含量降低了30%左右。突变后的蓝藻藻丝发黄、生长缓慢，叶绿素含量降低。整体细胞的光合作用活性、光系统II(photosystem II，PSII)的放氧活性以及PSII反应中心的光能转化效率显著下降，传递给PSII的激发能减少。

LPA3蛋白参与调控PSII组装的功能研究

PSII是一个叶绿体类囊体膜的蛋白复合体，它由20多个蛋白亚基组成，这些蛋白由核基因和叶绿体基因共同编码。由于PSII结构的复杂性，PSII的组装是多步骤的，并得到辅因子和调控蛋白的协助。但我们对参与调控步骤的蛋白因子还了解不多。鉴于叶绿体有限的编码能力，推测参与叶绿体组装调控的因子主要是由核基因来编码的。辨定这些核编码的叶绿体蛋白并深入研究其作用的分子机制将有助于我们了解PSII生物发生的分子机理。为此，我们利用叶绿素荧光成像系统对pER16 T-DNA插入突变体库进行了筛选，并对高荧光突变体lpa3进行了研究。主要研究结果如下： 突变体lpa3生长较为缓慢，叶色黄绿，叶绿素含量低。在突变体中，最大荧光量子产率Fv/Fm降低到0.514，表明PSII光合功能受到了损伤。突变体lpa3叶绿素荧光慢诱导曲线的正常下降表明PSII后的电子传递正常。突变体P700氧化还原动力学与野生型一致，则进一步表明PSI在突变体中是具有功能的。77K发射荧光光谱显示PSII的特征峰在突变体中较高，而PSI的特征荧光峰没有变化，则进一步显示突变体lpa3是一个PSII突变体。 通过Tail-PCR，发现突变体中T-DNA插入导致基因lpa3缺失表达，并且lpa3基因的互补可以使突变体的性状得到恢复。该基因表达的蛋白LPA3含有一个跨膜区域，是一个类囊体膜蛋白。该蛋白不是PSII的蛋白组成成分，可能与自身或者其它的蛋白组成一个复合体而起作用。 在突变体lpa3中PSII蛋白质尤其是核心蛋白D1、D2，含量下降。并且突变体中PSII蛋白复合体含量下降。但是突变体中PSII基因的表达并没有在转录水平受到调节，并且蛋白D1和D2的翻译起始也没有受到影响。体外标记实验表明，PSII中D1蛋白的合成明显降低，而其它蛋白的合成没有改变。进一步实验表明，突变体中PSII的组装效率降低。推测D1蛋白由于不能有效组装而反馈调节自身的合成。 酵母双杂交实验表明LPA3蛋白可以与D1蛋白相互作用，并且也与参与PSII组装的蛋白Alb3相互作用。因此，LPA3蛋白可能和蛋白Alb3形成一个复合体，该复合体与D1蛋白直接相互作用而参与调控PSII的组装。

LPA2蛋白调控PSII组装的分子机理研究

光系统II（PSII）是叶绿体类囊体膜上电子传递链中第一个色素蛋白复合体，由20多个蛋白亚基组成。它催化光驱动的水的裂解和醌的氧化。由于其结构的复杂性，PSII的生物发生和组装是核基因与叶绿体基因编码的蛋白以一定次序多步骤合成、组装的复杂过程，并需要大量的核基因编码的调节组装因子的参与。分离、鉴定拟南芥中这些核基因编码的叶绿体蛋白并研究它们的作用机制有助于我们认识高等植物PSII复合物组装和功能调控的分子机理。因此，我们从T-DNA插入的拟南芥突变体库中筛选到PSII突变体lpa2（low photosystemII accumulation），对LPA2蛋白调控光系统II复合物组装的功能进行了研究，并进一步探讨了LPA2和其他调节因子协同作用参与PSII组装的模式。 突变体lpa2具有高叶绿素荧光表型，与野生型相比生长量、色素含量均显著降低。蛋白免疫印记发现在lpa2突变体中光系统II复合物的累积量明显降低，仅有野生型的30%左右，而其他复合物的含量变化不大。核酸杂交和与多聚核糖体结合的检测表明光系统II亚基在转录及翻译启始水平没有受到影响。拟南芥叶片蛋白标记实验证明在突变体中CP43的合成量明显降低而其他光系统II主要蛋白CP47, D1 和 D2的合成正常，但相对于野生型这些蛋白的周转速率加快。在突变体中，新合成的蛋白亚基可以组装进入光系统II复合物，但新合成的CP43蛋白组装效率降低。以上的结果表明LPA2对光系统II的正常组装起着重要的作用，LPA2的缺失导致CP43不能有效组装进入光系统II，从而引起其他核心蛋白周转加快，光系统 II复合物累积量降低，最终植株光合效率降低。 基因克隆和蛋白定位分析表明LPA2基因编码一个内在的类囊体膜蛋白，但并不是光系统II的亚基组分。进一步采用酵母双杂分析证实了LPA2蛋白与光系统II核心蛋白CP43有相互作用，而与中心蛋白D1和D2没有相互作用。此外实验还表明LPA2蛋白与参与类囊体膜生物发生有关的Alb3蛋白有相互作用。因此LPA2可能是与Alb3形成复合物来协助CP43有效的整合进入光系统II。 另外，我们实验室已鉴定，LPA3，LPA4也是分别特异地参与CP43和D1组装的光系统II分子伴侣。LPA2，LPA3基因共同缺失会使幼苗不能光合自养而致死，因而LPA2和LPA3共同相互作用促进CP43的组装。体内和体外实验证明LPA2，LPA3和LPA4都和Alb3相互作用，而参与D1组装的分子伴侣LPA1不和Alb3以及上述这些伴侣因子作用。因此，Alb3 很有可能与LPA2、LPA3和LPA4形成多蛋白复合物在D1蛋白合成之后的组装过程中起作用。这些结果表明光系统II多亚基复合物组装是多步骤的，并通过一个精确复杂的调控网络确保复合物的有效组装以及功能行使。

蓝藻谷氨酰胺酶的酶学特征及生理功能研究

谷氨酰胺酶是催化谷氨酰胺分解为谷氨酸的氨基酸水解酶。它广泛存在于真核生物和原核生物中，在许多微生物和哺乳动物的氮代谢过程中起重要作用。但蓝藻中谷氨酰胺酶的酶学特征及生理功能尚不清楚，仅在一些蓝藻的基因组中发现有假定谷氨酰胺酶基因，这些基因编码的未知功能蛋白中有谷氨酰胺酶功能结构域，如集胞藻6803基因组中的slr2079基因。因此，本研究以模式蓝藻集胞藻6803 为研究对象，研究蓝藻谷氨酰胺酶的酶学特征及其生理功能。 为研究蓝藻谷氨酰胺酶的酶学特征，本研究克隆了集胞藻6803 slr2079基因，并在大肠杆菌中融合表达，经Ni-NTA亲合柱纯化后，通过对重组蛋白进行酶活测定及动力学分析，发现Slr2079蛋白是以谷氨酰胺为唯一催化底物的谷氨酰胺酶。 重组酶Slr2079的最适反应pH为9;最适反应温度为37C - 42C。该酶和绝大多数微生物源性的谷氨酰胺酶一样均为非磷酸依赖型。有趣的是该酶活性受Na+调节，而这种调节是通过提高对底物的亲和力来实现的。 为研究蓝藻谷氨酰胺酶在细胞内的生理功能，本研究通过基因插入失活，构建了缺失slr2079基因的集胞藻6803突变体，并对其进行生理、生化研究。在正常生长条件下，突变体和野生型蓝藻的生长未见差异，表明该基因不是集胞藻6803生长所必需的基因。但在700 mM NaCl胁迫条件下，突变体的生长速率比野生型快1.25倍。半定量RT-PCR结果显示，几个盐胁迫相关基因在突变体与野生型中的表达有所不同：与耐受盐胁迫的相关基因slr1608 (gdhB) 和slr1751 (prc)在突变体中表达提高，而盐敏感的基因sll0262 (desD) 和 slr0213 (guaA)在突变体中表达下降。由于重组的Slr2079具有谷氨酰胺酶活性，因此我们试图通过检测在蓝藻中参与氨同化作用的关键酶谷氨酸合成酶和谷氨酰胺合成酶在集胞藻6803中的表达情况来揭示Slr2079在集胞藻6803谷氨酰胺代谢中的生理功能。半定量RT-PCR结果显示，仅谷氨酸合成酶在突变体中表达提高，而谷氨酰胺合成酶表达未见明显变化。这些研究结果表明，在集胞藻6803中，Slr2079可能是通过调节与盐胁迫相关基因的表达来参与应对盐胁迫，而在氮代谢中起次要作用。

Maximin 9, a novel free thiol containing antimicrobial peptide with antimycoplasma activity from frog Bombina maxima

Amphibian skin is a rich resource of antimicrobial peptides, like maximins and maximin Hs from frog Bombina maxima. Novel cDNA clones encoding a precursor protein, which comprises a novel maximin peptide (maximin 9) and reported maximin H3, were isolated from two constructed skin cDNA libraries of B. maxima. The predicted primary structure of maximin 9 is GIGRKFLGGVKTTFRCGVKDFASKHLY-NH2. A surprising substitution is at position 16, with a free cysteine in maximin 9 rather than usual conserved glycine in other reported maximins. Maximin 9, the homodimer form and its Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant were synthesized and their antimicrobial activities were evaluated. Unlike previously reported maximin 3, the tested bacterial and fungal strains were resistant to maximin 9, its homodimer and the Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant (with MICs > 100 mu M). On the other hand, interestingly, while eight clinical Mollicutes strains were generally resistant to maximin 9 homodimer and its Cys(16) to Gly(16) mutant, most of them are sensitive to maximin 9 at a peptide concentration of 30 mu M, especially in the presence of dithiothreitol. These results indicate that the presence of a reactive Cys residue in maximin 9 is important for its antimycoplasma activity. The diversity of antimicrobial peptide cDNA structures encountered in B. maxima skin cDNA libraries and the antimicrobial specificity differences of the peptides may reflect well the species' adaptation to the unique microbial environments. (c) 2005 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular genetic basis for the rhino mouse from Chinese KM subcolony

Both the rhino mouse and hairless mouse resulted from hairless gene mutation, but they show different phenotypes of skin physiology. The rhino mouse has more similar histological characters to human papular alopecia. Therefore rhino mouse is a good experimental animal model for human papular alopecia. This study reports a hairless mouse named rhino KIZ, arose from KM colony in Kunming Institue of Zoology, by systematic studies on morphology, skin histopathology, gene sequence, pedigree and protein domain analysis. The results demonstrate that a C-to-T transition in exon 11 of hr gene (The mutant gene has been applied for a Chinese patent (patent No. 03135280)) results in the rhino KIZ. The rhino KIZ with clear genetic mechanism will be a useful animal model.

Anti-HIV-1 property of trichosanthin correlates with its ribosome inactivating activity

Trichosanthin (TCS) is a type I ribosome inactivating (RI) protein possessing anti-tumor and antiviral activity, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The mechanism of these actions is not entirely clear, but is generally attributed to its RI property. In order to study the relationship between the anti-HIV-1 activity of TCS and its RI activity, three TCS mutants with different RI activities were constructed by using site-directed mutagenesis. The anti-HIV-1 activities of the three mutants were tested in vitro. Results showed that two TCS mutants, namely TCSM((120-123)), TCSE160A/E189A, with the greatest decrease in RI activity, lost almost all of the anti-HIV activity and cytopathic effect. Another mutant TCSR122G, which exhibited a 160-fold decrease in RI activity, retained some anti-HIV activity. The results from this study suggested that RI activity of TCS may have significant contribution to its anti-HIV-1 property. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

DnaJ-like protein gene sll1384 is involved in phototaxis in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

In Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, gene sll1384 encodes a protein with a DnaJ domain at its N-terminal portion and a TPR domain at the C-terminal portion. An sll1384 mutant shows no difference from the wild type in adaptation to different temperatures, but almost completely loses its capability of phototactic movement. After complementation with sll1384, the mutant regains the phototaxis. As shown with electron microscopy, on the cell surface, mutant cells have pili that appear to be the same as that of the wild type. Also, the transformation efficiency remains unchanged in the mutant. It is postulated that Sll1384 regulates phototaxis of Synechocystis through protein-protein interaction. It is the first DnaJ-like protein gene identified in a cyanobacterium for a role in phototaxis.

ApcD is necessary for efficient energy transfer from phycobilisomes to photosystem I and helps to prevent photoinhibition in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp PCC 7002

Phyrobilisomes (PBS) are the major light-harvesting, protein-pigment complexes in cyanobacteria and red algae. PBS absorb and transfer light energy to photosystem (PS) II as well as PS I, and the distribution of light energy from PBS to the two photosystems is regulated by light conditions through a mechanism known as state transitions. In this study the quantum efficiency of excitation energy transfer from PBS to PS I in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 was determined, and the results showed that energy transfer from PBS to PS I is extremely efficient. The results further demonstrated that energy transfer from PBS to PS I occurred directly and that efficient energy transfer was dependent upon the allophycocyanin-B alpha subunit, ApcD. In the absence of ApcD, cells were unable to perform state transitions and were trapped in state 1. Action spectra showed that light energy transfer from PBS to PS I was severely impaired in the absence of ApcD. An apcD mutant grew more slowly than the wild type in light preferentially absorbed by phyrobiliproteins and was more sensitive to high light intensity. On the other hand, a mutant lacking ApcF, which is required for efficient energy transfer from PBS to PS II, showed greater resistance to high light treatment. Therefore, state transitions in cyanobacteria have two roles: (1) they regulate light energy distribution between the two photosystems; and (2) they help to protect cells from the effects of light energy excess at high light intensities. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Essential Role of Endogenous Ghrelin in Growth Hormone Expression during Zebrafish Adenohypophysis Development

Ghrelin, a multifunctional hormone, including potent GH stimulation activity, has been suggested to be important during embryonic development. Expression of ghrelin has been confirmed in the zebrafish pancreas during embryonic stages. Interfering with ghrelin function using two specific antisense morpholino oligonucleotides causes defects during zebrafish embryonic development. In ghrelin morphants the expression of GH was abolished in zebrafish somatotropes, whereas the expression patterns of the other key molecules involved in hypothalamic-pituitary development and distinct pituitary hormones genes remain largely intact at the appropriate time during zebrafish adenohypophysis development. Effective rescue of the ghrelin morphants with exogenous ghrelin mRNA showed that the correct gene had been targeted. Moreover, by analyzing the efficiencies of the ghrelin morphants rescue experiments with various forms of exogenous mutant ghrelin mRNAs, we also demonstrated the essentiality of the form acyl-ghrelin on GH stimulation during zebrafish adenohypophysis development. Our in vivo experiments, for the first time, also provided evidence of the existence of functional obestatin in the C-terminal part of zebrafish proghrelin peptides. Our research here has demonstrated that zebrafish is a unique model for functional studies of endogenous ghrelin, especially during embryonic development. (Endocrinology 150: 2767-2774, 2009)

Depletion of Vipp1 in Synechocystis sp PCC 6803 affects photosynthetic activity before the loss of thylakoid membranes

A vipp1 mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 could not be completely segregated under either mixotrophic or heterotrophic conditions. A vipp1 gene with a copper-regulated promoter (P-petE-vipp1) was integrated into a neutral platform in the genome of the merodiploid mutant. The copper-induced expression of P-petE-vipp1 allowed a complete segregation of the vipp1 mutant and observation of the phenotype of Synechocystis 6803 with different levels of vesicle-inducing protein in plastids 1 (Vipp1). When P-petE-vipp1 was turned off by copper deprivation, Synechocystis lost Vipp1 and photosynthetic activity almost simultaneously, and at a later stage, thylakoid membranes and cell viability. The photosystem II (PSII)-mediated electron transfer was much more rapidly reduced than the PSI-mediated electron transfer. By testing a series of concentrations, we found that P-petE-vipp1 cells grown in medium with 0.025 mu M Cu2+ showed no reduction of thylakoid membranes, but greatly reduced photosynthetic activity and viability. These results suggested that in contrast to a previous report, the loss of photosynthetic activity may not have been due to the loss of thylakoid membranes, but may have been caused more directly by the loss of Vipp1 in Synechocystis 6803.

Bifunctional enzyme FBPase/SBPase is essential for photoautotrophic growth in cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp PCC 6803

From a random insertion mutant library of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a mutant defective in photoautotrophic growth was obtained. The interrupted gene was identified to be slr2094 (rbpl), which encodes the fructose-1,6-biphosphatase (FBPase)/sedoheptulose-1,7-biphosphatase (SBPase) bifunctional enzyme (F-I). Two other independently constructed slr2094 mutants showed an identical phenotype. The FBPase activity was found to be virtually lacking in an slr2094 mutant, which was sensitive to light under mixotrophic growth conditions. These results indicate that slr2094 is the only active FBPase-encoding gene in this cyanobacterium. Inactivation of photosystem II by interrupting psbB in slr2094 mutant alleviated the sensitiveness to light. This report provides the direct genetic evidence for the essential role of F-I in the photosynthesis of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. (c) 2007 National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science in China Press. All rights reserved.