Gene transfer into conchospores of Porphyra haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) by glass bead agitation

Genetic transformation by electroporation of protoplasts is a standard procedure for many plants. However, for the genus Porphyra, the method is not effective because of low viability of protoplasts and is a time-consuming and expensive procedure. Based on the life history of Porphyra, a spore-targeted strategy of genetic transformation was developed, that is, using fresh conchospores of Porphyra haitanensis Chang & Zheng transformed by agitation with glass beads. A SV40 promoter-driven lacZ reporter gene was expressed in conchospores 48 h after the agitation. More transformants were obtained by increasing the agitation time from 10 to 25 s. The maximum number of transformants was more than six out of 1 million agitated conchospores. Transfer of a SV40 promoter-driven egfp gene into conchospores resulted in significant green GFP fluorescence. The expression of lacZ and egfp revealed that this strategy of spore-targeted transformation using glass bead agitation is feasible in P. haitanensis and that the SV40 promoter is effective for monitoring expression of foreign genes in this red algal species.

Effects of infection of EGH-expressing Escherichia coli on haemocytes in Ciona intestinalis

The effects of infection of EGFP-expressing Escherichia coli on the haemocytes of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis were investigated. The results showed that THC of the infected individuals changed significantly. Hyaline amoebocytes phagocytosed E. coli in 5 min and excreted lysosome particles that attached to the surface of the bacteria. Granular amoebocytes released lots of particles for Immoral immunity while stem-cell-like haemocytes remained intact. With the increase in THC, the stem-cell-like haemocytes showed division and proliferation. A small portion of hyaline amoebocytes was at early apoptosis stage I h after infection and typical apoptosis bodies emerged in granular amoebocytes. A few of the infected haemocytes showed DNA damage using SCGE assay. Flow cytometry analysis revealed an obvious apoptosis peak in infected haemocytes. In conclusion, apoptosis was found to be an important immune response of ascidian haemocytes response to bacterial infection. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of apoptosis of haemocytes in ascidians. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

利用海带配子体营养增殖体系实现外源基因表达

1993年以来，本实验室在借鉴高等植物基因工程原理和方法的基础上，利用海带世代交替生活史，建立了海带遗传转化体系,并申请国家专利PCT/CN03/00534（Trends in Biotechnology, 2005, 23,264-268.）。海带遗传转化体系是建立在基因枪转化海带配子体，经孤雌或受精途径再生幼孢子体后用氯霉素筛选以及海上安全栽培等一系列技术平台上的新型体系。目前该体系已经成功实现报告基因（β-半乳糖甘酶基因，LacZ）和目的基因（乙肝表面抗原基因，HBsAg）在孢子体阶段的稳定表达。由于应用该体系表达目的基因须经过孢子体再生以及海上栽培等阶段，周期较长，因此本论文拟通过以下5方面工作初步建立以配子体营养增殖为基础的新型海带表达体系，并尝试在配子体阶段实现转化、筛选、增殖及产物检测等操作。1)确立针对配子体的选择标记。2)利用光生物反应器增殖配子体。3)拓展新的报告基因种类。4)克隆内源高效启动子。5)利用该体系表达rt-PA基因（编码价格昂贵的特效溶栓药，瑞替普酶）。本论文研究结果为1)升高温度能够显著增强草丁膦的筛选效果，根据敏感性实验统计结果确定了草丁膦作为海带配子体遗传转化选择压力的筛选方案为40mg/l连续处理7d×3次。2)利用室内光生物反应器营养增殖海带配子体技术，经草丁膦筛选，实现了SV40启动子驱动草丁膦抗性基因bar在配子体细胞中的稳定表达。3)采用调整配子体营养生长状态的方法减低背景荧光，从而首次观察到增强型绿色荧光蛋白基因（egfp）在海带配子体细胞中的瞬间表达。4)克隆了海带肌动蛋白基因（actin）的基因组序列，这是褐藻肌动蛋白基因组序列克隆的首次报道，通过染色体步移获得海带actin基因上游约450bp的片段。5)在上述工作基础上，与中国药科大学合作构建了瑞替普酶基因（rt-PA）的海带表达载体，并实现该基因在海带配子体细胞中的稳定表达，产物具有正确的生物学活性，平均表达量达到0.159μg/mg可溶蛋白。这是该基因在植物中表达的首次报道。研究结果提示在光生物反应器营养增殖体系基础上构建海带配子体表达系统的方案是可行的。

拟南芥Atfin1锌指蛋白的细胞定位

[目的]确定拟南芥锌指蛋白基因Atfin1的效应部位。[方法]用Trizol提取拟南芥叶片的总RNA,根据GeneBank数据库中Atfin1cDNA全序列设计引物,进行Atfin1的PCR扩增,克隆Atfin1基因,并进行同源性比较,构建pBI-Atfin1-EGFP融合表达载体,对Atfin1进行定位。[结果]克隆得到的拟南芥Atfin1蛋白氨基酸序列同紫花苜蓿Atfin1蛋白氨基酸序列的同源性达78.60%,在接近C-末端区域形成锌指结构的8个氨基酸残基高度保守,与周围的氨基酸残基共同形成典型的C_4HC_3基序。融合有Atfin1的绿色荧光蛋白只在细胞核区域表达,而未做融合的绿色荧光蛋白在整个细胞内呈弥散状分布。Atfin1没有典型的核定位信号,但仍然能够准确地在细胞核内表达。[结论]Atfin1在细胞核内表达,符合作为转录因子的表达特征。